Dubai Smart Government organizes workshop for government entities to start implementing “Happiness Index” initiative

UAE, January 21, 2015: Dubai Smart Government Department recently organized a workshop attended by 90 employees representing 26 governmental entities in order to publicize the ‘Happiness Index Initiative’ and prepare the necessary requirements to implement it as soon as possible. This project will be launched in April 2015.

The workshop discussed the provision of a smart, interactive software development kit (SDK) developed by a team from Dubai Smart Government Department in coordination and cooperation with the Executive Office of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. This kit is connected to a central electronic network to measures the public’s happiness index and satisfaction with Dubai’s government services on a daily basis, making this kit a common centralized service that joins a bouquet of common services provided by the department to all entities of Dubai Government. The workshop also discussed the necessary technical mechanisms to connect the system between entities of Dubai government and the central database of the happiness index, and the technical support that will be provided to achieve the leadership’s vision.

The workshop, was presented by Hessa Al Belooshi, Section Manager at Smart Government DSG, was based on a unified and standardized criteria that ensure achieving the leadership’s vision to promote the steps taken to achieve smart government and to make Dubai be the smartest city globally, and the first city in the world that measures the happiness of its population, on a daily basis.

H.E. Ahmed Bin Humaidan, Director General, DSG, said: “The workshop was held to start the implementation process of the ‘Happiness Index’ initiative launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed, and to be implemented as soon as possible as per the directions of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council, in order to measure the public’s level of happiness and satisfaction towards government services provided to them on a daily basis in consideration of the rapid changes in people’s expectations. The measurements will be done via smart devices or e-devices installed in the headquarters of government authorities and connected to a central database network. Daily reports will be sent to decision makers to see which area has the highest happiness and satisfaction rating to serve as a basis for further improvement of services and enhance public experience.”

Bin Humaidan added: “We are creating this SDK to recognize the importance of concerted efforts among Dubai’s government entities to realize the leadership’s vision of meeting all the necessary requirements of our country’s citizens and residents. We aim to enhance their experience by raising the efficiency of all government agencies and strengthening the necessary infrastructure. I am confident that this dashboard will effectively promote Dubai’s competitiveness globally to become the smartest regional and global government.  Additionally, we strive to maintain the UAE’s top position at the regional ‘International Happiness Index’ in 2014. The UAE also has topped the 2015 Edelman Trust Barometer by obtaining the first position globally in people's trust in government, trust in the economy and the government's ability to stimulate innovation.”

DSG will develop an interactive database for the happiness index initiative and provide all government entities with the SDK to measure happiness index in two phases: The first phase for websites and tablets will include providing software. The second phase, is to provide applications for smart devices like Android and iPhones and provide technical support to government entities during the implementation phase.