92% of Municipalities Apply for the Digital Innovation Fund: A Positive Step, but More Needs to Be Done
According to a statement from the Ministry, 92% of municipalities have requested access to the Fund for Technological Innovation and Digitization, managed by Minister Paola Pisano, to financially support administrations in their modernization processes. This marks a significant move towards digitization as outlined in the ‘Simplification and Digital Innovation’ decree, which includes adopting digital identity SPID and Electronic ID Cards to facilitate access to services and their use via smartphones.
This is certainly a positive outcome—the funds amount to 43 million out of the total 50 million allocated to the Fund, which has now become structural with the latest budget law. However, much more is needed to bring Public Administration closer to citizens.
Most of the funds have been requested by small municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. Yet, issues with accessing public services are diverse and varied, and this is just an initial step toward a genuine systemic change.
A serious reassessment of reception tools in public institutions (from hospitals to regions, ASLs, municipalities, chambers of commerce, and ministries) is overdue. Navigating these offices is often challenging, and the costs of maintaining traditional signage can be significantly reduced with dynamic displays and indoor navigation apps.
This approach not only makes life easier for users and saves citizens time but also provides the administration with crucial and reliable parameters for managing flows. This means saying goodbye to queues and frustration, and improving the perception of the administration as more citizen-friendly.
When paying taxes, opening a case, or performing any other task in an office, the primary concern is often the time spent waiting in line or finding the appropriate office. Consider these same difficulties from the perspective of a visually impaired person, a parent with a stroller, an elderly individual, or someone with temporary or permanent mobility disabilities.
To address these needs and make Public Administration more accessible, TapMyLife has developed a solution for institutions that helps citizens navigate the premises to quickly reach points of interest. This high-impact, high-visibility solution is designed for large public structures.
With TapMyLife, users can access a helpful navigator directly on their smartphones to swiftly locate offices, departments, and service counters. The infrastructure is simple, cost-effective, and innovative, supporting staff, citizens, and users without requiring structural interventions (such as masonry, electrical systems, or Wi-Fi) and operates even without connectivity.
The solution integrates seamlessly with existing queue management applications, preserving previous investments while adding functionalities and services. Autonomous content management via a user-friendly web interface ensures the application remains updated with frequent changes typical of complex entities.
It is an essential tool for guiding users through the institution, from document access to fast-tracking for those with visual or mobility impairments. Integration with ticketing systems also allows users to print their electronic tickets within the facility, exit the building, and comfortably wait in their car or while enjoying a coffee. Users will be notified in advance to approach the counter only when the wait time is genuinely minimized to a few minutes.
Additionally, within offices, an AI-based anti-crowding system can be installed using existing or low-cost cameras. This ecosystem, already active in key regional buildings, transforms the perspective by placing the citizen (taxpayer) at the center of the Administration/User relationship.
