[Interview] Bridging the Gap in Viewpoints through Close Communication
Contents
- Person in charge
- Creating new administrative contact points that are easy to use and improve
- Connecting communication between members with different backgrounds
- It is important to understand the differences in positions and viewpoints between the Cabinet Office and each Ministry and to adjust the differences.
- I want them to recognize anew that the work of administrative officials is from the viewpoint of users.
- Related Pages
Person in charge
Director Ōtsuka Shōō (left)
Joined National Police Agency in 1998. Worked in cybersecurity, Information Management, Community Safety, etc. Took charge of Mynaportal and various business-related systems in his current position (Director, Digital Agency) from March 2024.
, UEDA Naohiro, Director (photo right)
He joined the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 1999. After working in departments such as nursing care, social welfare, and pension, he was in charge of medical DX and Mynaportal at his current position (Director, Digital Agency) from June 2022.
*The affiliation and job title are those at the time of the interview.
Creating new administrative contact points that are easy to use and improve
- What are the objectives and challenges of this initiative?
Ōtsuka Mynaportal aims to transform administrative institutions into something more accessible to the people, and to become a new interface for administrative institutions that are close to the lives of each and every citizen by streamlining administrative procedures as a foundation of the digital society.
Ueda Renewal, there were few functions. At first, we focused on increasing the number of functions that could be used individually. As a result, it was difficult to understand the flow of traffic when viewed as a whole, and the specifications made it difficult to renovate. Therefore, we separated the front end and the back end and entrusted them to business operators with strengths in each area. We built a development system that could be improved at any time in response to the voices of users. This initiative was seen as a project that triggered a transformation not only in Digital Agency but also across ministries and agencies to "provide services that are easy to understand for the people."
Connecting communication between members with different backgrounds
- What role did he play as an administrator?
Ōtsuka Ōtsuka My role is to connect the communication of the team as we release each and every function, examining it from a variety of angles. The Mynaportal team is a large organization. From national government officer, who works in central government ministries and agencies, to local government officials, who have been involved in administrative services from a perspective close to the people, to human resources who have joined the agency from private companies, there are employees with diverse backgrounds and ways of thinking. In order for the team to move forward in the same direction, I am working to create environments that deepen mutual understanding and share values.
Ueda I don't think it has much to do with the background, such as "because I'm from an administrative organization" or "because I'm from the private sector." The only difference is in the way I perceive the "user perspective." It is important to find a balance between the two.
It is important to understand the differences in positions and viewpoints between the Cabinet Office and each Ministry and to adjust the differences.
- Tell us about the results and changes you feel in the project
Ōtsuka Quick Survey is significant. In Mynaportal, we receive thousands of comments a day. It was epoch-making that such a large number of comments were collected on administrative services and they could be directly shared with related organizations. We were able to obtain a high level of satisfaction by building a development system that can quickly improve based on the opinions of the people gathered as evidence.
Ueda digitalisation. In the past, we had no choice but to leave the implementation of policies to the municipalities, but with the digitalisation, it has become necessary for us to create them, including the points of contact with users. I think this is why we are now required to have a "user perspective" in even more detailed ways.
I want them to recognize anew that the work of administrative officials is from the viewpoint of users.
- Please give advice to administrative officials who aim to create better services
Ōtsuka Again, the important thing is communication. If you have something you want to do, make a material that summarizes the evidence and background in an easy-to-understand way and explain it in a short time. This is all.
Ueda In the first place, our job as administrative officials is to listen to the voices of the people. If we deepen our communication by grasping the essence of it, it will surely lead to the realization of better services.