Blockchain-Based Strategy to Optimize Certified Notifications from Government Entities

Abstract

Currently, 4.0 technologies have generated important changes in government entities, promoting digital government transformation (DGT). This article addresses the challenge of improving the security, reliability and traceability of communications and certified notifications of state entities, particularly in the case of the Colombian government entity called the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC). Four important points are presented in this report: (a) Research interest in blockchain and smart contracts has been greatly increasing, evidenced in a literature review conducted in the SCOPUS index; (b) a global reference framework on the use of emerging technologies, as is the case of blockchain, has been developed, as well as the legal and juridical framework in Colombia as a baseline; (c) a multi-criteria decision making framework has been used, resulting in the choice of the Zilliqa platform; and (d) The Tecnotifica™ V1.0 software tool is developed to automate notifications with stakeholders using blockchain. Its effectiveness and acceptance is validated with a technology acceptance level test (TAM). It is concluded that the incorporation of emerging technologies such as blockchain is of a very high interest and relevance in the digital transformation of the state sector in the world.

1. Introduction

In recent years, digital transformation in government entities has gained considerable interest, generating global efforts. The digital revolution, as it is also called, has radically changed society, creating an ecosystem of constant exploration and exploitation of new technological environments through rapid changes (Crosby et al. 2016; Gong et al. 2020; Pittaway and Montazemi 2020).

In particular, digital government transformation (DGT) is understood as a strategy of almost mandatory application for governments that intend to streamline their operations, improve customer service, create new strategies in their services, etc. It is essential that governments have clear strategies to promote DGT due to the political responsibility they have with citizens and their quality of life (Mergel et al. 2019; Tangi et al. 2021).

The strategies associated with DGT prioritize and enable the configuration of strategic elements to promote government performance. It is important to understand that no government is currently oblivious to DGT, because it is one of the best ways to remain competitive on a global scale, which helps to provide welfare to those administered within the framework of the principle of good public administration. It is clear that any government that is behind in this sense will show lower quality indexes (Chanias et al. 2019; Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones de Colombia 2022).

Among the topics of the major development of DGT are public demands, improvements in the economic capabilities of governments, public–private sector relations, infrastructure development, information security, etc. This makes DGT processes complex, with multiple interrelationships and factors that must be rigorously studied (Gong and Yang 2024; Klievink et al. 2016; Pittaway and Montazemi 2020; Rukanova et al. 2023; Simonofski et al. 2021; Weerakkody et al. 2017).

In this context, there are major challenges, such as ensuring the authenticity, integrity and reliability of data, as this becomes a fundamental concern when incorporating technology in the management of sensitive information of users of state services (Kraus et al. 2021; Manoj and Krishnan 2023). It is at this point that one of the key concepts of this article emerges: smart contracts.

A smart contract is a computer program that runs automatically when predetermined conditions are met. These are solutions that, in theory, can be implemented by any user or developer, but cannot be manipulated as they are updated in a decentralized manner maintained as part of a blockchain (Alqarni et al. 2023).

In Alharby and Van Moorsel (2018), the main characteristics of smart contracts are described in detail, among which the following stand out: (a) savings in transactions by reducing intermediaries, (b) increased security by mitigating hacking and cyber-attacks, (c) elimination of the possibility of manipulation by generating an immutable record and (d) increased accuracy and efficiency in the transfer of information. Although the concept of the smart contract is not necessarily related to blockchain technology, they are widely linked in their applications (Taherdoost 2023).

Blockchain technology consists of a distributed bulk document of records or a database of all events that are executed or shared by participating entities. Among its main features are high levels of security, decentralized management, auditability and intelligent execution. Another popular feature of the blockchain is that it is immutable, which makes it very attractive for implementing secure co-communications between entities (Crosby et al. 2016; Patel et al. 2020). One of the technical advantages provided by the blockchain is the interconnection of the blocks or chains that are generated. Each block contains a structure (hash) calculated from the content of the previous block. In this way, each block depends on all the previous blocks. Any change in the previous blocks will propagate a change in the hash of the subsequent blocks. Figure 1 shows a basic scheme of how blockchain works, applied to the management of smart contracts. It can be seen how distribution is fundamental to the process in the concept of decentralization of information.

In terms of mitigating cyber-attacks and ensuring data privacy, blockchain has been used and studied in recent years (Dagher et al. 2018; Dwivedi et al. 2019; McGhin et al. 2019; Nguyen et al. 2019; Zhang et al. 2018). This information is considered highly sensitive and requires complex and secure protocols

In order to further explore the progress of these concepts, a literature review was conducted. The review was conducted in the SCOPUS bibliographic index. The review period is from 2015 to 2023. Only scientific articles, conference papers and literature reviews were considered. The proposed methodology is adapted from (Gast et al. 2017; Petticrew and Roberts 2006; Zabala-Vargas et al. 2023). The search equation is presented below:

((“blockchain”) AND (“smart contracts”) AND (decentralized OR “Distributed Ledger”))

(1)

A total of 5314 documents were obtained. Figure 2 shows the number of documents per year, with a very significant increase from 2018 onwards. The subject prior to 2015 is practically non-existent, while the number of publications in 2023 exceeds 1500 documents.

The countries that produce the most academic literature according to the review carried out are India (1253), China (1187) and the United States (667). Figure 2 shows the top 10 publications (documents) by country. In the case of central and south America, the first country on the list is Brazil in 29th place with 55 records. Figure 3 shows more detailed information on publications by country.

The most relevant authors are Khaled H. Salah (76 records), Raja Jayamaran (54), Ibrar Yaqoob (36) and Mohammed Atif Omar (26). In terms of publications by affiliation, the institutions with the highest number of publications are Khalifa University of Science and Technology (90), Chinese Academy of Sciences (61), Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (60) and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (54). Further details of this listing are shown in Figure 4.

Regarding the type of records found in the review, we found conference papers (56.5%), scientific articles in indexed journals (39.1%), reviews (3.1%) and conference reviews (1.4%). Regarding the dispersion of the scientific literature, the list of publications (journals and conferences) with the highest number of records is presented in

Table 1. List of sources (conferences and magazines) with the largest number of records.

Type	Title	ISSN/ISBN	Quartile (Scopus)	H-Index	Number of Articles
Journal	IEEE Access	21693536	Q1	242	251
Journal	Lecture Notes In Computer Science	03029743	Q2	470	236
Conference	ACM International Conference Proceeding Series	21945365	NA	151	143
Conference	Lecture Notes In Networks And Systems	23673370	Q4	36	142
Conference	Communications in Computer and Information Science	18650937	Q4	69	80
Journal	IEEE Internet Of Things Journal	23274662	Q1	179	67

.

The body of knowledge reviewed includes, as the most cited papers, the lecture presented by Kosba et al. (2016), where a privacy-enhancing decentralized smart contract model called Hawk was presented. These authors propose the importance of ensuring financial fairness in transactions, however their application is very much focused on financial transfers and not on the immutability of communications with stakeholders. The second paper with the highest number of citations is the literature review presented by Andoni et al. (2019); where more than 140 papers with blockchain application in the energy industry are verified. This document shows that blockchain technology is promising, but that it needs to be further consolidated, facing major challenges such as the need to improve energy efficiency, make processes faster, achieve greater scalability, etc. It also highlights the importance of observing security aspects (e.g., cyberattacks) and unintentional errors that could affect the industry.

In Yli-Huumo et al. (2016) a literature review on the use of blockchain is presented, which finds many gaps in the research and suggests new work paths. The authors of this research highlight the potential security, latency and performance issues that the technology may face. No precise aspects of DTG or other applications in the government sector are discussed in the article. A paper very close to the interest of this research is that presented by Luu et al. (2016), where a set of tests is performed to validate the security of smart contracts, specifically, in terms of their use with Ethereum and routes to decrease vulnerability are proposed. Additionally, Tapscott and Tapscott (2016) have illustrated how blockchain technology could revolutionize numerous sectors, including government. Mougayar (2016) further expanded on the practical applications of blockchain technology, and Nakasumi (2017) explored information sharing in supply chain management based on blockchain technology. These works do not go in depth on the government sector (the focus of this research), but they do expose transactions and communications (their security and traceability). Furthermore, Casino et al. (2019) provided a systematic literature review of blockchain-based applications, while Zheng et al. (2017) identified and discussed key challenges and opportunities in the blockchain field.

However, with respect to the gaps found in the literature, it is possible to state that practical applications (technological developments) can be found, mainly in the following areas: (A) Data privacy management of medical records using blockchain in the health sector, with these applications focused on ensuring the privacy and traceability of patients’ clinical data (Dagher et al. 2018; Dwivedi et al. 2019; Mandarino et al. 2024; Zhang et al. 2018); (B) applications in the management of different aspects of the energy industry, highlighting energy markets, renewable energy management, among others (Chin et al. 2024; Saeed et al. 2024; Guo and Feng 2024; Syamala et al. 2024); and (C) management and traceability in different markets and financial environments, with applications that prioritize information security and decentralization of data location (Schär 2021; Gourisetti et al. 2020; Javaid et al. 2022; Bansal et al. 2019). In the governmental sector, research on the use of blockchain and smart contracts is rather limited; thus, it is necessary to focus efforts on the already described needs of this sector.

With the context presented up to this point, this article shows a strategy by which to support certified communications and smart contracts in state entities, supported by the selection of the most appropriate technology. This will be undertaken from the design, implementation and start-up in a test scenario (based on a specific purpose software) created to manage and administer secure communications between state entities and their stakeholders. The proposal is based on the choice, from a multi-criteria decision-making strategy, to evaluate blockchain platforms according to the following criteria: security, scalability, trust and cost (Long et al. 2023; Pilkington 2016). By offering a structured approach for blockchain platform selection, this methodological proposal aims to support public sector entities in their digital transformation efforts (Tan et al. 2022).

To validate our proposed methodology, we execute a case study (developed software application) involving a Colombian government entity, called Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC). The CRC is a regulatory body that seeks to guarantee competition and regulates the telecommunications services market in Colombia. It was created in 1994 and reports directly to the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Colombia (MINTIC) (Gobierno Nacional de Colombia 2009). Among the most important functions of this entity are to establish and oversee the regulatory regime for communications in Colombia, to regulate access and use of all communications networks, to promote free competition and prevent unfair conduct and restrictive business practices, to propose to the Colombian government plans and technical standards applicable to the sector, to establish standards and certifications in telecommunications services at the international level, etc. (Comisión de Regulación de las Comunicaciones 2020). While the functions of sanctioning infractions by the actors of the country’s telecommunications ecosystem fall to MINTIC, the CRC is responsible for communications, monitoring, traceability and information management with stakeholders in the area.

It is worth mentioning, to increase the globality of the results, that the CRC is homologous (in several or all of its functions) to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States; the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) of the European Union; the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) of Mexico; the Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques, des Postes et de la Distribution de la Presse (ARCEP) of France; and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), among others.

Finally, it is in this context that the present research proposes the design, implementation, validation and start-up of the Tecnotifica™ software, which can foster communications between the CRC and its stakeholders, guaranteeing the immutability of information, traceability of communications, visibility (when authorized) of regulatory processes, etc. This development will be detailed in the next section.

2. Materials and Methods

The methodological approach used for this study was quantitative. The variables of interest were type of blockchain platform most suitable and technological acceptance level (TAM) of the software tool (codename: Tecnotifica™). Two instruments were used, which will be described later.

2.1. Participants

The research participants are (a) the information and communication technologies (ICT) team in charge of the implementation and maintenance of the software tool and (b) the user management team in charge of the direct interaction with the tool and the interaction with other platforms of the organization. For the Tecnotifica™ software acceptance level test, the application of instrument_2, described below, will be applied to 25 participants.

2.2. Research Questions

The main research questions, associated with the variables of interest, are as follows:

• What is the current status of the Colombian regulatory framework for the implementation of certified digital notices and smart contracts?
• What is the most suitable blockchain technology for the implementation of the Tecnotifica™ software certified notifications application?
• What is the level of acceptance of the Tecnotifica™ software by the organization’s users?

2.3. Procedure

The procedure to develop the present research focused on ten steps. These are as follows:

2.3.1. Review of the Current Status of Colombian Regulations Regarding the Use of Emerging Technologies in Public Management

This research begins with the general documentation of the current state of emerging technologies in Colombia, particularly in state entities. The status of the incorporation of 4.0 technologies, immutable communications, smart contracts, etc., is reviewed.

2.3.2. Establishment of Main Requirements of the Organization

The first step consists of establishing evaluation criteria based on the specific needs and requirements of the government entity. These criteria are classified into four main parameters: security, scalability, reliability and cost. The parameters are defined as follows:

• Security: Refers to the ability of the blockchain platform to protect data integrity and confidentiality. This is evaluated in terms of cryptographic strength, resistance to attacks and privacy features;
• Scalability: Evaluates the ability of the blockchain platform to accommodate an increasing amount of work, especially in terms of transaction speed and data storage;
• Trust: Refers to the degree of confidence that the blockchain platform can guarantee data integrity, immutability and reliable execution of smart contracts;
• Costs: This criterion includes both initial investment and ongoing operational costs. Factors such as computational requirements, power consumption and licensing costs are considered.

2.3.3. Identification of Blockchain Platforms

The second step involved a comprehensive study of alternatives to identify potential blockchain platforms that are suitable for government entities. This involved a thorough examination of the technical specifications, performance characteristics, and real-world implementations of each platform.

2.3.4. Blockchain Platform Evaluation and Scoring

Each potential blockchain platform was then evaluated against the established criteria. A score is assigned to each criterion based on the platform’s features and capabilities. This step can involve both objective measurements (e.g., transactions per second for scalability) and subjective evaluations (e.g., perceived level of trust based on platform history and user feedback). The scores for each platform are aggregated to obtain a total score. This score is used to rank the platforms from most suitable to least suitable. The scoring method should be chosen carefully to ensure that it reflects the priorities of the government entity. Instrument 1_ blockchain platform evaluation was used in this phase, with technical details of operation and performance of the different technologies.

2.3.5. Selecting the Most Suitable Blockchain Platform

The fourth step consisted of selecting the best-rated platform for implementation. Documentation and training on the chosen technique was carried out. The existing documentation on the subject was verified.

2.3.6. Use Cases and Requirements for the Tecnotifica™ Software

This step consisted of establishing the main requirements of the Tecnotifica™ software, as well as the main use cases. The user stories were determined at this stage. The general structure (software architecture), the database to be used and the first minimum viable prototype were created.

2.3.7. Development of the Application Frontend

The Tecnotifica™ application frontend was created, according to the requirements established with the organization. In this stage all of the required screens were created, as well as the connection with the backend components of the development. The usability of the proposal was validated by the application development team. This phase was reviewed with the organization’s teams to obtain the necessary approval.

2.3.8. Application Backend Development and Integration with Pre-Existing Software

The backend of the software application was developed, making the connection according to the established user stories and the other information systems used in the organization (codenames: Onbase and Tramites). The required communication protocols were established. The tool was implemented in a cloud platform (Microsoft Azure) through a virtual machine.

2.3.9. Preliminary Technical Tests

A set of technical operation tests were carried out, verification of the input module, selection of notifications, filtering, operation of reports, reminders, blockchain history, role configuration, notification management, etc. Online operation tests of the software (cloud service) were also executed, applying different loads to the system.

2.3.10. Tecnotifica™ Software User Acceptance Level Evaluation

The last step was to determine the acceptance of software by the users of the organization. The instrument proposed by Gómez-Prada et al. (2020) and Yong-Varela et al. (2010) was adapted. At this point, Instrument 2_ acceptance level measurement was used, which evaluates usability, applicability and user experience variables.

2.4. Instruments and Materials

Two types of instruments were used in this research: (a) Instrument 1, oriented to the quantitative evaluation of the blockchain platform and (b) Instrument 2, focused on the measurement of the level of acceptance level of Tecnotifica™ software users of the organization.

Instrument 1 is based on the selection of the most relevant blockchain platform for the software. The choice was not simple as there are more than 20,000 options (in this case cryptocurrencies) that can fulfill this function (Alqudah et al. 2023). The selection criteria were as follows:

• Platform security/number of nodes (I₁): The consensus protocol used by the platform is analyzed, as well as the number of nodes that compose the blockchain network.
• Actual platform speed (I₂): The number of transactions per second is analyzed.
• Network adoption rate: The rating obtained by the platform is analyzed based on two metrics (I₃):
  • Fundamental Asset Score (FCAS™) SIMETRI: This is a comparative metric used to assess the fundamental health of crypto projects. The score is composed of three main factors: user activity, which compares on-chain activities to identify growth; developer behavior, which measures protocol updates; and market maturity, which analyzes risk and liquidity.
  • Token Insight Rating: Token Insight ratings follow a specialized rating system (where AAA is the highest rating) to represent the quality and risk of cryptocurrency projects based on team, project and ecosystem metrics. The consultation was conducted on the CoinMarketCap.com portal.
  In this case the I₃ indicator is the average of the positions of the previous two metrics.
• Cost of Use (I₄): The use of a blockchain platform comes with a minimum fee defined by the network administrators. Usually, the value of the usage fee comes in payments with the cryptocurrency associated with the platform. For this study we take as a basis the cryptocurrency withdrawal fee set by the blockchain network.

The blockchain platforms selected for the analysis are presented below. Zilliqa is a platform created in 2017 by the National University of Singapore, with important scalability and network capacity features. Cardano is another platform, also launched in 2017 by the company IOHK, with a scientific approach based on a consensus algorithm. Polygon, on the other hand, was created seeking to improve the scalability of Ethereum, with high transaction speed features. Algorand, another alternative, was created in 2019, aimed at improving scalability, security and decentralization. Another platform used for comparison is Vechain, launched in 2015 and focused on supply chain management. Velas, another platform in the comparison, is a 2019 blockchain that uses a combination of artificial intelligence with DPoS. Kava Network, meanwhile, was designed by Kava Labs in 2019 and is highly focused on decentralized transactions and is highly interoperable. Ethereum is another platform recognized for handling smart contracts and eliminating intermediaries. Finally, LACNet, created in 2021 by the Inter-American Development Bank, was designed within a Latin American framework to foster financial inclusion (Hashemi Joo et al. 2020; Khang et al. 2022)

For the selection of the blockchain platform, a model was developed to calculate the score for each platform and the one with the highest score was chosen as the best option. The proposed scoring model is presented in the following equation:

$$S={\sum }_k{w}_k{I}_k=3I_1+2I_2+2I_3+4I_4$$

(2)

In the above equation, S is the score obtained by the platform, I_k represents the k-th indicator, and w a weight for the k-th indicator. The weight was set as an integer between 1 and 4 that establishes the level of importance of the indicator. As an additional justification to each of the weights in Equation (2), we considered the highest value that was attributed to I₄, corresponding to 4 points, as it is associated with the cost of the transaction. This was a requirement set by the user (CRC) considering the high number of transactions per year and the optimization of the public resource (state money). The second criterion in weight was I₁, weighted with 3 points, because the number of nodes is indirectly associated with security, and the latter is a priority for the CRC. I₂, associated with speed (transactions per second) and I₃ related to network adoption rate, were weighted with 2 points. I₂ is not so relevant for the CRC because, although the cost per transaction is critical, the number of transactions to be carried out per unit of time is relatively low. Though I₃ is an important factor, the above elements stand out due to the technical specifications requested by the user (CRC) and we thus decided to maintain the indicated score.

Instrument 2 is oriented to measure the level of acceptance of the organization’s users of the technological tool (Tecnotifica™ software) (

Table 2. Instrument 2—survey to measure the level of technological acceptance of the Tecnotifica™ software.

Technology	I1—Platform Security and Number of Nodes	I2—Actual Platform Speed	I3—Network Adoption Rate		I4—Cost of Use	S—Final Result
			Fundamental Crypto Asset Score (FCAS™) SIMETRI	Token Insight Rating
Zilliqa
Algorand
Solana
Polygon
Ethereum
Kava
Vechain
Cardano

). Instrument 2 is focused on a survey to measure the level of technological acceptance (TAM) of the organization’s users towards the software. The instruments proposed by Gómez-Prada et al. (2020) and Yong-Varela et al. (2010) have been taken as a reference (adaptation). In particular, the measurement of design and performance oriented to decision making (user experience) has been applied. A Likert scale was used with the following levels: (1) strongly disagree, (2) disagree, (3) neither agree nor disagree, (4) agree and (5) strongly agree.

The technological acceptance level (TAM) variable is divided into four categories: efficiency (three questions), usability (four questions), aesthetic presentation and ease of use (five questions) and satisfaction (one question). The survey has a total of thirteen questions. The first category (efficiency) focuses on evaluating the performance of the Tecnotifica™ application, associated with response times. Additionally, it focuses on the recognition of the population to the security of the information of the application and the traceability of the data. The second category is usability, understood for this instrument as the ease of being understood, used and managed by the user. Both internal and external attributes are considered. Complementing the above, the third category is presentation, aesthetics and ease of use, which delves into aspects of the visual image of the tool and its interactivity according to the objectives. Finally, the last category seeks to measure the level of satisfaction in the use of the tool (

Table 3. Instrument 2—survey to measure the level of technological acceptance of Tecnotifica™ software.

Category	Question	1	2	3	4	5
Efficiency	E.1 Response times each time you access the options are adequate.
	E.2 The security of information using the software has improved.
	E.3 Traceability of communications using the software has improved.
Usefulness	U.1 The data input is as needed and is useful for decision making.
	U.2 The reports generated are sufficient for the management of the organization’s communications.
	U.3 You are aware of the support that the software provides to the organization’s communications management.
Presentation, aesthetics and ease of use	P.1 The graphical interface is attractive.
	P.2 The information can be read according to size and contrast between colors.
	P.3 It is easy to quickly recognize the most relevant actions in the interface.
	P.4 Error, alert or warning messages when operating the system are useful.
	P.5 The logged content can be modified with the respective restrictions.
Satisfaction	S.1 By using the software, you are pleased with its performance.

).

The instrument was validated by means of expert judgement. Five (5) Latin American experts in software development were considered. Selection bias was reduced by interacting with the entire user population of the CRC application. Response bias was mitigated with a reduced number of questions, precise and simple wording, and with the support of the evaluation of the previously appointed experts.

3. Results

This section emphasizes the main results of the research.

3.1. Legal Framework for the Use of 4.0 Technologies in the Public Administration—Colombian Case

Digital government transformation (DGT) has been consolidating worldwide, presenting not only changes from the technological perspective but also from the organizational contexts, mainly from the government culture towards the use of information and communication technologies (Gong et al. 2020; Gong and Yang 2024; Moser-Plautz and Schmidthuber 2023; van Noordt and Tangi 2023).

In the Colombian case, Decree 767 of 2022 of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies emphasizes the digital transformation of institutions, through the use of the same for the resolution of the needs of societies (Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones de Colombia 2022). This type of regulation encourages the use of new mechanisms and technological developments that support the public function. Additionally, it establishes the necessary conditions for the development of specific technological modernization projects.

It is important to point out that the legal framework on information and communication technologies (ICT) issues has been built slowly in Colombia, being at least 10 years behind the state-of-the-art technological advances. Despite the delay, it is worth highlighting that one of the aspects that has energized the first steps in ICT matters in the government is the inclusion of recommendations such as those proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and other international entities (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 2019).

In this order of ideas, the Colombian State has set a public policy aimed at the digital transformation of the state function, to promote an effective and efficient digital ecosystem. This is evidenced in documents such as CONPES 3975 of 2019 associated with “National Policy for Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence” (Consejo Nacional de Política Económica y Social—Colombia 2019). This policy aims to (1) reduce barriers that prevent the incorporation of new digital technologies in state entities, (2) create conditions that allow digital innovation through the generation of value, (3) strengthen the competencies of human capital to facilitate the insertion of the state in the fourth industrial revolution and (4) develop enabling conditions to prepare Colombia for the economic and social changes brought about by artificial intelligence.

Among the regulatory references to be considered for the discussion of the incorporation of emerging technologies, such as blockchain, are, among others, the following:

• Law 1341 of 2009, which defines principles and concepts on the information society and the organization of information and communications technologies (ICT) and creates the National Spectrum Agency and other provisions (Gobierno Nacional de Colombia 2009).
• Law 1437 of 2011, whereby the Code of Administrative Procedure and Administrative Disputes is issued (Gobierno Nacional de Colombia 2011).
• Law 1712 of 2014, which creates the Law on Transparency and the Right of Access to National Public Information and other provisions (Gobierno Nacional de Colombia 2014).
• Decree 1078 of 2015, whereby the Regulatory Decree of the Information and Communications Technologies Sector is issued (Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones de Colombia 2015).
• CONPES Document 3975 of 2019, which establishes the National Policy for Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence (Consejo Nacional de Política Económica y Social—Colombia 2019).
• Resolution 500 of 2021 of the Colombian Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies, which establishes the guidelines and standards for the digital security strategy and adopts the security and privacy model as an enabler of digital government policy (Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones de Colombia 2021).
• CONPES Document 4070 of 2021, which establishes an open and reliable state thanks to ICTs. Therefore, this document seeks to create the guidelines needed to establish and execute an open state model that helps to develop the principle of good public administration (Consejo Nacional de Política Económica y Social—Colombia 2021).
• Blockchain 2022 Reference Guide of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies of Colombia, which makes a study of blockchain technology with emphasis on the Colombian public sector, so that it is understood and can be implemented in an orderly manner and with a legal design that allows the best risk management.
• These elements have established an ecosystem that allows, even encourages, the development of technological innovation projects to improve the management of the public sector.

3.2. Identifying the Best Blockchain Platform for the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC)

For the development of solutions that allow contribution to the Colombian State with efficient, transparent, secure and immutable management, it is essential to first establish which blockchain platforms are available and which one is most relevant according to the context. For this, the multi-criteria decision-making framework described in our methodology (Tool 1) was applied, carried out in conjunction with the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC)‘s team of technical experts. The objective of this case study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of our methodology in a real environment and to evaluate its potential benefits for public sector entities. The results of the application of Equation (2) are presented in

Table 4. Comparison of blockchain platforms for the Tecnotifica™ software certified communications solution.

Technology	I1—Platform Security and Number of Nodes	I2—Actual Platform Speed	I3—Network Adoption Rate		I4—Cost of Use	S—Final Result
			Fundamental Crypto Asset Score (FCAS™) SIMETRI	Token Insight Rating
Zilliqa	5	2	3	3	8	57
Algorand	2	4	3	3	9	56
Solana	4	7	4	2	5	52
Polygon	3	6	4	2	6	51
Ethereum	6	5	5	4	2	45
Kava	3	1	1	1	7	41
Vechain	3	1	3	3	3	29
Cardano	1	3	2	2	4	29
Velas- VLX	1	1	1	1	1	11

.

The selected platform resulting from the experiment is Zilliqa (Kriptomat), which is a public blockchain with high scalability and performance indicators. This tool implements fragmentation to improve transaction speed and create a secure platform.

3.3. General and Context Diagram

Figure 5 shows the context diagram of Tecnotifica™ software. This diagram shows the different actions performed by each of the roles defined in the application. The established roles are:

• Agent: User who responds to the different notifications and in return the application shows the information related to the notification that has been sent.
• Creator: User with permission to create notifications, in the same way the notification shows the information of the different notifications created, as well as the recently created one.
• Reviewer: User who modifies the notification and can also see the notifications created to be edited.
• Approver: User who sends the notification and can read the information of each of the notifications created.
• Administrator: User who has the permissions to perform any action of all the roles.

Figure 5. Tecnotifica™ software context diagram.

Figure 5. Tecnotifica™ software context diagram.

3.4. DevOps Diagram

Figure 6 shows the DevOps diagram of software. In this diagram the software life cycle can be observed from the moment it is planned to coding, lab tests, deployment and final operation. In the case of Tecnotifica™ software, PHP 8.1 was used in the API services and Typerscript in the client.

3.5. Deployment Diagram

The main purpose of a deployment diagram is to model the physical architecture of a system, showing how the software will run on the existing infrastructure. Figure 7 shows the nodes where the information is processed, as well as the protocols used for the communication of the different artifacts.

3.6. Creating the Database for Tecnotifica™ Software

For the development of software, MySQL was used instead of other tools, which was key for the implementation. First of all, MySQL has open-source advantages, which means that it is free to use and distribute. Another key advantage of MySQL lies in its efficient performance in web applications and high-concurrency environments. Its optimized design for fast reads and its ability to handle multiple concurrent transactions make it ideal for applications that require fast response times and efficient read and write operations. In addition, MySQL has an active community and extensive documentation that supports its adoption and continued development. This translates into an abundance of available resources, from regular updates to a wide variety of third-party add-ons and tools.

Figure 8 shows the entity–relationship diagram used in the Tecnotifica™ software production environment, which serves as the basis for information flow.

3.7. Tecnotifica™ Software Front Panel

The software has, in its main functionality, the following elements:

• Notification management module: This allows the performance of different processes to manage notifications. Here you can find main, sent, archived and to-be-processed trays.
• Blockchain historical module: This allows one to manage the different processes related to the blockchain, it is composed of the notification exchange section, which basically shows the different hashes and addresses of the transacted notifications for the different notifications, in addition to showing whether the notification has been read or not.
• Reports module: This allows the generation of reports that can be sent as notifications, mass notifications or notifications by e-mail or SMS.
• Configuration module: Allows the management of configuration processes such as the type of format, type of requirement, notification category, reminders or alarms and role parameterization.

Figure 9 shows an example of the software front panel. The example shows the categories described above.

3.8. Tecnotifica™ Software Technological Acceptance Level Measurement (TAM)

This section presents the results of the application of the survey to measure the level of technological acceptance (TAM). The application of the instrument was carried out with the 25 participants described above. An analysis of the mode of the results is made, the sample is shown in

Table 5. Tecnotifica™ software technological acceptance level measurement results (TAM).

Category	Question	1	2	3	4	5
Efficiency	E.1 Response times each time you access the options are adequate.	0%	0%	8%	28%	64%
	E.2 The security of information using the software has improved.	0%	0%	0%	20%	80%
	E.3 Traceability of communications using the software has improved.	0%	0%	8%	40%	52%
Usefulness	U.1 The data input is as needed and is useful for decision making.	0%	0%	12%	52%	36%
	U.2 The reports generated are sufficient for the management of the organization’s communications.	0%	0%	12%	40%	48%
	U.3 You are aware of the support that the software provides to the organization’s communications management.	0%	0%	0%	12%	88%
Presentation, aesthetics and ease of use	P.1 The graphical interface is attractive.	0%	0%	16%	60%	24%
	P.2 The information can be read according to size and contrast between colors.	0%	0%	20%	28%	52%
	P.3 It is easy to quickly recognize the most relevant actions in the interface.	0%	0%	16%	28%	56%
	P.4 Error, alert or warning messages when operating the system are useful.	0%	0%	0%	52%	48%
	P.5 The logged content can be modified with the respective restrictions.	0%	0%	4%	28%	68%
Satisfaction	S.1 By using the software, you are pleased with its performance.	0%	0%	0%	28%	72%

.

Regarding the efficiency category, all of the answers concentrate their highest percentages in option 5 (strongly agree). None of the respondents’ answers register option 1 or 2. This allows us to note a very high acceptance of the Tecnotifica™ software in this category.

In the usability category, two out of three answers have their trend statistic in option 5. Only question U.1, associated with the usability of the data to be entered, is in option 4.

In the category of presentation, aesthetics and ease of use, the mode statistic of three out of five questions is in option 5. It is worth mentioning that question P.1 is that with the highest proportion of all respondents of the survey (60%) to offer a score of 5, here found in option 4 (Agree). This question refers to the attractiveness of the interface.

Finally, the level of general satisfaction with the performance of the software finds its highest proportion (72%) in option 5 (strongly agree). It is also worth noting that 100% of the answers are concentrated in options 4 and 5.

4. Discussion

The development of technological solutions to improve the management of government entities is fundamental and a priority for all countries. In the Colombian case, it has been possible to define a working, legal and juridical framework that allows and encourages the incorporation of new technologies, including blockchain (Consejo Nacional de Política Económica y Social—Colombia 2021; Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones de Colombia 2021).

The present research shows the interest of Colombian government entities, particularly the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC), in incorporating solutions that improve the management of their stakeholders. This is consistent with what was found in Ali et al. (2023), Alqarni et al. (2023) and Balcerzak et al. (2022). When applying a multi-criteria comparison for decision making regarding the best blockchain platform (specific context of the required need) Zilliqa has been found to be the most relevant. Additionally, Algorand and Solana are options that, from the application of Equation (2), appear in the highest places. This is also consistent with what has been presented in research such as that of Khan et al. (2021) and Kosba et al. (2016)

These results highlight the importance of a systematic, criteria-driven approach to making informed decisions in the complex and evolving blockchain technology landscape. The methodology presented in this paper addresses a critical gap in the existing literature, which often lacks clear and adaptable guidelines for blockchain platform selection for public sector entities (Lee et al. 2023; Shao et al. 2022).

On the other hand, Engin and Treleaven (2019) highlight the implementation of chatbots to manage citizens’ questions regarding public services, including the payment of public parking services, tax payments, among others. This proposal is an antecedent to the use of the blockchain, although it differs from the strategy presented in this article due to its intentionality of dialogue with specific stakeholders in the telecommunications sector.

It is also possible to contrast the results obtained with those presented in Hu et al. (2021), where they create a redundant strategy based on blockchain (a main chain and a side chain), using smart contracts to increase security and fairness. Although the application developed by these authors is oriented towards trading, it is possible to find highly efficient returns in the use of the blockchain.

In line with Tapscott and Tapscott (2016), this research corroborates the view that blockchain technology can be a powerful tool for digital transformation in the government sector when deployed strategically. The classification of Zilliqa as the most suitable platform for the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC), mainly due to its balance of high security, trust, and cost-effectiveness, aligns with previous findings by Khan et al. (2021), and Tennakoon and Gramoli (2022). Although the methodology proved useful in the case of the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC), it is important to note that the results of the process are highly dependent on the specific needs and context of each government entity. The weights assigned to each evaluation criterion reflect the priorities of the organization in question and, therefore, different organizations might achieve different results using this method. In addition, the rapid evolution of blockchain technology requires the selection process to be iterative and adaptive. As blockchain platforms continue to evolve and improve, the criteria and their relative weighting may need to be reevaluated over time.

On the other hand, the development of a software solution and its level of acceptance is critical to this type of research. The results show consistency with users’ expectations, as well as what was proposed in the reviews proposed by Andoni et al. (2019) and Taherdoost (2023).

5. Conclusions

In this research, several goals were sought to be achieved. Firstly, to identify the importance of the use of emerging technologies, such as blockchain and smart contracts, in the state context. Particularly, the importance of promoting digital government transformation (DGT) to improve the relationship between governments and their citizens, and to optimize their management levels.

To this end, a review of scientific literature was conducted, finding a significant interest on the part of the academic, business and state community in the use of blockchain technology. It was also observed leadership by countries, the distribution of records by publications, and the most recognized authors and institutions contribute the most to the subject. This research contributes directly to reducing the existing gap in the use of blockchain and other emerging technologies in the public sector and is aimed at consolidating digital transformation processes in government.

After this, the importance of incorporating these technologies in the Colombian context was determined; finding that there is a legal and juridical base, very recently established, that encourages and stimulates the use of these models in public management. It is from there that the relationship and interest in applying innovative technological strategies in state entities arises, which for the purposes of this publication was the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC).

It is also important to indicate that, although this research was oriented to the Colombian case, it is possible to extend its application to other latitudes. This is importance as the need to guarantee reliable communications with the possibility of traceability is an important requirement of many organizations worldwide, especially with regard to the public services and citizen services sectors.

At this point, the authors introduce a multi-criteria decision-making framework to guide the selection of blockchain platforms for government entities. Our methodology demonstrated its usefulness and effectiveness through a case study involving the Colombian government entity, Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC). The results underscore the importance of a systematic, criteria-driven approach to making informed decisions about blockchain technology adoption. They also highlighted the need for adaptability and iteration, given the dynamic nature of blockchain technology. Our methodology addresses a significant gap in the current literature, offering a practical and adaptable framework that can assist government entities in their digital transformation efforts. The case study with the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC) revealed that Zilliqa was the most suitable platform based on the criteria of security, scalability, trust and cost. However, the results of applying the framework may vary with the specific needs and context of each government entity, underscoring the importance of flexibility and context awareness in decision-making processes. While our study has brought valuable insights to the field, it also paves the way for future research and is not without limitations. The scoring process involved some degree of subjective judgment, especially in areas such as confidence assessment. Future research could explore more objective ways of assessing trust in blockchain platforms. Overall, our methodology provides a valuable framework that can help government entities navigate the complex task of technology platform selection. More objective ways to assess trust in blockchain platforms, exploration of other criteria important to the public sector, and application of the methodology to different contexts and sectors may be future directions to extend this work.

Complementing the above, the study also develops a technological solution, called Tecnotifica™ software, as a minimum viable prototype, which allows the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC) to articulate its existing information systems with a solution that allows the application of blockchain technology, and its advantages, in communications with its stakeholders. The result of the level of technological acceptance of the tool was high, measured from the use of a specific survey. In conclusion, as the digital transformation of government entities continues to advance globally, our research presents a robust approach by which to guide the selection of blockchain platforms, contributing to the successful implementation of emerging technologies in the public sector.