Digitizing Government Services: Building a Commune Portal for 20K+ Residents

The Challenge

Gia Kiem commune serves 20,000+ residents but was still running most public services through paper forms and in-person visits. The local government wanted to:

My Approach

As both the project manager and lead developer, I had to balance government requirements (formal processes, security, accessibility) with modern UX expectations.

Information Architecture

The portal needed to serve multiple audiences:

I designed 34+ public sections organized by user intent, with a clear navigation hierarchy.

The AI Chatbot

The standout feature is the AI-powered chatbot that helps residents navigate administrative procedures. Instead of reading through pages of regulations, residents can ask natural language questions like:

"Tôi cần làm giấy khai sinh cho con, cần giấy tờ gì?"

(What documents do I need for a birth certificate?)

The chatbot is trained on the commune's actual procedural database, so answers are always accurate and up-to-date.

Technical Stack

Key Features Built

1. Online Public Services (TTHC)

Residents can submit service requests online instead of visiting the commune office. The system tracks status and notifies via SMS.

2. Digital Transformation Dashboard

Real-time metrics showing the commune's digitization progress — how many services are online, response times, citizen satisfaction scores.

3. OCOP Product Showcase

Promoting local products through the national "One Commune One Product" program, helping local businesses reach wider markets.

4. Election 2026 Portal

Dedicated section for election information, candidate profiles, and voting procedures.

Results

Lessons Learned

This project represents what digital transformation looks like at the grassroots level — bringing modern technology to where it makes the most direct impact on people's daily lives.