Challenge 9.8

Why does this Challenge need to be solved?

How can we build innovative technology to offer everyone who wants it an individualised and effective communications channel through which they can interact with public sector organisations in the most secure and timely way? In many ways this could be regarded as a ‘mailbox’, but we are very open to approaches that extend this concept and so the potential of the product. We want a ‘mailbox’ that is endlessly adaptable, never goes out of date and interacts with public sector services securely and in a timely way.

The Scottish public sector including the government, local authorities, agencies and other organisations produce, process, and post paper letters to people. This requires significant time and effort due to the manual processes involved, and is less than efficient. The use of traditional post can result in delayed communications, and while delivery is not often an issue, engagement with the communication cannot be guaranteed, and responses [if required] can be problematic and involve extra effort on the part of the citizen. Furthermore, traditional systems present additional challenges for those without fixed abodes, and can pose risks to confidentiality for those living in shared accommodation.  

By making this a digital post process there would be cost savings for the public sector and benefits for citizens such speed, security and convenience of having all of your official correspondence in one place. It would also bring Scotland into line with countries leading digital government space – for example Estonia and Denmark.

Any system would need to be extremely secure, and guarantee the highest degree of data integrity and cyber-resilience. It would also need to accommodate the complex and complicated public sector environment, in which different organisations might have differing needs. And it would need to integrate with a verified digital identity system [subject of another Challenge on CivTech 9].  Furthermore, it would need to be developed in such a way that it is endlessly adaptable, and never goes out of date.

The requirements of such a system, and the demands that would be placed on it mean that we do not consider any current commercial offerings suitable – though there is the possibility that existing products could be innovated to answer the Scottish Government’s needs.

How will we know the Challenge has been solved?

A solution that supports digital identity and means that people:

• Can receive all government communication in one place

• Can self-serve that is convenient and able to meet accessibility requirements

• Having increased security by linking mail to a verified identity, improving security and privacy

• Citizens will have a digital record of their correspondence which they will have easy access to it

• Communications will be able to be received by citizens at much great speed that traditional post

Who are the end users likely to be?

People and citizens that wish to access their correspondence resulting from there interactions with public bodies.

Public bodies who wish to proactively send people correspondence in a fast and secure manner.

Has the Challenge Sponsor attempted to solve this problem before?

While other digital messaging services exist, it's not clear that these are suitable for the broader Scottish public sector. For instance, the needs of different service users and integration with ScotAccount may require specific elements of a solution so that the benefits of solving this Challenge can be realised.

We are willing to consider different ideas or approaches to help solve this Challenge.

This would be a new function that supports benefits related to establishing a digital identity and part of a growing suite of services that improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

Will a solution need to integrate with any existing systems / equipment?

A solution will need to integrate with the ScotAccount digital identity service.

Any technologies or features the Challenge Sponsor wishes to explore or avoid?

No.

What is the commercial opportunity beyond a CivTech contract?

The technology could be used in other sectors with require secure electronic communications such as Banking, Insurance and private health care.

Who are the stakeholders?

• ScotAccount programme team

• Potential service users:

  • NHS Scotland

  • Social Security Scotland

Who’s in the Challenge Sponsor team?

Digital Identity programme SRO and multidisciplinary team as necessary

What is the policy background to the Challenge?

As well as addressing needs for improved efficiency and cost saving across the public sector. Increasing the speed and security of correspondence while reducing costs.  A Digital mailbox would support ambitions in the Digital Strategy A changing nation: how Scotland will thrive in a digital world  which makes  a commitments to build a suite of common platforms and commit to their rapid adoption across the public sector. For example,  by providing the right communication medium for the right type of support needed, without the need to be tied to a physical location or specific hours of support.