Summary
Namahn has been working on digital inclusion for the Digital Transformation Office of the Belgian federal government for over a year. Since 2020, they have invested in understanding user needs to help administrations improve their services for and with the citizen. In a multidisciplinary team, the team researched the challenges of digital inclusion and explored actionable avenues for federal administrations. In 2019, a study showed that 42% of Belgian citizens didn't use any online or digital public service. Applying design techniques, the team shaped a profound understanding of people at risk, their struggles, and how governmental services can become more inclusive. In this talk, Yalenka and Marie will outline how they conducted interviews with citizens at risk of digital exclusion during a lockdown and what they learned from those. Additionally, they’ll detail the current experiments that they are launching to ensure public services are conceived in an inclusive way.
Key Insights
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Digital exclusion is dynamic and context-dependent, affecting diverse profiles beyond stereotypical groups.
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40% of Belgian citizens with internet access avoid digital government services, indicating barriers beyond mere connectivity.
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Trust in both digital tools and government heavily influences citizen engagement with digital services.
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Mobile devices are widely accessible, yet government services in Belgium remain predominantly desktop-focused.
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Inconsistent visual and digital identities across services confuse users and reduce accessibility.
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Content design is as critical as functionality; legal correctness often conflicts with user comprehension.
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Personal assistance remains essential; digitization cannot replace frontline support for less digitally comfortable citizens.
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No single organization can solve digital inclusion alone; building cross-organizational networks accelerates systemic change.
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Collaborating with community organizations offering device access and training is vital to reach at-risk populations.
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Inclusive civic design thrives on agile, iterative practices and empowering ambassadors across departments, not just designers.
Notable Quotes
"Digital exclusion is not a fixed status that affects only one part of the population; it can impact different people at different points in their lives."
"In Belgium, most governmental services are still really designing with desktop use in mind, despite smartphones being more accessible."
"A lot of governmental sites are filled with legally correct, but totally incomprehensible content."
"Digitizing doesn't mean removing your frontline; it's important to equip and empower frontline workers to support less digitally comfortable citizens."
"There is no magic solution for digital exclusion; small complementary solutions in the existing system can make a significant impact."
"It’s very important to set up a network of people already working on inclusion so they don’t feel alone and share learnings."
"Inclusive civic design doesn’t mean only designers should do it; ambassadors from policy, business, technical, or communications sides can drive change."
"As a civic designer, it’s your role to hold managers accountable and translate promises on inclusion into real, measurable actions."
"Working in co-creation with legal departments and training them in accessible writing is essential but remains a challenge."
"Smartphones are perceived as much more accessible, even if people use them only for limited functionalities."
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