Digital Return
Kuwait is today witnessing a promising phase, driven by significant investments and partnerships in cloud computing, data centers, and artificial intelligence, alongside the development of services and the building of national capacities. As this ecosystem expands, an opportunity emerges for us to transition to a more mature level, one that maximizes the value generated by these investments and links them more clearly to their impact on the state, the economy, and society. The success of digital enablement is not measured solely by the volume of our technology investments, but by the proactive and rapid services they deliver, the easier user experience they provide, and the broader opportunities they create for the national economy—all at lower costs, higher productivity, and better decision-making.
From this perspective, indicators should not be limited to the number of platforms launched, systems updated, or beneficiaries trained. Instead, they should measure what has actually changed as a result of these efforts and the extent to which they have achieved their objectives. We have a clear example in our sister country, the United Arab Emirates. An official study measuring the impact of digital plans and enablers over the past decade showed that these efforts yielded approximately 20 billion dirhams in direct government savings, saved nearly 530 million work hours in government entities, and achieved a user satisfaction rate of 90 percent. The crucial point here is not the figure itself, but the existence of a methodology that measures the tangible value returned by investment.
On this basis, Kuwait can build on the current momentum by developing a clear national framework for measuring the value of digital investments, ensuring that every initiative has specific indicators and a clear baseline from its inception for future comparison. How much time was saved? How much cost was reduced? Did service quality and user satisfaction improve? Were procedures streamlined? Did the initiative contribute to building knowledge and capacities and creating economic opportunities within Kuwait?
Integration is no less important than measurement. Maximizing the return on technology investment requires that systems, data, and government enablers operate within an interconnected ecosystem, through shared digital infrastructure and services that various entities can build upon and utilize, rather than separately developing the same solutions in isolation. Moreover, the success of a service should not be measured from the perspective of a single entity alone, but from the perspective of the entire user journey, from initiation to completion, and whether this journey has become simpler, faster, and smoother.
The desired evolution is not merely about launching more services, but about improving the user journey, enhancing the integration of enablers, measuring their impact, and ensuring they deliver added and sustainable value. This is completed by clear governance that defines responsibilities, tracks performance indicators, and periodically reviews results, so that attention to a project does not end upon its launch but continues throughout its lifecycle. Successful digital investment is one whose objectives are clear from the start, whose outcomes are measured, and which is continuously developed based on actual achievements and user needs.
Today, we have clear ambitions, significant projects, global partnerships, and national capabilities capable of building upon them. The natural next step is to convert this momentum into measurable and sustainable value, linking our digital success to what is genuinely reflected in the lives of people, the economy, and state efficiency. The return to people, the state, and the economy from every technological investment is what we can call the digital return.
Dr. Dhafer Adel Al-Huwail
