The importance of outcome focused transformation characterised roundtable discussions on Day One of this year's Government Transformation Summit, focused on Digital Transformation and Citizen Services.
Driving outcome focused solutions
One prevalent discussion topic was using the desired citizen outcome as the driver of digital transformation, rather than allowing technology to lead on solutions. Viewing technology as an enabler is a key mindset shift.
Across government, common in inefficiencies were identified in HR, correspondence and hiring practices which could be automated to free up the workforce to engage in human facing solutions.
However, this automation needs to be focused: with the problem AI is solving clearly defined and mutually understood by officials. Outcome focused preparation is therefore key, before digital transformation can successfully take place.
The value of strong leadership
A number of conversations mentioned the importance of a forward-thinking leadership culture focused on accelerating the pace of change to meet rising demand.
Senior champions need to be visible and engaged in driving change. Additionally, they need to be setting up the communication channels to facilitate effective delivery within organisations.
Understanding how to engage with staff on their change journey was emphasised, as leaders need to empower others to embrace bold change.
Overcoming silos through collaboration and partnerships
The topic of fragmented organisational data and disjointed legacy systems presented as a recurring theme throughout the day. One solution to overcome these silos is adopting multidisciplinary teams with varied skillsets to manage a range of problems.
Conversations also highlighted ensuring the correct people are in the right role for them, beyond simply a job title, to enable effective skills deployment.
Additionally, the importance of trusted partnerships between suppliers and government was also highlighted, ensuring that both sides have a deep understanding of the problem being solved and use this to drive their development and deployment of technology.