How did we teach "Zero Gov. Bureaucracy" to UAE’s School Kids? We didn’t.

Last Thursday, and over the past few weeks, I’ve found myself repeatedly in a room full of school students from the UAE, tasked with a singular mission: to explain the concept of “Zero Government Bureaucracy”.

This experience was part of the UAE Hackathon 2024, the country's premier event for innovation at the national level, organized by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). My team at 01Gov and I were honoured to be selected to lead the design and implementation of this significant and strategic program.

In line with the new refreshed design of this nation-wide hackathon, we determined that schoolchildren throughout the nation should have the opportunity to think and voice their ideas on how federal and local government entities can work together with society to realize the “Zero Government Bureaucracy” goal recently announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai:

In the presence of 30 federal agencies, we launched a new program to zero out government bureaucracy, whereby government agencies will work to cancel 2,000 government procedures within a year... and reduce the duration of government services by 50%... and re-engineer hundreds of government services. H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Indeed, this new ambitious goal itself is the overarching theme of the hackathon.

So, returning to the titular question of my story, how did we enable these bright young minds to understand and contribute to this conversation?

The Zero Government Bureaucracy Story Hour:

Storytelling, as I believe, stands as the most humane and potent mechanism for people to communicate. It enables us, as humans, to embark on a collective journey toward a shared destination.

Therefore, at 01Gov, we have enshrined storytelling at the heart of our approach, convinced of its transformative power. This belief has been reinforced by our work with governmental bodies within the UAE and elsewhere. Faced with the exciting challenge of demystifying "Zero Government Bureaucracy" for young minds, we naturally turned to storytelling.

Thus, rather than adopting a traditional "workshop" approach to "teach" these young minds the concept of Zero Government Bureaucracy, we unveiled our latest storytelling and innovation venture, the "Zero Bureaucracy Story Hour."

Last Thursday in Dubai, for one captivating hour, we engaged with dozens of students from a variety of schools throughout the Emirate.

Upon their arrival, students, grouped into teams of about four, accompanied by their teachers, embarked on a storytelling journey. We initiated our storytelling adventure by inviting the members of each team to share with each other personal tales of bureaucratic snags with "institutions." Were they ever handed the incorrect popcorn at the cinema, only realizing it too late? Has ChatGPT been restricted within their classrooms? Were their parents ever asked by the bank to return with their passports? We presented these scenarios to illustrate everyday bureaucratic mix-ups.

True to expectation, these vibrant students turned the once-quiet hackathon space into a lively hub of exchange, sharing their intriguing stories.

Mid-session, we encouraged each team to select their most exasperating tale and bring it to life visually using the provided blank flip charts and colourful sticky notes!, capturing their journey through the experience.

This led to an assortment of engaging visual narratives.

Following this, we invited each team to narrate their stories, augmented by their crafted visuals. We listened intently to enthralling tales such as the "Journey of Malak," "The Broken ATM", among others, each enriched by the students' and their teachers' vivid storytelling.

As they recounted their personal experiences, they pinpointed moments that particularly exemplified bureaucratic frustration. We heard expressions of confusion and inconvenience:

"They insisted we download the app, despite us already being at the service center!"

"The airport blamed us for a lost piece of luggage."

"The details about the service were misleading."

Through reflecting on these narratives, they deduced that such instances were manifestations of "bureaucracy". Perhaps one of the most insightful moments came from a student's realization:

"Now I see that bureaucracy is everywhere around us!"

Young Minds, Fresh Perspectives:

Remarkably, without any prompt from us, the students began proactively offering "solutions" to amend the frustrating bureaucratic experiences they had shared. Their ideas, aimed at rectifying the vexing aspects of their encounters with both government and non-governmental institutions, were insightful and inventive.

With the collaborative efforts of my colleagues Philip Longley , Dr.Fatima AlAli Muamar Magam , Maysam AlAbbadi, DBA , Ahmad Shahrooj and Summer Nagah Muhammad , we acknowledged and celebrated these suggestions. We seamlessly integrated their innovative solutions into discussions on "government innovation," aligning them with the overarching themes of the hackathon.

For instance, one group expressed frustration over having to "re-fill their information all over again" each time they returned to an online government service after a pause. I drew a parallel to Netflix's user-friendly feature, highlighting how it remembers where users paused their movie on one device and resumes playback from the same spot on another device. This analogy introduced the students to the concept of "cross-sector innovation," illustrating how practices from one industry could inspire improvements in another, particularly within government services.

What can we learn from this story?

Through our engaging journey with the UAE's bright young minds during the "Zero Bureaucracy Story Hour," we've not only embarked on an innovative educational experiment but also uncovered key insights that could significantly influence the future of government-community interaction. This initiative, rooted in creativity and forward-thinking, has revealed several inspiring lessons that resonate with our overarching goals for a more inclusive, efficient, and user-friendly government. Here are three pivotal insights:

Lesson 1 - Storytelling: A Gateway to User-Centric Governance:

Our "Zero Government Bureaucracy Story Hour" has proven, once again, that storytelling is a formidable tool for bridging the gap between government and the community. This method has effectively unlocked a user-centric perspective, highlighting its importance as not only one of the two main themes of the UAE Hackathon 2024 but also as a crucial dimension among the eight dimentions outlined in the UAE Digital Gov Strategy 2025.

This workshop helped to understand upcoming challenges and solutions of zero bureaucracy. It was a wonderful experience with great knowledge. - Aaliya Fadul (Student - Team 10XG)

Lesson 2 - Digital by Design: The Imperative of Youth Inclusion

The principle of "Digital By Design," pivotal to both the hackathon's themes and the UAE Digital Gov Strategy 2025, finds its most authentic expression in today's youth.

Born into the digital era, these young individuals naturally embody the 'digital by design' ethos. Their insights are invaluable to public sector leaders striving to create government services and policies that are not only progressive but also inherently intuitive and universally accessible.

Therefore, it's crucial to empower these digital natives in steering the creation of a government structure that aligns with a digital-first methodology and is accessible to everyone, embodying a true digital-native approach to governance.

This experience helped me develop my skills as a student and problem solver, and it gave me a competitive edge in the technology industry. - Mariam Mohammed (Student - Team 10XG)

Lesson 3 - Simplifying Complexity through Human Narratives

The power of storytelling in simplifying complicated topics and enabling government leaders to communicate with the public in a "humane" language has a profound impact. It opens up avenues for inspiration, drives collective action, and fosters collaboration across all levels of society.

Storytelling breaks down the barriers of jargon and complexity, making the goals and processes of governance relatable and understandable to everyone. This approach not only demystifies government operations but also makes citizens feel more connected and involved in the democratic process.

Adding to this, the role of storytelling extends beyond simplification—it serves as a vital bridge for empathy and understanding between the government and its citizens. Through stories, government leaders can convey their intentions and visions in a manner that resonates emotionally, encouraging a deeper level of engagement and participation from the community. This emotional connection, forged through shared narratives, can inspire a more active and collaborative effort in tackling societal challenges, truly reflecting the essence of a government "of the people, by the people, for the people."

There’s many things I learned, like how to design pages and get better at presenting. Sure, it was very challenging and overwhelming, but I managed with the support of my teammates and our mentor. All in all, it was amazing, and I’d like to do it again if I had the chance. - Mariam Ali (Student - Team 10XG)

In conclusion, our venture into the realms of youth-driven innovation and storytelling through the "Zero Government Bureaucracy Story Hour" has vividly highlighted the critical importance of engaging youth in shaping the future of governance. Furthermore, this initiative has showcased the unmatched power of storytelling as a means to simplify complex concepts, foster understanding, and facilitate a deeper connection between government entities and the community.

As our hackathon journey across the Emirates continues, I'm deeply thankful to the vibrant students who embraced our sessions with open minds and the teachers who guided them. A particular note of gratitude is extended to including Samaa Zaki and Raghad Ibhais among the many who contributed to this enriching experience.

The following quote encapsulates Samaa's insightful reflections:

The "Zero Bureaucracy" workshop by Ibrahim El Badawi leveraging a storytelling approach, profoundly impacted both students and teachers, making governance concepts engaging and understandable. For students, it ignited curiosity and a critical mindset towards innovation in governance, while teachers gained innovative strategies to enrich classroom dynamics. For me, this experience fostered a culture of informed participation and problem-solving among the next generation, aligning with the UAE's vision for progressive governance and education. - Samaa Zaki

I must also extend my gratitude to TDRA, and its team led by Amel Ismail for conceiving the UAE Hackathon 2024. This platform has not only championed innovation but also paved the way for the introduction of inventive methods such as the "Zero Government Bureaucracy Story Hour." It stands as a testament to TDRA's commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, underscoring the essential role of young voices and storytelling in driving forward the vision of a more intuitive, inclusive, and responsive government. And a special thanks to Global Innovation & Entrepreneurship Company , our partners in the hackathon journey.