Building Smart Village Governance Beyond Technology: Evidence From a Participatory Action Research on OpenSID Implementation in Indonesia

Authors

  • Mar Atun Saadah Universitas Jambi, Indonesia
  • Ovie Yanti Universitas Jambi, Indonesia
  • Wahyu Juari Setiawan Universitas Jambi, Indonesia
  • Try Syeftiani Universitas Jambi, Indonesia
  • Kurnia Permana Universitas Jambi, Indonesia
  • Hendriyaldi Hendriyaldi Universitas Jambi, Indonesia
  • Muhammad Haris Universitas Jambi, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33394/jpu.v7i1.18877

Keywords:

Digital Governance, Digital Village, Village Information System, Participatory Action Research, Rural Development

Abstract

This community service program aims to strengthen village governance capacity through mentoring and assistance in implementing the digital Village Information System (OpenSID) as part of Indonesia’s Smart Village agenda. The program focuses on improving administrative services, data management, and community participation at the village level. Using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, the program was conducted in Jujun Village and involved village officials, community members, local government representatives, and digital platform developers. The intervention consisted of sequential stages, including policy socialization on the role of the Village Information System in smart governance, capacity-building workshops for village officials, hands-on technical assistance in operating OpenSID, and community outreach to promote SID-based public services. Evaluation was conducted two weeks after implementation using qualitative indicators encompassing knowledge, attitudes, skills, partnership dynamics, and follow-up commitment. The findings indicate improvements in digital literacy and operational capacity among village officials, as well as increased community awareness of digital public services. However, the program also revealed limitations in sustaining digital transformation, particularly related to managerial commitment, leadership-driven institutionalization, and resource ownership. Stakeholder participation was evident but often remained normative rather than transformative. Overall, this community service initiative contributes to ongoing discussions on digital governance and rural development by demonstrating that technology adoption alone is insufficient to achieve smart governance outcomes. Instead, sustained impact depends on participatory capacity building and the development of dynamic managerial capabilities that enable villages to institutionalize digital governance practices over time.

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Published

2026-02-06

How to Cite

Saadah, M. A., Yanti, O., Setiawan, W. J., Syeftiani, T., Permana, K., Hendriyaldi, H., & Muhammad Haris. (2026). Building Smart Village Governance Beyond Technology: Evidence From a Participatory Action Research on OpenSID Implementation in Indonesia. Jurnal Pengabdian UNDIKMA, 7(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.33394/jpu.v7i1.18877

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): February

Section

Articles

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