LegisTech Forum - 3rd Edition

The conference ushered an insightful journey into the realm of legislative readiness for the digital era. The delegates delved into the nuances of how legislatures can seamlessly integrate technology to meet the evolving needs of modern citizens, considering the depth and breadth of the digital revolution.

Central to this discourse was the exploration of mobile technology as a powerful tool for legislative work. Delegates pondered on the transformative potential of mobile applications in improving policy formulation, communication with constituents, and overall legislative efficiency.

Concurrently, the importance of integrating various channels of participation into the legislative process was a significant theme. It highlighted the value of inclusive democracy, where technology is harnessed to broaden public input and engagement in policy-making and legislative deliberations.

The conversation extended to the strategic aspects of legislative modernization, with a focus on architectural considerations. The forum shed light on designing an enterprise architecture to streamline legislative modernization, ensuring that the structure supports the aspirations and goals of the institution. There was also significant focus on the important but often overlooked issue of accessibility in a digital transformation strategy, ensuring that digital services are inclusive and available to all citizens, including those with different abilities.

Delegates also engaged in candid discussions about the challenges associated with phasing out legacy systems and bridging the gap between old and new technologies. They examined the potential of artificial intelligence and its application to legislative activities, envisioning a future where AI can be harnessed for tasks such as data analysis, predictive modelling, and decision-making support.

The role of private sector entities and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in aiding legislative modernization was scrutinised. Delegates evaluated the potential synergies, partnerships, and collaborative efforts that could be cultivated to accelerate the pace of legislative modernization.

A key area of focus was the standardisation of legislative data through information architecture, seen as a crucial element in achieving a successful digital transformation strategy. Additionally, a captivating discourse unfolded around the challenge of aligning the digital transformation strategy with established rules of procedure, an often complex task given the traditional nature of legislative work.

Participants pondered the complex task of managing digital legislative archives, with a keen interest in maintaining the integrity and accessibility of legislative records in the digital age. Similarly, they explored the challenges and priorities of modernising legislative drafting, the cornerstone of legislative work, in an era of rapid technological advancement.

The conference culminated with discussions on change management within the digital legislative transformation, particularly concerning transitioning staff to the digital age. It was widely acknowledged that successful digital transformation requires not only technological change but also a cultural shift within the legislative staff.

Throughout these thought-provoking dialogues, the conference upheld the principle that cooperation, collaboration, and the free flow of expertise are essential in promoting legislative modernization and digital transformation across the globe.

Bússola Tech was incredibly proud to lend our support to the ParlAmericas Meeting, which was virtually held on September 15th, 2022, during the LegisTech Forum and coinciding with the International Day of Democracy. This special event assembled parliamentary staff from all corners of the Americas and the Caribbean, fostering meaningful dialogues on strategies and opportunities to bolster the digital transformation agenda. We believe that facilitating such influential gatherings not only enriches our collective wisdom, but also illustrates the profound potential of cooperation in catalysing digital innovation within legislative bodies across the globe.

Participants:

• Asamblea Legislativa of Costa Rica
• Assembleia Nacional of Angola
• Assembleia Nacional Popular of Guinea-Bissau
• Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments
• Cámara de Diputados de la Nación of Argentina
• Cámara de Diputados of Mexico
• Cámara de Representantes of Colombia
• Cámara de Senadores del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
• Cámara de Senadores of Paraguay
• Cámara de Senadores of Uruguay
• Câmara dos Deputados of Brazil
• Chancellery of the Riigikogu of Estonia
• Congreso de la República del Perú
• Congreso de los Diputados of Spain
• Congreso Nacional of Chile
• Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia
• Congressional Management Foundation
• De Nationale Assemblée of Suriname
• Demand Progress
• Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat of Indonesia
• Directorio Legislativo
• Eduskunta of Finland
• European Parliament
• Hellenic Parliament
• House of Commons of Canada
• House of Representatives of Indonesia
• Itaú Unibanco
• Knesset of Israel
• Microsoft
• Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan
• National Assembly of Mauritius
• National Assembly of Pakistan
• National Assembly of Zambia
• National Conference of State Legislatures
• National Conference on Citizenship
• National Democratic Institute
• NovaWorks Australia
• Oireachtas of Ireland
• Országgyűlés | National Assembly of Hungary
• Pan-African Parliament
• Parlamento Nacional de Timor-Leste | East-Timor
• ParlAmericas
• Parliament of Barbados
• Parliament of Guyana
• Parliament of Jamaica
• Parliament of New Zealand
• Parliament of Saint Lucia
• Parliament of South Africa
• Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago
• Parliamentary Network Africa
• People's Majlis of Maldives
• Senado de Chile
• Senado de España | Spain
• Senado de la República of Chile
• Senado Federal of Brazil
• Senate of Canada
• Sindilegis
• Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum
• State Great Hural
• U.S. House of Representatives
• Universidad Austral
• Università di Bologna
• Verkhovna Rada
• Xcential Legislative Technologies
• Assembleia Legislativa de Pernambuco | Brazil
• Assembleia Legislativa de Santa Catarina | Brazil
• Assembleia Legislativa do Estado de Minas Gerais | Brazil
• Assembleia Legislativa do Estado de São Paulo | Brazil
• Assembleia Legislativa do Rio Grande do Norte | Brazil
• Câmara Legislativa do Distrito Federal | Brazil
• Câmara Municipal de Porto Alegre | Brazil
• Câmara Municipal de São Paulo | Brazil
• Legislative Assembly of Ontario | Canada
  

This annual conference, made exclusive to the legislative community, epitomised the spirit of collective wisdom and shared progress. Bússola Tech believes in the power of such forums to bring about a positive wave of change, fostering a future where legislatures are not only digitally transformed but are also more responsive and attuned to the needs of the citizens they serve. The continuous collaboration, dialogue, and exchange of ideas are the pillars that will guide us in shaping an inclusive, accessible, and digital-ready future for all legislative bodies worldwide.