From Lived Experience to National Impact

H. Gülin Dizer is a digital transformation expert working at the heart of Türkiye’s national innovation efforts. As a specialist at the Digital Transformation Office under the Presidency of Turkey, she plays a leading role in shaping inclusive, accessible, and forward-looking public services. Her journey into customer experience (CX) is grounded in personal experience and driven by a deep commitment to equity in service design. In this Trailblazer profile, she reflects on what sparked her focus on CX, the cultural and structural challenges that remain, and how public institutions must evolve to meet real human needs.

At 18, Dizer was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, a rare genetic condition that affects central vision. Navigating education and public systems during this transition gave her firsthand insight into how even well-meant services can fall short if they’re not built with inclusion in mind.

“While preparing for the national university exam, I needed support from public education systems. That experience showed me that even well-intentioned services can become difficult to access if they are not designed with all users in mind. The issue wasn’t technical — it was about perspective.”

University introduced her to assistive technologies like screen magnifiers, opening her eyes to what inclusive tech could do. From there, her focus sharpened.
According to Dizer It was the first time she realized how inclusive technology could transform lives in meaningful ways.

By 2011, she joined TÜBİTAK, and in 2014, she became part of the team that developed Türkiye’s first national e-Government Strategy. Even then, it was clear that building advanced systems was not enough if people are not placed at the centre.

Despite strong technical infrastructure, customer experience is still not deeply embedded in the core of Türkiye’s public sector systems. That’s the first major challenge Gülin identifies.

“While technical infrastructure is quite advanced, users are often not sufficiently involved in service design processes.”

She sees a deeper cultural gap in how institutions understand inclusion. In one workshop, a senior official proposed creating a separate site for people with disabilities—missing the point of what inclusive design should be.

“The core issue was not about building parallel structures, but designing a single, inclusive system for all users.”

Beyond design, feedback loops are essential. Users may be asked for input, but they rarely see how their feedback leads to change.

Internationally, many governments are adopting experience labs, life-event service testing, and standardized CX guidelines. “Sustainable GovCX transformation requires embedding these frameworks into institutional culture and recognizing inclusion as an ethical, not optional, commitment.”

In the coming decade, Gülin sees a major shift ahead from transaction-based service to deeply contextual, human-centered government.

“I envision public services becoming more personalized, inclusive, and empathetic. The focus will shift from completing transactions to understanding and responding to people’s needs within their life context – often before they even ask.”

Türkiye’s e-Government Gateway already groups services around life events, and she sees this as a solid foundation for more anticipatory service delivery.

“The move toward proactive service delivery; where systems anticipate and respond to needs without requiring a formal request  will be a major leap forward.”

Technology will play a major role in enabling this shift. She points to voice interfaces and AI as tools that can create more intuitive access for people often left behind.

“For older adults, people with disabilities, or users with limited digital literacy, this means moving from ‘visiting an office’ to ‘speaking with a public service’ , a shift that makes inclusion real, not theoretical.”

But she emphasizes that change must be cultural, not just technical.

“Public institutions will be measured not only by how many people they reach, but by how meaningfully, fairly, and accessibly they serve them.”

For those just starting out in public-sector CX, Gülin offers a clear message: this work takes time, and it must be driven by purpose.

“Meaningful change in public service takes time. Government systems are often large and complex, and transforming them requires patience, persistence, and a deep sense of purpose.”

She encourages new professionals to adopt CX not just as a discipline, but as a way of thinking.

“CX is not just a set of tools ; it’s a mindset. One that puts people at the center, values differences, and seeks to hear even the quietest voices.”

Building trust, she says, starts early in the design process, not after launch.

“Gathering feedback is important, but involving people early in service design is essential to building trust.”

She warns against treating CX as a technical fix.

“GovCX is also not just about fixing digital interfaces. It’s about embedding empathy, dignity, and respect into the way institutions operate.”

Her final reflection sums up her approach: CX is a responsibility.

“For me, GovCX is not just a professional domain. It’s a responsibility to help shape a public sector that is more fair, accessible, and human. It’s about designing systems that serve everyone, not just the most visible or vocal.”