Jakarta and its diverse population always face various challenges. Some need adaptation, updated information, and even recreation. That is why JAKI (Jakarta Kini) was created, the super-app from the Jakarta Provincial Government that serves everyone digitally. On June 22, 2023, right during Jakarta's 496th anniversary, JAKI 3.0 as the latest version, was launched.

Also read: JAKI 3.0: New Release to Celebrate Jakarta’s Anniversary

Several people were involved in the development of JAKI 3.0. The application, developed by Jakarta Smart City, is now present with several updates. On July 12, 2023, we had a conversation with representatives from the Information Technology Device and Network division. Who are these influential figures? Let us meet them!

Muhammad Nishafur Himmah A. (Shafur), Assistant Manager Project

Manages Resources 

"My job is to boss people around," Shafur joked when asked about his role. Shafur is the Assistant Manager Project at Jakarta Smart City. In his daily work, he assists the manager in achieving the vision and mission of the Information Technology Device and Network division. He manages the resources that develop products and operations. He also collaborates with the Project Leader and Assistant Project Leader to define requirements for the development of all products.

If you feel that there are parts that need improvement on JAKI, you better hare your feedback on Jakarta Smart City's social media. Shafur is one of the individuals who listens to people's aspirations regarding JAKI.

Listened to Aspirations for JAKI 3.0 

"In mid-2022, we listened to aspirations on Twitter. There were discussions amongst various experts and people about criticism and suggestions for JAKI. Motivated by that, we made efforts to improve the design to ensure user satisfaction," Shafur replied when asked about the background of JAKI 3.0 development. After receiving feedback about JAKI, the Information Technology Device and Network division immediately formed a team to conduct research and analysis on the application's design. They also sought to find out what design users desired.

Shafur determined the timeline for the development of JAKI 3.0. "Actually, the planning by the leadership started at the beginning of 2023. But for the actual execution of JAKI 3.0 development, we started in early May. It was completed in mid–June, on June 22, which coincided with Jakarta's 496th anniversary," he explained.

He also revealed that at the end of 2021, the UI/UX (User Interface/User Experience) team evaluated the design of JAKI. “JAKI's features have significantly expanded, but we felt that some designs were no longer relevant to the extensive features it already had.”

The new features in JAKI 3.0 were implemented based on several considerations. The numerous national and international awards received by JAKI played a role in the introduction of bilingual features. "For JAKI 3.0, we aimed to make JAKI available in both Indonesian and English. Why did we make this change? Because in our view, JAKI has started to evolve, as it has won multiple awards nationally and internationally. We believe that bilingual JAKI is our top priority for now," Shafur explained.

Sacrifices to Think Creatively 

Did he encounter any challenges during the development of JAKI 3.0? Indeed, he did. Shafur shared, "What I felt was that since JAKI is a super-app from DKI Jakarta, it integrates with various departments and agencies in DKI Jakarta. That presented a challenge for us to create a design that aligns with Jakarta Smart City's goals as well as the goals of the departments and agencies related to JAKI 3.0."

The development of JAKI 3.0 brought both joy and hardship to Shafur. He expressed his pride in being directly involved in building the super-app from DKI Jakarta. "JAKI itself has won multiple awards in national and international competitions. There is a sense of pride in being involved in the development of this JAKI application," he explained. So, what were the hardships? He admitted that it required a great deal of effort and thought. “The sacrifice I mentioned is that we really need to devote our energy and thoughts, think creatively, and figure out how to build this JAKI application according to the desires of the community and the resources we currently have.”

Jakarta Smart City will continue to develop JAKI and be ready to assist its residents. Shafur hopes that JAKI can further integrate all the services needed by the people of Jakarta.

"There are quite a few services available in Indonesia. If they can be consolidated into one application, it would greatly facilitate the public in their usage and access to these services," he concluded.

Andika Bayhaki Al Rasyid Syah (Andika), Assistant Project Leader

Coordinates for Product Development 

The launch of JAKI 3.0 required systematic coordination. Andika, Assistant Project Leader at Jakarta Smart City, played a crucial role in the process. That morning, proudly wearing a Jakarta Smart City logo shirt, he shared his responsibilities.

"My job description as an Assistant Project Leader at Jakarta Smart City involves product development, starting from the initial stages, design, and all the way to the launch. Secondly, I coordinate with relevant stakeholders, anyone involved with the product or project," he said.

To Become Better 

Andika was responsible for mentoring the design of JAKI 3.0 in the home screen, profile, and bilingual additions. He explained, “From the design stage, I coordinated with the UI/UX team, validated the designs that could be implemented in the development of JAKI 3.0.”

The search feature in JAKI 3.0 was seen as a helpful tool for users. "There is a new addition, the search feature, which is used to help users discover the available features in JAKI," Andika explained.

There were also changes in the names of features in JAKI. For example, the JakLapor feature was renamed to Laporan Warga (Citizen Report). "Previously, we used JakLapor, JakWarta, and others. We unified them all. We removed the 'Jak' and used more common terms that can be understood by the community and can also be reverted to English," Andika clarified.

Also read: Take a Peek at Citizen Report on JAKI 3.0

Andika analysed the requirements for the development of JAKI 3.0. Then, the technical team executed the analysis. Here, he faced the challenge of prioritising ideas. "The challenge was in prioritising which aspects we should implement first, and which ones we should anticipate," he stated.

Strong Cooperation is Key 

The development of JAKI 3.0 was a memorable experience for Andika. He had to work according to the appropriate timeline to ensure JAKI 3.0 was launched on Jakarta's 496th anniversary. Furthermore, he appreciated the cooperative team spirit during the project. "Good communication was established amongst the team, resulting in a highly anticipated product," Andika explained.

There were also hardships in the process. He felt there were too many ideas or features desired while having to select the priorities. "As an Assistant Project Leader, I prioritise the work to be done in the first phase, which in this case is the initial phase of JAKI 3.0. We prioritise which tasks should be completed first," he clarified.

With dedication and good teamwork, Jakarta Smart City successfully launched JAKI 3.0 as a gift on Jakarta's 496th anniversary. Andika hopes that the developed features in JAKI 3.0 will provide greater benefits to the community.

Alzidan Arif Triyanto (Alzidan), UX Researcher

Researches User’s Desires 

The development of an application cannot be separated from user research. Alzidan, a Junior UX Researcher at Jakarta Smart City, has various tasks related to user research. 

"For my job description, I conduct user-based research, including user interviews, survey research, and providing research reports that can be shared with stakeholders and managers," he explained.

More Understanding 

In the development of JAKI 3.0, Alzidan was responsible for identifying problems faced by users, especially in using the JAKI application on the home screen. He explained, “After identifying those problems, and after brainstorming with the Dev Team [Information Technology Device and Network] and others, we found solutions to the problems users face.”

In categorising the features in JAKI 3.0, Alzidan and the team conducted in-depth analysis. They grouped the features based on their functions, user needs (entrepreneurs, job seekers, students, and university students), and user activities (new users or tourists). To ensure the categorisation worked well, they conducted tree testing research to validate the information structure and categorization they formulated.

One of Jakarta Smart City's ambitions was to add bilingual features to JAKI 3.0 to assist foreign tourists visiting Jakarta in accessing information. Through survey research, Alzidan learned about the language preferences of users. They preferred a language style that was not overly formal and encouraged conversation.

Efforts to Get Closer to Users 

Alzidan felt that he contributed well to the development of JAKI 3.0, particularly in assisting Jakarta residents with their daily activities. He mentioned that he could listen to users' complaints. "Their complaints, their preferences, we can discuss directly and find solutions together. We can say, 'Maybe we can do it this way or that way,' offering these solutions," he said.

Alzidan faced challenges while developing JAKI 3.0. It was their first user research conducted on JAKI, and finding participants proved to be complex. "The resources were still limited, and finding participants who met the requirements for the JAKI application was quite challenging," he said.

Alzidan hoped that JAKI 3.0 could serve as the "gateway" to various services. He also wished for good collaboration with other entities that wanted to integrate their services and systems with JAKI. Additionally, he wanted JAKI app users to feel satisfied. “Our hope for JAKI app users is that they will be satisfied with what we have accomplished.”

Mohammad Hafitz Rizki (Hafitz), Project Leader

Integrates Features 

The most used feature in JAKI is the Citizen Report feature. It is the result of integrating the JakLapor, JakRespons, and Lapor Video features. Hafitz, the Project Leader at Jakarta Smart City, was responsible for leading the integration of these features into one comprehensive feature.

"I participated in brainstorming sessions, translating user needs into technical specifications, maintaining the roadmap and development timeline of JAKI 3.0," Hafitz explained.

Communicates with Stakeholders 

Hafitz experienced challenges during the development of JAKI 3.0, especially in terms of stakeholder communication. He shared, “Accommodating all the requests from stakeholders into a cohesive whole, maintaining the roadmap, and meeting the timeline posed challenges for us as a development team.”

Behind the development of JAKI, there was an interesting story related to stakeholder discussions. "It took quite a bit of time. That's why the development had to be delayed. Consequently, the timeline became tighter for the development," Hafitz recounted.
 

Pride of Developing JAKI 3.0 

In spite of having deadlines, , Hafitz found satisfaction in the development of JAKI 3.0, particularly in the internal communication with the technical team. They devoted their time and energy to deliver JAKI 3.0 according to the agreed-upon timeline. He said, “Personally, this is a personal achievement for me, being part of the JAKI development team.”

Hafitz's hope for JAKI 3.0 is to provide greater benefits to the community. He also hopes that people can access public services more easily and according to their specific needs.
With all the challenges and stories behind it, JAKI 3.0 continues to evolve providing a better and more effective experience to the people of Jakarta. In their efforts to meet user needs, Jakarta Smart City works hard to deliver innovative features and improve the overall user experience. If you haven't used JAKI yet, feel free to download it from Google Playor the App Store!