This article is written by David Bates, Outreach Manager at Visor Urbano. David is a govtech, social innovation and tech for good enthusiast. He passionately advocates for the use of exponential technologies to develop creative and scalable solutions to global challenges.

  • The problem: Despite the pressing need for governments to digitise their processes, many face challenges due to limited human resources and technical expertise. This has created a significant demand for innovative tech solutions to drive public sector innovation.
  • Why it matters: The digital divide in Mexico and Latin America remains substantial, with none of these countries ranking among the top leaders in global indices for digitisation and public innovation. This gap represents a missed opportunity for progress, hindering economic growth and social development in the region.
  • The solution: Open-source technologies and innovative solutions, such as Visor Urbano, offer accessible and adaptable tools to address the unique needs and challenges of each city. By providing scalable solutions, these technologies pave the way for more inclusive and efficient governance, ultimately driving positive change in communities across the region.

A couple of years ago, I stood before one of the world's most prominent forums on public innovation and began my speech with a provocative question: "What is the first thing that comes to mind when I say the word 'Mexico'?" The initial responses from the audience were predictable: "tacos", "tequila" and "mariachi". Yet, no one mentioned "innovation". And this moment strengthened my professional motto and vision: to harness technology for social good.

Unfortunately, scenes like these are not uncommon when Mexico, or most of Latin American countries, fail to rank among the top performers in global government digitalisation indices. For instance, the 2022 United Nations e-Government Survey showcases leading countries such as Denmark, Finland, Korea and New Zealand, leaving Mexico trailing.

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Undoubtedly, there are significant inspiring advancements, such as Colombia's Digital Transformation Strategy, which positions the country among the top performers in the 2023 OECD Digital Government Index. Another remarkable example is the Municipality of Córdoba in Argentina, widely regarded as a leading entity in Latin America. This reputation is particularly attributable to its initiatives supporting govtech startups, funding for smart cities and innovative public procurement practices, all through technology.

Mexico's case is promising, but there is still much work to be done, as showcased in the 2023 State Digital Development Index, developed by the organisation Centro México Digital, which evaluates digital progress across all 32 states. Key indicators are grouped into three pillars: Infrastructure, Digitalisation of People and Society, and Innovation and Technological Adoption in Businesses. While there's a noticeable uptick in digital infrastructure indicators compared to previous years, challenges persist in terms of utilisation and digital literacy across various regions. This disparity not only widens the gap between states but also obstructs opportunities for development and innovation in vital sectors.

Local level challenges

At the local level, we encounter several challenges, including inadequate infrastructure and technological resources, regions with limited access to high-quality internet and the absence of a supportive regulatory framework to drive technology adoption within government agencies. Moreover, there is a shortfall in digital skills and competencies necessary to fully harness the benefits of technology.

On another note, while embracing technology is crucial for leveraging data and evidence to inform policy making and drive sustainable governance practices, many local governments persist with paper-based processes, largely due to a lack of awareness regarding technology's potential to enhance efficiency, agility and decision-making capabilities.

The essence of innovations such as Visor Urban, alongside countless other initiatives across Latin America, lies in the ethos of 'sharing for improvement'

In this context, open innovation (strategies to enhance efficiency, leverage technology and enable organisations to gather a multitude of ideas from various sources to address a specific challenge) and free and open-source technologies (publicly accessible software that allows anyone to view, modify, adopt and distribute it according to specific licence terms) become imperative. Given that many governments lack the financial or technical means to develop proprietary technologies, the role of open innovation and open-source solutions becomes invaluable in propelling progress and surmounting barriers to technological advancement.

Using Visor Urbano to digitise urban development processes

In Mexico, Visor Urbano stands out as a digital platform driving transparent and efficient territorial management. This free software aids local governments in digitising urban development processes, particularly business and construction licences, while fostering digital inclusion among officials and citizens.

Created in 2016 in Guadalajara, after winning the Mayor’s Challenge award, Visor Urbano has since received invaluable support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, facilitating its expansion to more cities.

Significant milestones over the past eight years include:

  • Guadalajara (5m inhabitants) achieved a 74% reduction in bribery requests and corruption, with the entire process now online, cutting government-citizen interaction by 84% and processing time by 80%.
  • In Tototlán (20K inhabitants), the platform spurred a 320% increase in municipal revenue during the current administration.
  • Cocula (30K inhabitants) digitised 100% of business licences and pioneered a new tool for construction permits, transforming the city into an innovation hub.
  • Gómez Farias (12K inhabitants) optimised business licence issuance, reducing delivery time from 15 days to under a day, boosting efficiency and issuing a total of 1,700 licences.
  • Cabo Corrientes (10K inhabitants) witnessed a remarkable innovation by digitally connecting all its municipal subdivisions, including those in remote areas accessible only by boat. This initiative has significantly assisted its residents in reducing time and costs associated with government processes, showcasing the transformative power of technology in remote regions.** **
  • Hidalgo (3m inhabitants) was the third Mexican state, after Jalisco and Nuevo León, to implement Visor Urbano in 2022. Currently, 17 out of 84 cities in the state have adopted the platform.
  • Recently, Morelos (2m inhabitants) became the fourth state to adopt the platform in four of its 36 municipalities.

Key lessons learned

Visor Urbano has made a significant impact in over 50 cities across Mexico, demonstrating its positive influence on municipal management and residents' lives. With its adaptable replication model, it's poised to reach even more cities. Key lessons learned from these successful implementations include:

  • The driving force behind adopting technology should extend beyond mere novelty. It's about tailoring digitalisation processes to fit the unique contexts of each city, addressing residents' challenges and ultimately enhancing their quality of life.
  • Any process of technological development or adoption must be accompanied by a comprehensive digital inclusion strategy, ensuring the development of digital skills not only among public servants but also within the broader citizenry.
  • When designing or replicating such software, user-centred principles should remain at the top of mind. Moreover, post-implementation, it's essential to facilitate feedback, validation and continuous iteration.
  • Replicating what works is essential. Thoroughly measuring and evaluating the impact of these solutions enables us to share compelling evidence and support more cities in their journey towards becoming smarter and more innovative.
  • City improvement through technology requires the collective efforts of not just governments but also the entire community, encompassing businesses, academia, civil society and other ecosystem organisations. This collaborative, multisectoral approach ensures the inclusion of diverse voices and prevents exclusion in the design and decision-making processes.
  • Often, the cornerstone for transforming a city through technology is an individual or a dedicated group committed to catalysing significant change and implementing innovative solutions. Nurturing these internal champions is indispensable for the successful implementation of technological initiatives.

Public repositories to empower more cities

Alongside the endeavours of Visor Urbano and Bloomberg Philanthropies, numerous foundations, governments and multilateral organisations are curating public repositories brimming with open-source tools, cases, APIs, datasets, algorithms and software. These resources aim to empower more cities by offering proven projects and initiatives ready for replication:

The essence of innovations such as Visor Urban, alongside countless other initiatives across Latin America, lies in the ethos of 'sharing for improvement', and only through collaboration (plus replicating what works) will we pave the way for the cities of the future.

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(Image credit: Unsplash)