Digital Services and Customer Experience

From Data to Decisions: Earning Trust Through Transparency in Digital NSW

Key Takeaways from Digital NSW's Trust Track

Patrick Joy 10 December 2024

From Data to Decisions: Earning Trust Through Transparency in Digital NSW

Trust through Listening: How the NSW Government is Using Data and Insights to Make Services Easier to Access, More Effective and More Trusted by the Community.

James Bates, Executive Director Customer, Data and Insights | Chief Data Officer, Department of Customer Service

1. Listening and Reliability Build Public Trust
Trust in government is driven by affective trust (listening to citizens) and cognitive trust (acting on feedback). Delivering on both ensures high trust levels (85%), while failure results in a sharp decline, underscoring the importance of consistent, citizen-centric service.

2. Data-Driven Insights Strengthen Service Delivery
The New South Wales Customer Insights Hub integrates behavioural, sentiment, and experience data across sectors to inform actionable improvements. Examples include proactive reminders for child developmental health checks, which increased participation rates by 30%.

3. Inclusive Service Design is Non-Negotiable
Efforts like plain English communication, multilingual resources, and simplified digital access improve equity and efficiency. These measures not only benefit underserved populations but also enhance clarity and trust for all citizens, fostering a more inclusive service environment.

Reducing Legacy Technologies and Duplication of Digital Solutions

Reece Clementi, Executive Director, Government Technology Platforms, Department of Customer Service
Anne McDonald, Executive Director, Regulatory Transformation, Transport for NSW

1. Strategic Transformation Requires Collaboration and Trust
Transformation initiatives, like the RegStar program, require close collaboration between regulators, service providers, and technical teams to modernise platforms while maintaining public trust. Building trust internally and externally relies on delivering promised outcomes and engaging stakeholders early in the process.

2. Breaking Down Complex Legacy Systems into Manageable Steps
Tackling legacy technology challenges involves identifying smaller, actionable steps that demonstrate progress and build confidence in the overall vision. Adopting an iterative approach ensures flexibility and enables teams to adapt to unforeseen complexities while keeping long-term goals in focus.

3. Embedding Business and Regulatory Expertise in Digital Projects
Incorporating regulatory and business expertise within digital transformation projects ensures alignment with policy goals, compliance requirements, and user needs. This approach fosters trust and mitigates resistance by addressing concerns and co-designing practical solutions with stakeholders.

Smart Data Sharing and Governance: Practical Strategies for Building Trust and Efficiency Amid Technology Advancements

Felix Liao, Director of Product Management, APAC, Denodo

1. Unlocking Data’s Untapped Potential Requires Innovative Approaches
While organisations are collecting more data than ever, much of it remains unused due to siloed storage, governance barriers, and technical hurdles. Adopting a logical data management approach, such as a virtual data layer, can centralise access without replicating data, enabling faster utilisation and smarter decision-making.

2. Self-Service Data Access Enhances Efficiency and Agility
By implementing a single access gateway and a semantic layer, organisations can empower users to retrieve and utilise data independently. This reduces reliance on IT and accelerates insights, as evidenced by the NHS Scotland’s agile response during the COVID-19 crisis, where data-driven decisions directly impacted critical outcomes.

3. Focus on Use Cases and Data Literacy for Successful Transformation
Effective data governance and sharing strategies begin with understanding specific use cases and aligning data products with organisational needs. Simultaneously, enhancing data literacy across teams ensures that unlocked data is leveraged meaningfully and securely, driving impactful results.

Using Data Insights to Inform Service Delivery and Decision Making

Suzanne Crowle, Executive Director, Fair Trading Operations, Department of Customer Service
Frances Foster-Thorpe, Executive Director of Shaping Futures & Data Insights, The Cabinet Office NSW
Megan Osborne, Executive Director, Customer Data & Delivery, State Insurance Regulatory Authority
Mark Fazackerley, Country Manager ANZ, Qlik

1. Data-Driven Strategies Enhance Service Delivery
Regulatory and service organisations use data insights to prioritise resources effectively and address risks. For instance, fair trading leverages data to identify high-risk entities for inspections, while CIRA employs data to customise outreach in insurance claims, ensuring timely and targeted support.

2. AI Unlocks Opportunities for Efficiency and Inclusivity
AI is driving innovation by automating repetitive tasks, enhancing foresight capabilities, and enabling better service delivery for diverse user groups, including vulnerable populations. Thoughtful integration of AI ensures actionable intelligence and improved public trust in government services.

3. Inclusive Data Practices Address Marginalisation
Addressing "data invisibility" requires blending technical data with on-the-ground intelligence. Organisations can amplify overlooked voices by engaging local communities, escalating patterns from single complaints, and building frameworks that incorporate qualitative insights into decision-making processes.