Digital Transformation Index

The Digital Transformation Index is an index that measures the commitment of government entities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the fundamental standards of digital transformation. It helps these entities assess their current status and track the progress of their digital transformation journey. It is one of the responsibilities of the Digital Government Authority.

The authority is the entity responsible for all matters related to digital government and serves as the national reference in its affairs. It regulates digital government activities in government entities, and issues measurements, indices, tools, and reports to assess the performance and capabilities of government entities in the field of digital government, as well as beneficiary satisfaction. The authority also monitors the compliance of government entities with decisions and orders regarding digital government transactions, in accordance with the frameworks and standards set by the authority.

Digital transformation refers to the strategic conversion and development of business models into digital formats, utilizing data, technologies, and communication networks.

It is an evaluation process based on a specific methodology targeting government entities. It aims to assess their current status and track the progress of their digital transformation journey, in accordance with best practices and applicable standards, contributing to the achievement of the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

The objectives of the digital transformation measurement "Qiyas" include enhancing government entities' compliance with orders and decisions related to digital transformation, achieving digital transformation requirements through the optimal application of core digital transformation standards, developing digital government, improving the performance and efficiency of government entities, elevating the quality of services provided to beneficiaries, and contributing to the Kingdom’s progress in international indices.

The Digital Transformation Measurement "Qiyas" consists of two sub-indices, which are used to assess the extent of government entities' compliance with core digital transformation standards. It also evaluates the progress of entities in their innovative digital transformation models. The first index includes standards derived from Royal Orders, Council of Ministers decisions, and circulars, encompassing fifty-two criteria. The second index includes digital transformation standards, consisting of seventy-three criteria divided into nineteen pillars.

Compliance with the standards is determined through three levels including: full compliance: It involves achieving all requirements for the application of the standard. Partial compliance: Failure to meet one of the standard's requirements, while achieving the remaining ones. Non-compliance: Failure to meet two or more of the standard's requirements.

The ninth edition of the Government Digital Transformation Measurement "Qiyas" in 2021 aimed to contribute to the development of digital government by regularly monitoring and encouraging it in line with digital transformation trends. It also sought to achieve the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and its realization programs. Qiyas aimed to assess and identify the current status of government entities and measure their digital transformation through a unified framework, ensuring the achievement of digital transformation across all phases. Additionally, it aimed to motivate government agencies to develop competencies, enhance performance levels, and enable government entities by providing a digital mechanism to assess and measure their transformation and performance improvement throughout the year, striving for a fully integrated digital government. The ninth edition of the Qiyas is an extension of the eighth edition, maintaining the stages of digital transformation while renaming some stages for greater clarity. Several updates were also made to the ninth edition, based on lessons learned and feedback from government entities.

Government entities recorded progress in the ninth Qiyas compared to their performance in the eighth Qiyas, with an improvement rate of 3.89 percent. A total of 176 government entities participated in the ninth digital transformation measurement "Qiyas."

The 2022 Digital Transformation Measurement "Qiyas" represents a significant shift in the measurement methodology, transitioning from assessing maturity to measuring compliance with standards in order to improve the performance and effectiveness of government entities, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. The Digital Government Authority issued a document outlining the core standards for digital transformation, which consists of two main sections. The first section includes standards derived from resolutions, Council of Ministers decisions, and circulars. The second section includes Digital Transformation Standards. The document also contains related application requirements and compliance levels for each standard.

In the 2022 Qiyas, government entities achieved a score of 80.96 percent, compared to 69.39 percent in the 2021 (ninth) Qiyas, marking an improvement of 11.57 percent. Additionally, sixty-one entities reached the stages of Innovation and Integration.

The 2023 Qiyas builds on previous measurements and keeps pace with digital transformation developments, supporting government entities in showcasing their efforts to achieve greater excellence in the digital transformation journey. The Digital Government Authority launched the second edition of the Core Standards for Digital Transformation document, which includes two main sections: the first consists of standards derived from royal orders, Council of Ministers decisions, and circulars, while the second contains Digital Transformation Standards. The document also outlines application requirements and compliance levels for each standard. The document also includes Innovation in Digital Transformation, through which the authority aims to promote the best digital models and creative solutions while encouraging government entities to adopt emerging technologies. This initiative seeks to create developmental and innovative opportunities within the government sector.

The evaluation in the 2023 Qiyas cycle relied entirely on the data provided by government entities to the authority through the Qiyas system. The results outlined in this report reflect the entities' compliance with the core standards of digital transformation.

Based on the 2023 Qiyas methodology, the Digital Government Authority established a set of criteria to determine the target entities for the measurement. These criteria include: the entity must be a government entity, must have administrative independence and legal personality, and must be financially independent. For newly established entities created by the Council of Ministers, it is required that eighteen months have passed since their establishment. A total of 226 government entities were measured, including eleven entities that participated for the first time in the 2023 Qiyas.

Within the enhanced framework of the 2023 Qiyas cycle, the Digital Government Authority followed a specific classification. Government entities were categorized based on the nature of their work and the services they provide to beneficiaries in a consistent and homogeneous manner. This classification enables effective and clear comparisons between these entities.

Government entities achieved a score of 85.53 percent in the 2023 Qiyas, compared to 80.96 percent in 2022, marking a progress of 4.57 percent. A total of 226 government entities participated in the measurement.