In an attempt to provide citizens and businesses with an easy-to-use and streamlined package of basic services, the government of Italy has adopted a new strategy that involves updating the existing service platforms and establishing institutions committed to advanced technological solutions. The government has also set up national e-payment systems and introduced a digital identification system.
In the same context, Italy has launched the IO app, a unified platform combining a set of basic government systems to provide citizens with swift service delivery, ensure security, and increase the productivity of public employees.
The IO app was unveiled in 2018 by the digital transformation team and chaired by the European Union. The concerned team began analyzing citizen needs and public employee requirements to identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing services and improve them for the benefit of all public entities providing digital services for citizens. A specialized team was previously assigned to collect and integrate the existing data into the central system to enhance the efficiency of public services and facilitate transactions between citizens and public entities through their smartphones.
The app sends alerts and notifications to various customers and allows them to specify their preferences and complete their transactions through the app which ensures secure and reliable communication. They can also set alarms to remind them of their deadlines and due payments or pay their taxes via credit card or PayPal. The citizen’s tax code is used as an ID identification number.
Therefore, the app reduces the time needed for public administrations to prepare identity documents and stores the user’s personal data, such as phone number, email address, and banking information. This data is shared with all websites connected to the app, making it easier for users to surf them without the need to provide this information each time.
The app’s beta version was tested in 2018. The responsible team established a set of communication channels through social media and newsletters to encourage citizens to try the app by completing a number of basic tasks. The beta version was officially tested by installing the app on 100 smartphones for 15 days and sending more than 20 demo messages related to information, deadlines, and alerts. Hundreds of people in major cities like Milan and Toronto used the app’s beta version and benefited from its services. The app is expected to be officially launched in 2020 after making sure it successfully passes the trial phase.
During this phase, the app has proven its effectiveness by providing a wide range of usage purposes. It was used several times during the month to disseminate information on changes to road exits and send weather alerts by over 60%. Moreover, the app recorded, throughout the year, a usage rate of over 30% to settle tuition fees, pay fines, and handle meetings, bids, and tenders. IO also recorded a usage rate of over 60% for tax reporting, as well as sending medical certificates and data related to payments of local workers. However, documents related to medical bills and medication refunds were the most popular transactions on the app with a usage rate exceeding 90% on numerous occasions during the same year.
Throughout the year, the app occasionally covered several areas, including social security contributions by less than 30%, while this usage rate increased for taxes, school registrations and absenteeism, parking permits, weather, business activities, and government payment history to more than 30%. The app’s usage rate regarding information related to deadlines for paying document taxes, driver’s license points, insurance expiration date, and medical examination reports exceeded 60% a few times in that year. During that same timeframe, the app’s usage rate surpassed 90% for medical expenses.
The IO app recorded a disproportionate usage rate from time to time. For example, the usage rate for handling tax files and legal documents was less than 30%, while this percentage increased for data related to changes of residency, family leaves, passport expiration date, and car towing. Data related to payment preferences, vaccine alerts, property status, and driver’s license expiration were occasionally sent to the app with a usage rate of over 60%. However, the largest share of data processed through the app was related to ID card expiration, e-card expiration, birth certificate, family status, preferred general practitioner, and vehicle maintenance deadline with a usage rate of over 90%.
