From document-centric to data-centric public service provision

The profound digitization of public administration over recent decades has not eliminated information exchange via paper or electronic documents and certificates. We argue that a paradigm shift from document-centric to data-centric public service provision is needed and is feasible today with the exploitation of emerging technologies. We explore frameworks, architectures, benefits, and challenges in transforming document-centric administration processes into integrated, granular data exchange. A conceptual architecture for public service provision is proposed to extract preconditions from legislation, map the needed evidence to the service requirements, standardize evidence types, and integrate authoritative data sources. While promoting efficiency, privacy, and innovation, this shift faces technical and organizational challenges as the analysis of the “National Registry of Administrative Public Services” in Greece reveals. Further research on aligning policies, upholding trust, and coordinating institutional processes is warranted.