How we got politicians onboard the MyDemokrasi platform
A blog by Sathish Rao, a Frontier Tech Hub Implementing Partner.
This post outlines learnings from the third sprint of our pilot, Pynx.
Embarking on a Two-Month Expedition
Sprint 3 stands as a testament to MyDemokrasi's resilience, representing one of our lengthiest sprints to date – a comprehensive two-month journey fuelled by exceptional teamwork. This extended duration proved instrumental in achieving our ambitious targets, with the unwavering collaboration of our remarkable team. As MyDemokrasi continues its mission to reshape political engagement, Sprint 3 becomes a pivotal chapter, marked by the execution of five transformative experiments that breathe life into the MyDemokrasi platform while staying true to its initial objectives.
Experiment 1: Gathering the Initial Pulse of MyDemokrasi
Our experiment started off with a prominent presence at the UK–Malaysia Artificial Intelligence conference. Digitum Labs, hosted a booth over the two-day conference, captivating the attention of delegates, particularly those with an IT background and potential Malaysian voters. The primary aim was to engage with these delegates and seek their feedback on a mock presentation of the MyDemokrasi platform. The feedback received during the conference was invaluable, Malaysian delegates, in particular, expressed enthusiasm about the app's potential to empower voters and improve their decision making through real-time updates on political leaders.
The booth also showcased four potential features and functionalities we plan on integrating on the platform and “online sentiments” and “politician profiles” emerged as particularly appealing. Other valuable feedback and suggestions were collected, addressing aspects like information accessibility, voter engagement, real-time updates, and interactive analytical tools. Queries and concerns were also raised about data architecture and security, sentiment analysis, politicians' engagement, visibility, marketing, and potential biases and were explored carefully during internal meetings, setting the stage for the next experiment and subsequent sprints.
Capturing the moment as our team presents MyDemokrasi to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and Technology of Malaysia.
One significant takeaway from the conference is the evident appetite among Malaysians for a platform like MyDemokrasi. While our booth presentation was impactful, it became clear that delegates desired more than just a presentation—they sought an MVP (Minimum Viable Product)of MyDemokrasi to establish initial trust, impressions and to gain a ‘hands on’ experience. Despite this particular challenge, the conference played a crucial role in shaping the perception of MyDemokrasi in the eyes of the delegates and set the stage for the development of the MVP over the following experiments
Experiments 2 and 3: Getting Politicians Onboard
The spotlight then shifted to political leaders as we endeavoured to secure their engagement. Initially, we selected 10 politicians based on four crucial criteria: ensuring a mix of urban and rural constituencies (5 each), representation from various political parties, inclusion of multiethnic parliament members, and maintaining gender balance.
However, the road ahead proved more challenging than anticipated. The initial approach encountered difficulties, leading us to pivot and broaden our engagement strategy to politicians genuinely interested in our project. This shift saw us widen our reach and engage with a total of 23 politicians, including high-profile figures like the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
The outcome of the new approach exceeded expectations, with 16 politicians expressing genuine interest. Despite the challenges they saw in bringing this platform to the market, politicians recognised the potential of our platform as a valuable tool, signalling their anticipation for a digital revolution in the political arena.
While the representation of politicians that engaged did not meet the initial criteria set out above, the 16 politicians covered various regions. Among these, 9 actively participated in our survey and signed our collaboration letter, surpassing our break-even target of 8. Their representation spans across East and West Malaysia, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the political landscape.
Our team presents to political leaders at Parliament Building of Malaysia
Glimpses with our politicians
Survey responses marked a turning point, providing profound insights into politicians' perspectives on MyDemokrasi's potential and features. Below are the summary and analysis of politicians’ responses:
Prioritising Direct Voter Engagement: Political leaders highlighted the importance of features facilitating direct communication and interaction with voters.
Importance of Data Analysis: Real-time data analysis emerged as a critical factor, aiding politicians in understanding voter engagement and optimising campaign strategies.
Credibility through Fact-Checking: Fact-checking features were deemed crucial, reflecting a commitment to maintaining credibility and accuracy in information shared through the MyDemokrasi platform.
Strategic Importance of Social Media Integration: Social media integration played a strategic role, emphasising its importance in political campaigns and its seamless integration with MyDemokrasi.
Incentives Driving Engagement: Incentives such as data analysis, campaign effectiveness, and enhanced visibility resonated strongly with political leaders and are seen to encourage active participation and utilisation of the MyDemokrasi application.
Some Illustrative insights drawn from data survey analysis.
Insights from the MyDemokrasi survey are crucial for understanding the evolving political landscape in Malaysia. Prioritising direct communication, data-driven decision-making, and credibility, the platform addresses the changing needs of political leaders in the digital era.
While political leaders perceive MyDemokrasi as a valuable tool for fostering meaningful connections, enhancing communication, and gaining insights from voters, it is equally essential to gain insights from the voters' perspective and their engagement towards MyDemokrasi. In response to this, our upcoming sprints will include targeted engagement with voters through a comprehensive survey. This initiative will aim to gather feedback from 30-50 voters per constituency, providing another angle to help us design the MVP.
The comparative analysis resulting from both politicians' and voters' input will be instrumental in identifying common ground and potential areas of alignment. By pinpointing shared expectations, needs, and preferences, we strive to strike a balance that delivers features and functionalities desired by both stakeholders. This approach reinforces our commitment to bridging the gap between political leaders and voters, fostering a transparent, inclusive, and engaging political landscape.
These insights, gathered collaboratively from both politicians and voters, will mark a significant stride toward fortifying the bond between leaders and the electorate. As MyDemokrasi evolves, continuous engagement with both stakeholders ensures that the platform remains responsive to the dynamic needs of both key stakeholders, laying the groundwork for a more informed and participative democracy.
Experiment 4: Enhancing Trust through Website Optimisation
Experiment 4 emerged as a pivotal chapter, focusing on the profound impact of a well-crafted landing page on user trust. A comprehensive audit of our website structure and content was undertaken, tackling challenges during the UI/UX design phase. With insights from user feedback and a brief survey on our landing page, we understood that transparency and localisation are important aspects of gaining trustworthiness of our stakeholders. We meticulously planned and executed the optimisation of the website's structure and content, ensuring that the revamped landing page not only spoke to the curiosity of our users but also resonated with political leaders. The comprehensive audit led to strategic improvements, emphasising transparency, and localization efforts, including content translation into Malay. The revamped landing page, designed to captivate user curiosity, is now live. The team is eagerly awaiting feedback and assessing user engagement rates and data metrics, including time spent on the website and click-through rates, to gauge the effectiveness of the changes. Ongoing efforts may involve iterative design adjustments and further localization based on continuous feedback and data analysis.
Experiment 5: Amplifying Online Presence and Building MyDemokrasi Awareness
This experiment focuses on elevating MyDemokrasi's online presence through Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and strategic social media engagement. A focus on quality backlinks and enhanced keyword rankings, solidified our position as a trusted source of information. Backlinks, akin to digital referrals, bolster our platform's credibility, while improved keyword rankings ensure our content remains prominently visible in search results. Additionally, we closely monitor the Click-Through Rate (CTR) as a barometer of user engagement, ensuring that our content captivates and invites exploration. On the social media front, Experiment 5 endeavours to expand our digital community through substantial growth in follower counts. Beyond mere numbers, our focus lies in fostering meaningful engagement. We seek to increase interactions on our social media platforms, ranging from likes to shares, all while broadening our reach to connect with new audiences. By meticulously tracking metrics such as reach, impressions, and CTR, we gauge the effectiveness of our strategies in enhancing our online presence.
Key Takeaways and Future Sprints
All experiments, from engaging delegates to enlisting politicians and optimizing the website, have provided invaluable insights that will shape the future of MyDemokrasi, ensuring alignment with user and politician preferences. The feedback received from politicians reinforces that the MyDemokrasi platform can indeed be user-friendly according to their preferences, serving as a compelling incentive for both politicians and voters alike. In the upcoming sprints, our focus will shift towards testing the technical aspects of the platform, with a special emphasis on ensuring reliable data sources and an intuitive UI design suitable for mobile web users. This strategic approach acknowledges the importance of fine-tuning the technological foundation of MyDemokrasi to enhance user experience and address the dynamic needs of all stakeholders.
In conclusion, MyDemokrasi's journey through Sprint 3 reflects resilience, commitment, and a transformative vision. Each experiment contributes to a more informed and engaged electorate, propelling us toward a digital landscape that fosters transparency and inclusivity. Stay tuned for the exciting outcomes and insights that will define the next phase of our journey. MyDemokrasi is not just a platform; it's a movement toward a more democratic and engaged society.
If you’d like to dig in further…
⛴️ Explore learnings from Pnyx’s first sprint
⛴️ Read key takeaways from Pnyx’s second sprint
