The process of digital transformation in the public sector, is the natural evolution of the communication strategy of public administration toward citizens, due to the increase in the use of digital tools. The main goal of the transformation is the greater focus on citizens, through joint creation, integration, transparency and efficiency, in order to increase the availability of services. By adopting the transparency model of public administration, digital technology offers countless opportunities for public administration and the connection between citizens and administration.

An efficient and innovative public administration is obliged to provide citizens with fast and quality services. This means reconsidering and redefining procedures and services from a digital perspective and enabling citizens, not only by giving them free access to data and services, but also by their participation in the creation of services that fully meet their needs. Nowadays, citizens can actively participate in the creation of public administration policies and services through online tools. This represents a digital transformation of citizenship. Given the importance of this issue, it is necessary to educate citizens about digital citizenship.

The City of Bjelovar is a digital leader in Croatia that offers its citizens several digitized services – from communal and social services to the possibility of insight into every payment from the City Budget. However, the public services that are offered vary and they require relatively advanced computer literacy skills. They are designed in a way that is not inclusive for people with a lower level of education, disabled and especially elderly people. Consequently, the Croatian pilot aims to deliver a universal Virtual Assistant for public services that will serve as a platform for existing services, but also as a framework on top of which all future services will be developed and integrated. All services will be available through the website and mobile devices and will assist users in various tasks such as filling out application forms, responding to citizens’ inquiries or helping stakeholders to find the exact information they are looking for. Such automated communication will make city administration services available 24 hours a day, updating users when they are in need, without having to wait for information via phone call, e-mail or physical presence. The implementation of the Virtual Assistant will increase the efficiency of City Administration employees, solve requests more efficiently, reduce energy consumption (the need for overtime work to solve business tasks) and improve the quality of services (information at hand reach).