Implementing human-centred design to achieve better long-term patient outcomes

All of these factors together will “improve, enhance or support our patients more effectively.” The one element that is missing though is “the impact or the involvement of the Whānau (extended family) that patients need.” The value of family and familial support services cannot be underestimated. The “old medical model,” sometimes referred to as ‘the shadow’ is still hanging over some facilities, but “the good news is that we are starting to move away from it.” Some clinicians fear this change because it may “upset the power imbalance” between doctors and patients, giving patients more of a say. As much …

Leveraging data science to lead transformation in the public sector

While many of these issues are unlikely to go away, one way of combatting some of the negative effects is by using open data, which as long as there is access to the internet, is “data that’s available to anyone, anywhere, anytime.” It is generally data that is “collected by or on behalf of government,” but is done so with “people’s privacy, sovereignty and security” protected and in mind. In many ways, “the open data ecosystem is like a public library, which is the original open data service.” Libraries have a range of products “in different formats, with a huge …

Mitigating Cyber Security Risks in Local Government

"Implementing effective information controls and cyber training for staff should be at the forefront of cyber awareness for councils. This requires councils to establish appropriate systems to manage cyber security risk effectively, and to make better and more informed decisions.” Jacqueline Hiddlestone, IT Innovation Program Manager, Canterbury Bankstown City Council (NSW) “Councils need to establish a system to process, identify, analyse and treat cyber security risks seriously. If unaddressed, cyber risks could prevent councils from effectively achieving their strategic, operational and project objectives, as well as their statutory and community obligations.

Defence Communication Systems

In our modern, connected world, the speed and ease of communication greatly matters. Many of us rely on devices and the internet not just for work, but for our entertainment and leisure, and when there are outages or disruptions, they affect us on a visceral level. The stakes are even higher for deployed forces across the Australian army, navy and air force, where reliable and efficient communication infrastructure can have serious safety and security implications. The ASA was created in July 2018. Its purpose is to “transform and grow a globally respected Australian space industry that lifts the broader economy, …

Improving the Operational Efficiency of your Council

Dawn Baxendale began her role at Christchurch City Council in October 2019. Just a few months later the world changed, but before then, in January 2020, the Council revised some of their plans based on the three principles mentioned above. “Those principles were basically critical to help us get through COVID-19.” Many councils, including theirs, decided to undertake a second annual plan after the pandemic began because so many parameters had changed. However, since the first plan was underpinned by those principles and since everyone was on board, “we were able to do it in just five weeks.” The result …

IoT in the Public Sector: How We Can Work to Build a Secure and Ethical Network of 'Things'

The Internet of Things (IoT) could, and ultimately will, profoundly transform the public sector by altering how government entities gather data and information. Tech analyst company IDC predicts that by 2025 there will be a total 41.6 billion connected IoT devices influencing the way we build, manage and exist in our cities and spaces.The IoT alliance NZ suggests that IoT ‘could soon be as commonplace as electricity in the everyday lives of people in OECD countries.’ The adoption of this techy web of things could see increased productivity for New Zealand government processes and decision making. Therefore, transforming economic and …

A Citizen-Led Digital Government Transformation

Customer centricity becomes more paramount in uncertain times, and the ability for the Public Sector to adapt and respond quickly to society’s changing needs is crucial in moments of disruption, as habits and behaviours irreversibly change and public trust is undoubtedly shaken. This is necessitating a new kind of governmental reform; to reshape services by redesigning, and reorganising how departments cater to the increasingly digitally driven – and now at times physically isolated – citizen. The focus needs to be on fostering a deeper understanding of public needs, combined with the transforming of service experience for citizens through embracing technological …

New Zealand Government: Strategy for a Digital Public Service

- Ann-Marie Cavanagh, Acting Deputy Chief Executive from the Department of Internal Affairs