Digital.NSW 2021 - Interview with Scott Johnston

Hear key insights from Scott Johnston as he explores enabling data usage and security through artificial intelligence.

Addressing Legacy Systems & Looking to Sustainable Modernization

Clearly this is an unsustainable process, but is common across many departments, and was the standard at Veterans Affairs as well until 2015. We provided a standard IT service where business groups focused on analog processing to solve problems, but our core processing system was aging. It was over 15 years old, and rather than changing the system – which was expensive and no one knew what to change it to anyway – the department simply hired more staff to deal with “a legacy system that needed to be updated three times a year. By 2016, it was clear that …

Understanding and Overcoming our Health Data Problem

Data analytics challenges are a roadblock for new digital systems that could help overcome the healthcare challenges we face. These include staff shortages, poor access to services, increased wait times, and how to care for an older population with more chronic conditions. We surveyed 180 healthcare executives across public and private organisations, large and small hospitals, and city and rural locations. What we found was that a lack of trust in data, challenges with data quality and the absence of a holistic digital transformation strategy were all hurdles to organisations using data analytics to meet their top business objectives. Despite …

Exclusive Interview with Jaime Schorr - Chief Procurement Officer at State of Maine Q&A

Jaime C. Schorr is the Chief Procurement Officer for the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services. In this capacity, she oversees Procurement Services, Information Technology Procurement, Central Services (Postal Operations and Surplus), Central Fleet Management, and the Central Warehouse. Jaime provides consolidated management and coordinates oversight over the various divisions of the Bureau. Her directional leadership and strategic management ensures purchases, procurements, and acquisitions of all contractual services, supplies, materials, and equipment facilitate the most economical use of public funds. Jaime holds a BA from The George Washington University, an MBA from New England College and a JD from …

Achieving Digital Transformation across the Australian Public Service by 2025

Ultimately the Data Scheme is focussed on “increasing the availability and use of Australian government data,” so that it helps government to deliver services that are “simple, helpful, respectful and transparent,” allowing government to operate better. This creates great possibilities, and thus the ONDC is always optimistic, “believing that the best is always yet to come.” Data has largely become a “significant world currency,” with the volume of data “growing at an exponential rate.” In a practical Australian sense, during the global financial crisis a little over a decade ago, Australian government officials, who were involved in trying to alleviate …

The impact of climate change on emergency management responses

Across Australia, the start of the pandemic also coincided with more floods, bushfires and other natural disasters. The week that COVID-19 was first detected in late December 2019, was also the week that the black summer bushfires began across eastern Australia. Since then, all emergency services have been over-stretched and at times, overwhelmed. When coupled with imposed limitations on movement, resource reallocation, and team and volunteer restrictions due to quarantine requirements, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a reassessment of emergency management and pandemic response activities. Below we hear first-hand accounts from Dr Alan March, Professor, Urban Planning, Disaster Risk Reduction …

Government Reimagined: The Top Digital Trends in 2022

Events of the past two years have accelerated the need among government departments and agencies to reimagine public service delivery. With entire populations forced online, the efficacy of digital government and its ability to cater to every citizen has come into an even sharper focus. Delivering this level of proactivity relies on a shift in technology and mindset organised around the citizen. It means combining user experience, customer experience, and employee experience capabilities – powered by AI and analytics. Taking a citizen-centric view also extends to digital equality and developing the capability to reach all – not just most – …

Driving Access, Inclusion and Innovation across Digital Government

As we journey beyond COVID-19, digital services will remain the primary way in which citizens engage with government, and thus require sustained prioritisation. To maintain momentum, government must continue to integrate accessibility, inclusion and innovation across digital service design and delivery. In 2022, we cannot let innovation diminish just because the challenges of the pandemic recede. As we embark on the long road to recovery, let’s sustain our digital transformation trajectory by reviewing, renewing and refining services for each and every citizen. By leveraging behavioural data and insights, we can maximise positive outcomes while fostering engagement and trust. Continuing to …