Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is an evolving concept and many organizations and actors are developing definitions regarding its characteristics and means. Like roads and running water, DPIs can be understood as the digital “essentials” or “capabilities” that functioning societies require in the digital age and are necessary for participation in society. It’s important to mention that DPIs are also often discussed in the context of Digital Public Goods (DPGs) and Public Data Governance.
DPI emerged with greater precision from India’s G20 presidency in 2023 and it is often related to the digital capabilities applied society-wide “that are essential to participation in society and markets as a citizen, entrepreneur, and consumer in a digital era” (Co-Develop). The core components of DPI are generally understood to be digital identification, payment systems, and data-exchange platforms. However, DPI definitions and frameworks vary and are still evolving (see for instance the World Bank, GovStack or EkStep Foundation).
DPI projects are emerging across developed and developing countries with case studies coming out of countries like India1, Brazil2 and Estonia3. The Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure has a Wiki dedicated to compiling examples. With their potential impact varied and affecting future generations, many are looking at how DPIs can be built and deployed with the necessary safeguards. An interim report by a UN panel shares some perspectives in this regard. But beyond the minimum safeguards, the fundamental question to answer is: how can societies shape responsible DPI?
Unfortunately, traditional regulatory processes that could be applied to DPIs are too often linear, with a single point of consultation followed by a fixed outcome. This rigidity can stifle innovation and lead to rapidly outdated DPI policies that fail to address their complexities and impacts on communities and society more broadly.
At the Datasphere Initiative we believe sandboxes have great potential to support all stakeholders in anticipating potential issues, and equipping policymakers with the tools to craft flexible policies and regulatory remedies that evolve alongside DPI use and advancements. While there is a growing trend on deploying sandboxes, it should be noted that these are resource-intensive tools that should also be used responsibly. In this context, we believe that sandboxes could be means to foster safe collaborative spaces that lead to the end goal of responsible innovation: that is, innovation that bears in mind the needs of communities and effectively provides solutions to the complex issues policymakers and other actors are facing (or could face) with DPI.
Explored in further details in our upcoming Working Paper4 as part of the Global Sandboxes Forum, the initial analysis below provides some examples of how sandboxes could support the development of responsible DPIs:
1. Prototyping DPI prior to broad implementation
Sandboxes provide a controlled environment for testing new technologies and approaches, enabling rapid development and testing of DPI prototypes and ensuring they are fit for purpose before broader implementation. They allow for iterative development, where feedback can be quickly incorporated into subsequent versions.
They can be used to pilot digital solutions aimed at improving efficiency, addressing key sustainability challenges. This is crucial for DPI, as it allows for experimentation while reducing risks.
2. Testing interoperability and scalability
Sandboxes can test the scalability of DPI solutions, ensuring they can handle increased demand and usage without compromising performance or sustainability goals. This helps in planning for larger-scale deployments with confidence, and ensures that the intensive resource investments in DPI are indeed safe, scalable and sustainable in the long-term. Scalability of DPI is also dependent on interoperability: governments require testing for technical and regulatory interoperability to avoid fragmentation and ensure that DPIs are sustainable in the long-term.
3. Mitigating risks and supporting effective investments
Sandboxes help identify potential risks and challenges early in the development process, allowing for mitigation strategies to be developed. From avoiding start-up co-optation to ensuring that resources are effectively invested and avoiding perverse incentives, this proactive approach reduces the likelihood of unforeseen issues during broader deployment.
4. Bringing various stakeholders to collaborate
Sandboxes foster collaboration between governments, private sector, and civil society. These partnerships are essential for developing comprehensive DPIs that benefit all stakeholders and keep various communities at the heart of DPI. By involving multiple stakeholders, sandboxes can ensure a DPI is inclusive and equitable, unlocking its potential for wide-reaching benefits.
5. User-centered design for bottom-up DPI solutions
By involving end-users in the testing phase, sandboxes ensure DPI solutions are user-friendly and meet the needs of diverse populations. In practice, user-centered design means bringing the affected communities to the conversations and creating inclusive-by-design DPI. This user-centered approach can improve adoption rates and overall effectiveness of DPI.
There are many other examples of how sandboxes could help DPI development and discovery. From enabling the collection and analysis of data in real-time to supporting the development of data systems crucial for DPIs. Knowledge and evidence building, policy development and anticipating regulatory development sandboxes could help address specific sectoral needs and tailor solutions to specific sectors, such as energy, transportation, and agriculture, where DPIs can drive significant sustainability improvements.
It’s important that we provide all stakeholders, governments in particular, with capacity and confidence in experimenting with emerging technology and regulation. Sandboxes can help ensure any DPI journey fits a country’s unique national context and goals, responsibly.
1 Sahasranamam & Prabhu, (2023) Digital Public Infrastructure for the Developing World, Stanford Social Innovation Review.
2 International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept, (2023) Pix: Brazil’s Successful Instant Payment System, IMF E-library
3 Digital Frontiers (2022), Estonian Case – The development and promotion of Digital Public Infrastructures, Observer Research Foundation.
4 If you have comments and would like to contribute to our upcoming working paper on Sandboxes for DPI, reach out to Sophie Tomlinson at [email protected].
