Rapid Deployments Using Shared Infrastructure: A pathway to building digital solutions at a national scale in 100 days

This document provides a pathway for countries to rapidly deploy digital solutions using a shared infrastructure approach in 100 days. It outlines key prerequisites, a three-phase deployment model, and examples of successful implementations. This guide is intended for government officials, technology advisors, and other stakeholders involved in digital transformation initiatives and offers a practical roadmap for achieving rapid and impactful results.

Key Insights

Prerequisite 1: Understanding - Identify a Single, Specific Use Case

A specific use case provides clarity of purpose and streamlines efforts towards a swift initial deployment. Countries need to identify a singular and narrow use case that can have a measurable impact on improving efficiency, service delivery, and other beneficial outcomes for their populations. The specificity of the identified need and the use case is key to avoid complexities or risk of failure in subsequent phases. Taking a shared infrastructure approach from the beginning allows countries to integrate the use case into a larger solution, facilitating long-term expansion without having to rebuild entire systems.

Prerequisite 2: Governance - Assess the State of Safeguards

Not all rapid deployments will require formal legislative processes or lengthy governance frameworks, but every rapid deployment will need a robust plan to ensure that safety and inclusion elements are embedded within its operations. Countries should examine the type and nature of data required for the initial use case and the need for special protections, if any. This initial assessment helps determine if the project meets the basic requirements to proceed, with additional governance measures to be developed as the project expands.

Prerequisite 3: Champion - Nominate a Clear Champion

Clear champions ensure streamlined decision-making, effective implementation, and sustained momentum for digital transformation initiatives. The key for any internal champion, or the champion team, to be effective lies in three things: having the authority to drive meaningful change within bureaucratic structures; possessing a baseline understanding of digital technologies and their applications; and being attuned to the needs and perspectives of potential end-users.

Prerequisite 4: Resources - Dedicate and Arrange Financial Resources

Dedicated and easily accessible funding is key to the speed of deployment by avoiding long delays in approval processes at every step. Countries must allocate adequate financial resources earmarked for the specific use case. This can also be explored through co-financing with multilateral banks and philanthropic organisations.

Phase 1: Mobilise (Day 0-40)

Assemble a decision-making group, set clear targets, onboard partners and identify the right digital solution. To initiate rapid deployment, the first step is to assemble a high-level decision-making group within the government. This body will serve as the central hub for overseeing and guiding the action plan, ensuring that all activities remain aligned with overarching goals.

Phase 2: Configure (Day 41-85)

Develop a proof of concept, source essential infrastructure, configure the digital solution, and build capacity of pilot users and government officials. Guiding the core technical partners to develop an initial proof of concept will demonstrate how the digital solution can be deployed within the context of the country.

Phase 3: Launch (Day 85-100)

Launch pilot, test with diverse users, and evaluate and incorporate feedback to improve usability. Finally, countries must launch a controlled pilot where the digital solution is made available for use to a selected set of end-users. This user group must be diverse to ensure representation of all potential social groups that could benefit from the platform.

Key Statistics & Data

• Mozambique went live with Salama, an integrated digital health campaign management platform, in 90 days.
• Philippines piloted the digital transformation of its emergency cash assistance program within 10 weeks.
• In Mozambique, the mobile phone penetration at the time of the DIGIT Health Campaign Management system deployment was only around 60%.

Methodology

This report was prepared by Co-Develop and Dalberg Advisors. The primary objective of the report was to provide evidence that rapid deployment of shared infrastructure within 100 days is achievable across diverse country contexts. Their efforts began by identifying five organisations that have successfully developed and piloted DPI within the stipulated 100-day timeframe - OpenG2P, X-Road, OpenSPP, OpenCRVS, and eGov. Comprehensive interviews were conducted with each organisation to gain insights into their experiences.

Implications and Conclusions

The deployment of the solution marks just the beginning of a broader digital transformation journey. Adopting a shared infrastructure is not just an investment in one solution, but also a step towards integrated and efficient systems that address the most critical needs of the nation. DaaS, spearheaded by the Centre for DPI, is a new and alternative way to rapidly deploy using the shared infrastructure approach. While some rapid deployments may rely on heavy customisations, DaaS maximally pre-packages software, programme, and policy requirements, and provides pre-approved funding for trained service provider support, making shared infrastructure-based solutions easier and more efficient to adopt.