[Interview] Delivering Users' Voices to the Government and Achieving Stable Usability
Contents
- Person in charge
- The important thing is not "how much was used" but "how comfortably it was used"
- Acting as a "coordinator" for the relevant ministries and agencies and as a "bridge builder" that delivers the voices of users
- Identify the "greatest common factor" that users want and simply achieve it
- Because it will not change immediately, I want you to be prepared to take time.
- Related Pages
Person in charge
KATO Hiroyuki Director for Policy Planning
He was transferred to the Cabinet Secretariat IT Strategic Office in September 2020 in order to utilize his experience gained in tax system and tax administration and diplomacy. Since the inauguration of Digital Agency in September 2021, he has led initiatives such as Digital Invoice and Visit Japan Web.
*The affiliation and job title are those at the time of the interview.
The important thing is not "how much was used" but "how comfortably it was used"
- Please tell us what you are particularly aware of in promoting this initiative.
KATO At Visit Japan Web, we do not aim to increase the usage rate per se. What is important is to ensure that people who need the service can use it smoothly and without any burden. The most important thing is "usability." We believe that if the usability improves, the usage rate will naturally improve. On the other hand, if there is a country or region where the usage rate is low, we think there is some reason and consider how to solve it.
For this reason, we are actively collecting not only various data but also the opinions of users and utilizing them in the examination. This is exactly the practice of "using data as a matter of course." We are working hard to realize a better user experience in both digital and real life.
Acting as a "coordinator" for the relevant ministries and agencies and as a "bridge builder" that delivers the voices of users
- What role did you play in working with multiple ministries and agencies?
KATO In this initiative, the understanding and cooperation of the relevant ministries and agencies, which are in charge of immigration procedures, such as Immigration Services Agency and Ministry of Finance Customs, are indispensable. However, each ministry and agency has different roles and responsibilities, and has tended to focus on self-optimization. Therefore, Digital Agency has set out a challenge of "realizing digitalisation in immigration procedures," and requested that the relevant ministries and agencies cooperate to realize it.
On top of that, Digital Agency played an active role not only as a "coordinator" for the relevant ministries and agencies, but also as a "mediator" to deliver the voices of the users. It would be putting the cart before the horse if we gave too much priority to digitalisation, which would damage our original business. Digital Agency thought it was important not to go too far beyond what was necessary, but to let the relevant ministries and agencies think for themselves about the most suitable digitalisation for them, and to help them put it into practice a little.
Identify the "greatest common factor" that users want and simply achieve it
- What did you do to improve the usability of the product for a wide range of users?
KATO Visit Japan Web is just a tool for completing immigration procedures smoothly. Therefore, it should be simple. What we aim for is a state in which the correct selection can be made naturally without any special operation and the operation is completed without noticing. The idea to realize this was to find the "greatest common factor" among the diverse needs of users.
To tell the truth, I myself am a heavy user of Visit Japan Web, so I have many opportunities to have a perspective as a user. However, this is not enough. I cannot understand the feelings of foreign users, who have different cultures, languages, and values, unless I actually listen to them. That is why I regularly set up opportunities to directly listen to the opinions of foreign users and repeatedly communicate with them. However, if I reflect the opinions of each person as they are, it may be more difficult to use. Therefore, I try to find the common points that are brought about by that communication = "the greatest common factor" and consider improvements based on it. To be honest, it takes time and effort, but I continue to do it as an indispensable effort to improve the usability.
Because it will not change immediately, I want you to be prepared to take time.
- Please give advice to administrative officials who aim to create better services
KATO In order to create a good service, I think it is important to "first try to use the service you provide yourself." If you do not actually touch it, you will not be able to see what the problem is and what should be changed. Knowing how you would feel if you were a user should be the most familiar user perspective.
Another important thing is the determination to make changes even if it takes time. For example, in order to provide better services, there may be situations where the administrative system itself needs to be changed. In such cases, more adjustments than one might expect will be required. Just because users' voices are conveyed to the relevant ministries and agencies does not mean that the system will change immediately. There are systems and rules that have been established over many years, and it will take time to put them into practice. I believe that the determination and attitude to "build a relationship of trust over time and change it even little by little" is vital.