Armenia's "Conducting without Dominating" Approach to Digital Life Events

Key Takeaways

• ISAA maps 76 personas for child‑birth service
• Ministries co‑own life‑event projects, reducing siloed apps
• MVP phase shifts control from ISAA to ministries
• Digital services cover diaspora needs, boosting inclusion
• Goal: ISAA becomes redundant as ministries gain autonomy

Summary

Armenia’s Information Systems Agency (ISAA) is reshaping digital government by organizing services around 12 “life events” that span multi‑year citizen journeys, from pregnancy to citizenship. Led by Arusyak Martirosyan, the agency adopts a “conducting without dominating” model, coordinating ministries through joint accountability and gradually transferring development ownership. The approach emphasizes rigorous need‑validation, extensive persona mapping—76 user journeys for the childbirth event—and rapid MVP delivery. Early rollouts such as online car sales and child‑birth services have already shown strong citizen adoption.

Pulse Analysis

Digital governments worldwide are moving beyond single‑transaction portals toward holistic, life‑event journeys that mirror citizens’ real‑world milestones. Armenia’s ISAA exemplifies this shift by defining twelve cross‑cutting life events—ranging from pregnancy to citizenship—tailored to both residents and the sizable diaspora. By framing public services as continuous narratives rather than isolated touchpoints, the agency aligns with global e‑Society trends that prioritize user experience, data continuity, and reduced administrative friction.

The agency’s “conducting without dominating” philosophy underpins its operational model. ISAA initiates projects, assembles cross‑ministerial working groups, and delivers minimum viable products while simultaneously up‑skilling ministries. Rigorous validation questions—Is this needed? Does it exist? Is it a top priority?—ensure resources target high‑impact services. Notably, the team mapped 76 distinct user personas for the childbirth life event, tackling the most complex journey first to guarantee scalability across simpler cases. This persona‑centric design, combined with a phased handover, transforms ministries from passive recipients into autonomous service owners.

Early results demonstrate tangible benefits: online platforms for car sales and child‑birth processes have attracted strong citizen uptake, signaling trust in the new digital ecosystem. By embedding capacity‑building and reducing siloed applications, ISAA not only improves service efficiency but also positions Armenia as a showcase for diaspora‑inclusive digital transformation. As ministries gain confidence and the agency steps back, the model promises sustainable governance, heightened foreign investment appeal, and a replicable blueprint for other nations seeking to modernize public services without creating new bureaucratic layers.