ŠAVŠ/TAČR Digital Czechia in a Digital Europe

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RECOMMENDATIONS: • The Czech Republic needs to focus more on the end user and reflect its interests in its digitalization efforts. Regular collection of information, in the form, for example, of questionnaires and subsequent data analysis, should become routine, at least for the first few years after the launch of digital services. • All such data should be processed in an annual report, which would identify which areas of digitalization are rated the worst from the end users’ points of view and need to be more user-friendly or otherwise optimized. • With regard to the digitalization of public administration and services, the Czech Republic must avoid mere ICT automation of current processes and place greater effort into creating completely new digitalized procedures. Merely moving current bureaucratic processes online in the long run is insufficient. • If there is to be a more comprehensive transformation of processes within public administration and services, not just ICT automation of currently applied processes, investment in the training of civil servants in the field of ICT is a necessary condition. • If the Czech Republic aims to increase interest in online services among the population, it must primarily pay attention to the quality of the services offered in this way more than addressing the issue of quantity. Once citizens are satisfied with the services already offered, there is a strong demand for further expansion of the digitalization of public administration and services. • It is also possible to increase the citizens’ interest in using digital services through financial incentives. For example, a significant percentage reduction in the price of a given service if the citizen decides to handle it online and not physically or by telephone. • Public administrations should digitalize their services pragmatically – focusing on those services that are most used by citizens and those that currently cost state officials the most time. • Along with the digitalization of public administration and services, the legislative framework needs to be regularly amended. In many respects, it can become a significant burden on digitalization efforts. • In the case of the Czech Republic, however, it is above all necessary to take into account the ICT capabilities and skills of the population, which are essential for the ability to adapt to possible changes.