The scoping stage of the DPI life cycle is crucial as it establishes the purpose, goals, constraints, and boundaries of a DPI. This then guides subsequent decision-making and ensures alignment with strategic and operational objectives as well as people’s needs.
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Nominal activities include:
clear framing of the goal or problem
identifying root societal needs
targeting core service delivery gaps
assessing impact potential
analysing the enabling environment for barriers to DPI implementation, effectiveness and adoption, including existing policy, legal and regulatory frameworks
taking into account the relevant technical, organizational and normative risks to safety and inclusion
Poorly scoped DPI implementation can result in resource wastage, frustration and aversion. This is particularly so as DPI may not suit all sectors and contexts for a variety of reasons, including legacy barriers to data-sharing across institutions; competition issues; unequal digital readiness across the ecosystem; potential harms or risks at a population scale; or capacity shortfalls. Experience has shown that flourishing DPI systems have generally benefited from extensive support for national rollout, coupled with a robust regulatory regime with effective compliance mechanisms. Others have floundered, on account of under-resourcing and a variety of contextual challenges.
Strategy and Design (L2)
At this stage, a comprehensive plan is formulated and the DPI design is conceptualized in order to translate objectives into actionable steps that meet functional and performance objectives. The most appropriate standards, designs, safeguards and implementable steps are thought of at this stage.
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This stage includes activities such as mapping and engaging with stakeholders to understand individual needs, identifying parties for collaboration, and advocating for the removal of barriers to DPI implementation in the enabling environment. It also includes planning for optimum service delivery, learning from successful DPI models and best practices. This includes setting design objectives including scalability and sustainability where applicable, with a focus on small, incremental improvements, resilient architecture, and future-proofing the infrastructure. Also, this stage involves establishing standards and protocols and performance metrics to assess adoption and societal impact, preparing design specification according to inclusive and other critical design principles and mitigating design-related technical, organizational and normative risks.
Development (L3)
In the development stage, a prototype DPI is built according to defined specifications, ensuring functionality, reliability, and scalability.
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Activities include software coding to design specification; testing; building open APIs and sandboxes to empower developers (as appropriate to the maturity of DPI implementation and the local context); creating Minimal Viable Products (“MVPs”) and running pilot projects to iteratively adjust. Any adjustments should be guided by insights into practicality and impact, while identifying and mitigating risks related to security, privacy, and user experience. This phase ensures that DPI solutions are thoroughly tested and refined before widespread implementation, to minimize risks and maximize effectiveness. Development includes the framing of outstanding policies and regulations, where necessary, and establishing institutional structures in parallel with the technology. Mitigating technical, organizational and normative risks associated with implementation is critical in this stage. A robust governance framework should be put in place.
Deployment and Transformation (L4)
At this stage, the DPI is implemented in its operational environment, and any necessary organizational changes are made to maximize its impact and adoption.
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Implementing DPI in its target environment entails installing, configuring, and activating the hardware, software, and networking components in a phased manner; scaling if necessary and appropriate; refining on the basis of evidence and data of users’ feedback (and using change management strategies); regularly engaging with stakeholders and communicating widely to ensure successful large-scale adoption so that the benefits of DPI are fully realized across all sectors of society. It is essential that, in parallel, a robust governance framework including monitoring and redressal mechanisms, is activated.
Operations and Maintenance (L5)
Once DPI is commissioned, it is expected that individuals regularly interact with its services, and that government agencies rely on its systems for their operations.
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Regular operations and maintenance ensure ongoing optimal performance, stability, and efficiency of the DPI within the operational environment. Nominal activities include:
continuous management and maintenance that ensure performance metrics are met, with oversight and accountability
continuous testing of safeguards to ensure privacy, security, usability, and inclusion
monitoring, learning and continuously improving alongside innovative methods for engagement, monitoring and evaluating effectiveness, and strategic preparedness for swift action in response to policy windows or opportunities for scale-up
reviewing technical, organizational and normative risks and mitigation strategies
ongoing review of governance and assurance that inclusive redressal
