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In Europe and beyond, public administrations face increasing pressure to do more with less. Digital transformation is a solution, but many citizens still find public e-services to be disconnected from their needs. The inGOV project set out to close this gap by helping authorities adopt user-centric approaches grounded in collaboration.
“Public administrations, eager to embrace digital innovation, are often left navigating complex processes without clear direction. This results in difficulties in data sharing, delayed processes and inefficiencies that significantly hinder effective governance and service delivery,” explains project coordinator Antonios Cassano, business development and innovation director at Uni Systems in Greece.
With inGOV, the consortium members aimed to deliver a straightforward system for digitalisation that could be easily adopted and implemented, improving governance, co-creation and service delivery. This IPS Holistic Framework, as the system is called, addresses persistent challenges – such as fragmented systems and a lack of interoperability – by offering public administrations a practical roadmap for developing services that reflect people’s real needs.
A key innovation was the development of co-creation agreements, which formalise stakeholder collaboration and ensure clear roles and responsibilities for digitalisation. This improves transparency and enables public administrations to design services with rather than for citizens – especially those from disadvantaged groups.
From concept to practice
To test this framework, inGOV piloted its solutions in four countries to demonstrate how digital services could be reimagined.
In Malta, a prototype for a Digital Common Household Unit Public Service integrated various data sources, improving accuracy and efficiency. Austria’s pilot focused on modernising tourism tax collection using geospatial data, reducing administrative burden and improving service speed.
In Croatia, the City of Bjelovar implemented a virtual assistant as a single access point for a variety of public services. Meanwhile, Greece’s Region of Thessaly digitised the process for obtaining and renewing public transport discount cards for low-income citizens with disabilities.
“These pilot cases demonstrate the tangible impact of the inGOV framework, showcasing its ability to improve public service delivery in diverse contexts and highlighting the value of co-creation and user-centric design,” says Cassano.
Beyond these case studies, inGOV built on and enhanced existing EU interoperability assets, such as the European Interoperability Framework and Reference Architecture, which encourage alignment and reuse of best practices to avoid fragmentation and incompatible solutions across the EU. The resulting framework was adapted to each pilot, ensuring alignment with broader EU policy goals.
Emerging technologies were central to this effort. “Technologies like virtual assistants and mobile apps enhance accessibility and streamline service delivery, reflecting inGOV’s commitment to leveraging innovation for the benefit of citizens,” Cassano notes.
The project also demonstrated economic and operational benefits for administrations. By promoting interoperability and standardised processes, inGOV reduces duplication, supports data-driven decisions and builds trust between citizens and governments.
Looking ahead, the consortium will focus on disseminating the IPS Holistic Framework and ensuring long-term impact. “We’re committed to actively sharing the project’s outputs, the valuable lessons we’ve learned and the tangible benefits that have resulted from our work,” adds Cassano. With strategies in place for sustainability and exploitation, inGOV’s findings will continue to inform policy, research and practice – helping make digital public services across Europe more inclusive, efficient and trusted.