<div dir="ltr"><div><div><div>Totally agree on this one.. Have applications as services and allow 3rd parties to develop apps on top of these services will allow innovation in many forms.<br><br></div>All the major Internet products n the market today employ the API - which is a way to expose these services - and impressive 3rd party apps have come up to work in conjunction with or to even supplement these services. These products include YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, popular messaging apps, etc.<br><br></div>Tons of established tech companies and products are moving to the API model.<br><br></div>Its worth noting that notable Government Open Data around the world projects also expose data via APIs.<br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Jan 20, 2016 at 1:20 AM, Ngigi Waithaka via kictanet <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">Grace,<div><br></div><div>My thoughts....</div><div><br></div><div>The biggest impediment to self-service to government applications is the lack of innovation around the same applications.</div><div><br></div><div>The lack of innovation is due to the closed system approach the government has taken. Every application in use today is almost as a result of a tender award, then the subsequent design-implementation process through the various committees. Almost always, the end result of these is the proverbial camel as anyone who has ever tried to use most of the government applications will tell you.</div><div><br></div><div>However, there is a set of applications that tend to do very well; the mobile ones.. Most of the applications done on the mobile platform such as say checking exam results for KCPE students are a brilliant example of what could be achieved.</div><div><br></div><div>The *ultimate* solution, however, is to open up GoKs backend systems in a way that allows various vendors/individuals to innovate around it. Kind of have an AppStore for GoK Apps. </div><div><br></div><div>As an example, suppose KRA was to make the iTax APIs for Taxpayer Registration / PIN Process available. I can bet you within a week we'd have someone designing a much better interface than what's currently available through the iTax System. The same could be said of the current IFMIS eProcurement System etc</div><div><br></div><div>Apple, Google & M$, even with their huge resources couldn't pull it off by making all the applications needed by everyone. They just built a platform that the rest of the world could build and compete on.</div><div><br></div><div>So, in conclusion, successful self-service applications are unlikely to be implemented by GoK. Let GoK provide the market with the APIs to build these applications. Let the market compete on innovating around these.</div><div><br></div><div>Rgds<br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote"><span class="">On Mon, Jan 18, 2016 at 10:56 AM, Grace Githaiga via kictanet <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>></span> wrote:<br></span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div><div class="h5">
<div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Good morning Listers</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">I have received a request from the ICT Authority on the topic of Connected Kenya. <br><p><br></p>
<p>Connected Kenya this year wants to
explore the theme of getting Citizen to “Self Serve”<span> </span>through provision of e-government services.
The theme is “Bridging the service gap”</p><p><br></p>
<p>In the spirit of consultation, and in recognizing the valuable ideas from the different sectors of the community, the ICT Authority <b>would like to get industry thoughts and views on what they
perceive as barriers to the achievement of ‘self-services’ to mwananchi <span> </span>in Kenya. </b></p><p><br></p><p>What can government do in terms of
policies, implementation of projects, engagement to further this agenda? <span> </span>And what role does the Private sector also
play and how can both come together to further the interest of getting the
citizen to access services at the comfort of their homes?</p><p><br></p>
<p>We request that for the next five days, you kindly feel feel free to contribute and help the Authority shape up the agenda for this important conference. Phyllis from ICTA will collate all your ideas. </p><p><br></p><p>Asanteni sana.</p><p><br></p><p>Rgds</p><p>Grace</p>
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