The China Productivity Center and APO Secretariat organized an online workshop on Digital Communications for the Public Sector, 26–28 June. It aimed to increase the use of digital tools and techniques for outreach and engagement of citizens, aligned with the APO Vision 2025 emphasis on smart transformation, including the application of technologies to improve marketing and communication tools.

Thirty participants from 10 APO members completed the workshop, guided by four resource persons, two from the ROC, and one each from India and Japan who provided guidance on strategic aspects of marketing; fundamental principles of social media; designing customer-centric communication strategies; generative AI tools, procedures, and capacities of government agencies in detecting blind spots; and the importance of user needs and civic tech communities. Group work on designing inclusive polices for diverse stakeholders and the “Persona” workshop strengthened the understanding of collaborative policy development and building a strong foundation for digital communication strategies.

One attendee noted, “I found the group activity effective in applying what we learned throughout the workshop. Implementing more of these may also be beneficial for future participants,” reaffirming the APO’s role as a clearinghouse for productivity information.