The New Disconnect Created by “Point” Digitization
Under the rallying cry of “just digitize everything,” many companies and local governments have pushed forward with digitizing individual tasks. However, as a result, different systems have proliferated across departments, and while digitization has advanced in “points,” hasn’t it left you in a state where overall “surface” coordination is lacking?
This is a textbook example of the “IT disconnect” that goodlight-hz.com has repeatedly pointed out. When management fails to define the overall IT picture and leaves it to the front lines, objective functions splinter, creating a collection of systems that cannot be integrated.
Now, an article looking ahead to local government DX in 2026 sheds new light on this issue. Through concrete examples like AI librarians and service robots, local governments are beginning to shift from “point” digitization to “surface” experience transformation. This movement is not just an administrative trend; it is highly insightful for all executives rethinking their own IT strategies.
The Essence of “Surface” Experience Transformation Shown by Local Government DX
What is particularly noteworthy in the article is the purpose behind introducing technologies like “AI librarians” and “service robots.” These are not merely tools for operational efficiency. They are interfaces designed to transform the “experience” of residents.
For example, a traditional library system was a “point” digitization of “searching for books.” However, with the introduction of an AI librarian, it transforms into a “surface” experience that creates encounters with new knowledge based on the user’s interests and past borrowing history. Similarly, a service robot is not just a replacement for simple information desk tasks; it provides cross-departmental guidance for multiple procedures, offering residents a “surface” experience where they can achieve their goals without being aware of individual “point” procedures.
This “from point to surface” perspective applies directly to DX in companies as well. For instance, an SFA (Sales Force Automation) system introduced by the sales department and an MA (Marketing Automation) system introduced by the marketing department are each “point” digitizations. However, only when these systems are integrated to consistently manage everything from customer inquiries to negotiations, orders, and after-sales support can a “surface” transformation of the “customer experience” be realized.
Criteria for Executives to Judge “Points” vs. “Surfaces”
So, how should executives shift from “point” DX to “surface” experience transformation? The key is not the introduction of individual tools, but the perspective of “what kind of experience does this tool design?”
As specific criteria for judgment, we propose the following three points.
1. Is the Goal “Operational Efficiency” or “Experience Transformation”?
First, when introducing a new IT tool, ask yourself whether the goal is simply “replacing current tasks with digital versions.” What you should truly aim for is whether the tool can provide customers or employees with an “unprecedented experience.” Even for AI-OCR like PFU’s PaperStream AI, its introduction should be considered from a “surface” perspective—not just digitizing ledgers, but how that data will transform management decisions and business processes.
2. Is It Designed from an Overall Optimization Perspective, Not Departmental Optimization?
The biggest reason “point” DX fails is that it ends up optimizing only within individual departments. When sales, manufacturing, and administration departments each introduce their own optimal tools, data becomes siloed, and no overall synergy is created. An integrated platform like Texer’s “AiMeet Portal” plays exactly this role of connecting “points” into a “surface.” Executives need to judge from an overall optimization perspective, considering how the tools introduced by each department will ultimately contribute to the overall customer experience and business processes.
3. Is the “Connection” Design After Implementation in Place?
To realize a “surface” experience, data integration between different systems is essential. However, many companies neglect this “connection” design at the time of tool introduction. The development of API integrations and data infrastructure should be treated as a management issue from the start, and investment decisions should be made accordingly. In the local government DX examples, we must not overlook the fact that AI librarians and service robots do not function in isolation; the “surface” experience is only realized through their integration with backend systems.
Shifting from “Point” Investment to “Surface” Investment
The “DX Investment Decision Seminar for Executives” hosted by Shinagawa Ward precisely targets this point. DX investment is not merely an investment for cost reduction or operational efficiency. It is a “strategic investment” to transform the customer experience and the very structure of the business.
Executives need to look back at their past “point” digitization investments and rigorously verify whether those investments truly led to a “surface” experience transformation. If the tools introduced haphazardly by different departments are not integrated and data is siloed, then it is nothing more than a “point” investment. True DX means strategically connecting those “points” into a “surface” and creating new value.
The 2026 challenge for local government DX is a mirror reflecting the future of DX in companies. Whether executives can shift their mindset from “point” digitization to “surface” experience transformation and update their criteria for IT investment decisions will determine their future competitiveness.
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