Inside AKU’s Digital Transformation: An Interview With Muhammad Fahd

Aga Khan University (AKU) has introduced new websites for AKU, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) and the Aga Khan University Examination Board (AKU-EB).

Key points

• In an interview with ProPakistani, Muhammad Fahd, Global Chief Information Officer at AKU, explained the thinking behind the rebuild.
• If we go back to AKU's four core values, Impact, Quality, Relevance and Access (or IQRA), this should be reflected in its website.
• The fact that a website is "on" 24/7 is a massive advantage for an organisation.
• Improved Flexibility and Scalability – ensuring adaptability as the organisation continues to grow.
• Design and Content – creating a more contemporary visual experience with content that is clear, relevant and structured.

In an interview with ProPakistani, Muhammad Fahd, Global Chief Information Officer at AKU, explained the thinking behind the rebuild. He spoke regarding presenting a diverse institution as one AKU, designing for a user base where 86% of visitors arrive on mobile, and keeping security and data privacy at the centre of every new feature. He additionally shared his views on how artificial intelligence and personalisation will shape the websites of the future, and what organisations in Pakistan should be doing now to stay competitive globally.

Websites were once treated largely as digital brochures for organisations. How has that role changed, and why should an organisation today view its website as a strategic business and communications asset rather than mere online presence?

Notably, the role of a website has fundamentally changed. Audiences increasingly commence their journey online, and organisations are now competing for attention and trust digitally. A website today actively communicates a brand's identity, its mission and values. One has to realize that, rather than a physical campus or building, the website is now the first point of contact that someone has with an organisation.

If we go back to AKU's four core values, Impact, Quality, Relevance and Access (or IQRA), this should be reflected in its website. Given that we live in a time-pressured society, it is imperative that an individual should be able to rapidly access and find the information that they are looking for. Whether it is a patient, student, or partner organisation, our new website is designed to facilitate meaningful opportunities, rapidly identify our services, and allow donors to backing our mission through philanthropy.

For an institutional group as diverse as the AKU, AKUH and AKU-EB with health care, education, research and global operations, what role does a well-designed website play in communicating its identity, values and vision to audiences in Pakistan and internationally?

While AKU, AKUH, and AKU-EB can be viewed as different entities, the website (and I) must emphasize that we are really OneAKU, that is one organisation with a core set of values that guides us globally. For us, it is not just what one entity does, but why it exists and what it stands for. As such, whether one is viewing the website from Pakistan, Kenya or Canada, the ethos of AKU should come throughout the same. This is why, regardless of where you are viewing from, you will see AKU's impact globally – with real individuals, real stories, real achievements and real research impacts. Since the new website was built with AKU's values in mind, these should come throughout no matter which page you choose to explore, from anywhere in the world.

What does a modern organisational website need to achieve beyond simply providing information? How can factors such as user experience, accessibility, search visibility, speed, security and personalization directly influence an organisation's ability to reach and engage its audiences?

As you know, we live in a time-sensitive society. Our goal is to create it easier for residents to find what they need rapidly. Users expect pages to load rapidly. They expect to find information rapidly. They want to book a doctor's appointment rapidly. As such, a user-centric design was critical for the new website. For example, we know that 86% of our users access the website through their mobile devices, so it created sense to adopt a mobile-first approach. Nevertheless, our website still uses responsive templates to work seamlessly throughout different devices and screen sizes. For context, the goal is always to do everything we can to ensure the best feasible user experience, and while searchability and security are essential to that, all of these elements that you have mentioned tie into a user-centric design and approach.

With audiences increasingly turning to digital channels as their first point of contact with an organisation, how can a website sway perception in favour of its organisation through well-placed touchpoints?

As I mentioned earlier, the website is now often the first point of interaction for a student or patient, rather than a physical campus or building. Every interaction with the website can thus impact the user's impression of an organisation. A solid and strategic website should be intentionally designed. As creators, we think carefully: if a button is placed somewhere, why is it placed there? Meanwhile, the user might not think much regarding it, but subconsciously they are impacted by it and it can affect how they feel. The nav­igation must therefore be seamless; every click and scroll should feel simple, reassuring and intentional. These carefully thought-out elements support produce a sizeable institution feel personal and approachable.

As for your newly introduced websites, what were some of the key digital needs and audience expectations that informed the development of these new platforms?

While we have had a solid website over the past years, technological advancements, new capabilities, and evolving user preferences necessitate change. Indeed, being in the "tech world", we know that change is the only constant, and we need to stay ahead of the times. Some of the items we wanted to enhance in this new iteration of our website are.

Navigation – making it easier for users to find things through clearer pathways and intuitive information architecture.

Engagement – creating a more engaging experience through stronger storytelling, relevant content and clearer calls-to-action. Device Preference – consistency throughout different screen sizes and devices.

Branding Coherence – ensuring the digital experience remains connected to the wider institutional identity throughout different entities and audiences.

AKUH and AKU-EB serve particularly different audiences, from patients and families to students, parents, teachers and education professionals. How do you design digital platforms that are tailored to suit every distinct user's journey while maintaining a consistent institutional identity?

Meanwhile, the priority should be keeping the identity and values consistent at the brand level, but the experience changes at the audience level. A patient coming to the AKUH website has a particularly different intention from a student or parent visiting the AKU-EB website. Therefore, the tone, quality and overall experience should still reflect the wider organisation's values, vision and mission; nevertheless, the content and information architecture should cater to different users. Navigation, calls-to-action, imagery, terminology and content hierarchy could reflect what each audience actually needs. Sometimes brands focus on keeping the same theme and colour palette. In our case, this required a slightly different approach as we have different logos and colour schemes for our hospitals and university. From a design perspective, we created that cohesion through shared design principles – typography, visual hierarchy, photography styles and other recurring design elements. We need to understand, though, that the institutional identity goes beyond visual preferences and design choices. What matters most is the human side of an organisation – its values, standards, and how that is conveyed to our website users.

Meanwhile, a website can potentially serve audiences 24/7, throughout geographical boundaries. How does this always-on nature of digital platforms change the way organisations approach communication, engagement and service delivery compared with traditional channels?

Notably, the fact that a website is "on" 24/7 is a massive advantage for an organisation. As patients may suddenly realize they need an appointment while at home at 10pm, it is great that they can easily find a doctor and book an appointment at a time slot that is convenient for them, or request home-based services. Similarly, a student may be exploring potential undergraduate or graduate programs, and they can simply access the information on the website during the weekend. While the traditional channels still exist (such as a call centre for hospital appointments), much of our business has already shifted to the website or proprietary apps like Family Hifazat where lab results (including historical ones) can be accessed at one's fingertips. I would say that this shift has already overwhelmingly taken place at AKU, and the new website is our way of making it even easier for our students, patients and other stakeholders than it was previously.

Cybersecurity, privacy and data protection have become increasingly significant as websites become more interactive and connected to organisational systems. What considerations need to be built into website development from the outset to ensure that convenience and innovation do not come at the expense of trust and security?

This is absolutely correct that cybersecurity, privacy and data protection must be foremost considerations in any digital tool or product, including websites. It is significant to understand what data is being collected, why it is needed, where it is stored, and who has access to it. Solid access controls, secure authentication, encryption, regular security testing, and clear data-retention practices have been built into the website architecture. Data privacy has additionally been a critical consideration, and AKU complies with the most stringent data protection laws globally. Users need to be comfortable that any information they exchange is secure. We are additionally aware that our website is dynamic and new features may be went on over time. As such, we continuously monitor and test the website, and undertake a cybersecurity and data protection evaluation before approving any new features or major changes. Our first responsibility is always to our users.

Looking ahead, how do you see organisational websites evolving with technologies such as artificial intelligence, personalization and data analytics, and what should organisations in Pakistan be doing today to ensure their digital platforms remain relevant and competitive in global markets?

Websites are now moving from being static destinations to becoming more intelligent and responsive digital experiences. While AI can supplement through personalization, predictive user experiences, conversational interfaces, and dynamic content delivery, data analytics provide us with a good opportunity to understand user behaviours. Such personalization can ensure that content remains relevant for users, but there's a need to respect user privacy and security.

For organisations in Pakistan, I think the time to prepare is now. Technological change is occurring at a much faster rate and strategic adaptability is a key skill for any organisation. We need to build stronger digital foundations. We need to ensure accessibility, quality and structured content, stronger security and data privacy, good analytics and processes to keep information current and accurate. We additionally need to think beyond local digital expectations and set benchmarks for ourselves against the best global experiences. AI will change the way we interact with technologies, but the fundamentals will remain the same. Combining these fundamentals with emerging technologies will support organisations remain up to date, relevant and competitive.

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In short, inside AKU's Digital Transformation: An Interview With Muhammad Fahd is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.