The 'Engage' System: Using Real-Time Digital Technologies To Support Citizen-Centred Design In Government

Much of the literature on citizen-centric e-government focuses on the evaluation and classification of systems, while relatively little research exists on methods to ensure that such systems are designed around unmet user needs. This chapter focuses on the use of a specific ICT-based tool for citizen-centred service design within Northern Ireland. The 'engage' system is a novel technology for user research developed by Ulster University and commissioned by a variety of public sector clients to support the development of new policies and services. The 'engage' platform is examined in the context of the wider trend towards user-centred design and digital transformation in government. The relative advantages and disadvantages of the system are analysed in light of alternative user research methods and tools currently in use in the public sector. Lessons from real-world trials over a period of approximately 5 years are discussed, and implications for the future adoption of user research technologies in the public sector are explored.