VNPT-IT Joins Roundtable on Removing Bottlenecks in National Digital Transformation

On the morning of 24 September, the Vietnam Digital Communications Association and VietTimes held a roundtable on removing bottlenecks in national digital transformation. Lê Xuân Sơn, Deputy General Director of VNPT Information Technology Company (VNPT-IT), said that creating practical value requires addressing obstacles in policy mechanisms, resources, coordination responsibilities and post-implementation evaluation.

VNPT-IT Deputy General Director Lê Xuân Sơn speaks at the roundtable

Roundtable overview: Taking a frank look at the main bottlenecks

The event formed part of a 100-day campaign to remove obstacles to the development of science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, ahead of the ninth Vietnam Digital Awards (VDA).

An overview of the roundtable on removing bottlenecks in national digital transformation

In his opening remarks, VDCA Chairman Nguyễn Minh Hồng emphasized that, although digital transformation is central to the country's development strategy, significant barriers remain. Data is fragmented and poorly connected; many administrative processes still follow old ways of working; and institutions and policies have yet to keep pace with technological change.

A representative of the National Digital Transformation Authority highlighted a gap in implementation: localities reuse data at a rate of 96%, while the rate among ministries and central agencies is only a little over 5%. The shares of online applications and electronically digitized results at ministry level are also low, suggesting that digitization has yet to translate consistently into usable value.

VNPT-IT Deputy General Director Lê Xuân Sơn: Identify the bottleneck and who is responsible

From a business perspective, Lê Xuân Sơn, Deputy General Director of VNPT-IT, said that creating practical value requires removing obstacles related to policy mechanisms, resources, coordination responsibilities and how outcomes are evaluated after implementation.

“We essentially already have the technology. The issue is the mechanism for putting it into practice, how implementation is organized, investment resources, each party's responsibilities and how effectiveness is evaluated afterward,” the VNPT representative said.

According to the VNPT-IT executive, work with ministries and local authorities shows that each area faces different challenges. Some localities have favorable conditions, resources and support from major companies, making implementation easier. Others still struggle with infrastructure, personnel, funding and other practical constraints.

A single approach is therefore unlikely to suit every locality. Each area should start from its actual needs and clearly define the problem, the objective, the timeline and the resources required.

The VNPT representative also stressed the connection among three parties: the State, businesses and local authorities.

“The State provides policy mechanisms; localities identify real problems and organize implementation; and businesses bring technology, resources and solutions. All three need to work together from the outset,” the VNPT-IT executive said.

Delegates exchange views at the roundtable

Under this approach, practical results are hard to achieve if the State provides a mechanism and businesses offer solutions but localities have not defined the problem. Conversely, implementation also becomes difficult when a locality has a problem but no mechanism for business participation, or when a business has a solution but responsibilities, evaluation methods and resources remain unclear.

Drawing on implementation experience, the VNPT representative said each party's responsibilities should be clear at every stage: defining the problem, choosing a solution, piloting it, evaluating the results and scaling it up.

Some issues fall to local authorities, while others require central ministries and agencies. Businesses can solve certain problems, but they cannot decide matters of policy and regulation on their own.

What matters is which problem a system solves, what effect it has, how citizens and businesses benefit, and whether productivity improves.

“If a process that used to take a long time takes only a few days after technology is applied, that is a measurable result. If people previously had to make several trips but can now complete the process faster and more conveniently, that result should also be recognized,” the VNPT representative explained.

Objectives, timelines, resources and evaluation indicators should therefore be set from the beginning. After implementation, outcomes should be measured with data rather than assessed only by the amount invested or whether a system has been put into use.

From a business perspective, VNPT wants to take part earlier in solving local challenges. Once a locality has defined a problem, businesses can help propose solutions, run pilots and evaluate the results.

This requires a clear mechanism setting out the pilot's scope, each party's responsibilities, evaluation criteria and a plan for wider adoption if the solution proves effective.

According to the VNPT representative, bottlenecks should be examined from the perspectives of central government, local authorities and businesses. They may arise from institutions, implementation, resources or coordination responsibilities.

The key is a concrete roadmap and outcomes. Once a problem is defined, the deadline, resources and person responsible must be identified. Removing a bottleneck must move beyond identifying it to resolving it.

Based on practical experience, the VNPT representative said that bringing technology to bear on real-world problems becomes easier when the parties clearly define the problem together, agree on an approach, establish a pilot mechanism and set criteria for measuring effectiveness. This shifts the focus from investing in technology to creating value through technology.

Read the full VietTimes article: https://viettimes.vn/toa-dam-go-diem-nghen-chuyen-doi-so-quoc-gia-de-xuat-su-dung-ai-agent-trong-hanh-chinh-cong-post206182.html