Victorian Government
Digital Strategy
customer-driven, digital first
A strategy and action plan for ensuring
that the Government and all its
customers interact effectively and
productively online.
Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
Contents
1
Overview .................................................................................................................................. 3
2
Why we need a digital strategy ................................................................................................ 4
Meet customer expectations ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Provide equality in service delivery ............................................................................................................................... 4
Encourage innovation .................................................................................................................................................... 5
Improve productivity ..................................................................................................................................................... 5
3
What the strategy is ................................................................................................................. 6
The vision ....................................................................................................................................................................... 6
4
The foundation principles ......................................................................................................... 7
Notes on the foundation principles ............................................................................................................................... 8
5
How we get there ................................................................................................................... 12
Digital Maturity Goal Matrix ....................................................................................................................................... 12
Channel selection principles ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Prioritising high-volume transactions which should be offered online ....................................................................... 15
Action plan for agencies............................................................................................................................................... 16
6
Critical success factors ............................................................................................................ 17
Governance and management .................................................................................................................................... 17
Digital leadership ......................................................................................................................................................... 17
Culture and change management ................................................................................................................................ 17
Collaboration and consultation.................................................................................................................................... 18
Innovative culture ........................................................................................................................................................ 18
Measuring success ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
Appendix ........................................................................................................................................ 19
About this strategy ...................................................................................................................................................... 19
Page 2 of 19
Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
1 Overview
This Victorian Government Digital Strategy is a high-level plan for the Government’s online activities and interaction with all
Victorians over the next eighteen months. Government agencies are currently engaged in using digital technologies to
improve their service delivery to customers. This Strategy provides coordination, direction and encouragement to the
current and new digital activities of Government agencies.
The Digital Strategy states principles and actions required to ensure that Victorian Government services and information are
accessible online to all Victorian citizens, businesses and communities (herein referred to as customers of the Government)
in such a compelling and convenient manner that the digital channel (e.g. websites, social media, mobile applications)
becomes their preferred means of interacting with the Government.
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Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
2 Why we need a digital strategy
In consideration of a fast moving and radical shift in
technology and customer needs, the Victorian
Government ICT Strategy 2013–14 required the
development of a Victorian Government channel
strategy.
Provide equality in service
delivery
The Digital Strategy was developed in consultation with
government agencies, and included a review of the
practices of governments worldwide, to understand the
scope and application of a channel strategy in the
Victorian Government context. This Strategy emerged
from the research and conversations which indicated
that better practice promotes the digital channel, over
traditional channels, as the most viable and credible way
forward for the government.
The consultation process had validated the need to
develop this Strategy.
Meet customer expectations
In 2013, the Victorian Government's customers are
1.
online in greater numbers than ever before. The
2
majority of these customers are using social media and
they are connecting to the web through increasingly
3
sophisticated and popular mobile devices.
Whilst the average customer will spend only a small
fraction of their online time interacting with the
government, increasingly their expectation is that the
government should provide an experience as efficient
and seamless as that offered by their banks, utilities and
favourite online stores. This expectation will only grow
as those other non-government entities continue to
evolve, offering more sophisticated and engaging
experiences and always accommodating current
consumer technologies, such as mobile and other smart
devices, and beyond. The challenge for the government
is to stay ahead of this trend.
Digital delivery is borderless, timeless and on the
customer’s terms. Consequently, online engagement
provides remarkable benefits for customers who live
outside Melbourne and regional centres, work outside
the government’s office hours, find it difficult to travel to
a customer centre, or who find traditional channels
challenging to use (through, for example, a disability or
language barrier).
The Digital Strategy seeks to improve the quality and
availability of choices for all customers, from which
improved outcomes will naturally follow. Moreover, all
customers using the government’s digital channels will
be encouraged to share experiences, learn from each
other and explore related information, leading to an
ongoing evolution and improvement of services and
information and the processes behind them.
The Strategy also recognises that traditional channels
may still be required in some instances, as not everyone
has access to the web and not all services can be
delivered online. Nevertheless, those delivery channels
should be reducing in number and volume and their
effectiveness improved through integration with digital
channels.
Increase transparency and
quality of engagement with
customers
Governments improve transparency, accountability and
act in good faith when they actively encourage dialogue
with customers in social media channels; when they
make all their information and services easy to find, easy
to understand and easy to act on; and when they
interact with customers on the customer’s terms.
Social media, particularly, places power in the hands of
individuals and groups to influence public debate,
criticise, praise, and share information about the
government. This Digital Strategy encourages agencies
to use social media channels to interact with customers
and to provide customer-focussed content on their
websites.
1
15 million Australia-wide according to nielsen.com
65% according to the Yellow Social Media Report, 2013
3
Facebook reports that over 50% of page accesses are via
smartphones.
2
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Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
Encourage innovation
Improve productivity
This Digital Strategy challenges the government not
merely to replicate existing information and services on
digital channels but to consider entirely new services
that could be offered and delivered online.
When customers can easily find, understand and use
government information and services online, there are
productivity gains for everyone.
For example, converting existing hardcopy forms to an
online form may be a valid step in an agency’s digital
transformation, but agencies are encouraged to go
beyond that to consider how to transform to truly
improve customer experience and productivity. For
some, this will mean existing business practices are
replaced by customer-centred service delivery, hard
copy forms requiring signatures are replaced by online
forms and digital signatures, and transactions that cross
multiple agencies will merge.
The Digital Age is a dynamic age. Informed by their
ongoing dialogue with customers, agencies need to be
innovative in their business processes, service delivery
and engagement strategies. They need to assess and
consider implementing emerging digital technologies,
solutions and platforms in order to remain relevant,
productive and effective.
For customers, engaging with government online is
faster and cheaper than visiting government offices and
provides them with greater choice and flexibility in
service delivery. An effective, coordinated online
presence by government also reduces the time
customers spend resolving issues, pursuing services and
providing information.
Customers who are well informed through effective
digital channels can make the right decisions more
quickly, improving productivity for them and the
provider. When government agencies collaborate to
provide single-point services to their shared customers,
they save those customers time and agency collective
resources.
By engaging with customers online, government activity
can transform from being focussed on procedures and
compliance to being focussed on quality of service. For
example, when customers are able to complete dynamic
forms online (perhaps accompanied by explanatory
YouTube clips and a user blog for sharing ideas), staff are
released from spending time answering queries over the
phone or at the counter, re-keying data or chasing
errors. Their efforts shift to devising and implementing
ways to improve services, monitoring them and
providing new ones. Moreover, implementing online
services and information provides more time for
customers and government to interact with each other
and removes the limitations imposed by traditional
channels (i.e. business hours for service and call
centres).
Importantly, the cost differential for governments
between providing online, face-to-face and telephone
delivery is considerable. Online delivery is 98% cheaper
than the cost of face-to-face delivery and 67% cheaper
4
than the cost of telephone delivery. In a particularly
relevant example, the UK Cabinet Office anticipates
saving up to £1.7 billion through its gov.uk digital-by5
default strategy.
4
5
Potential for Channel Shift in Local Government, Socitm, 2012
Digital Efficiency Report, 2012
Page 5 of 19
3 What the strategy is
The vision
The vision for the Victorian Government’s digital presence is that it will transform from disparate, agency-centric websites
and use of social media to a new customer-centric state where the digital presence is organised for and around citizens,
businesses and communities. This transformation will see agencies collaborating to provide their shared customers with a
seamless, integrated experience when engaging with the government online.
Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
4 The foundation principles
The government’s Digital Strategy is based on seven foundation principles. The principles are of equal importance and will
underpin the management, presentation and delivery of the government’s information and services via its digital channels.
1. Reduce customer effort
Customer-centric thinking and actions are to underpin every aspect of the
government’s management, presentation and delivery of information and
services via digital channels.
2. Engage customers through
the digital channel first
The digital channel is to be the default delivery channel for all government
information, services and transactions. Some customers and some transactions
will require face-to-face and telephone support, but these will be the exception,
not the rule.
3. Organise information and
services by customer needs,
not agencies
Customers should never need to know who in the Victorian Government
provides the information or service they are seeking, nor should they need to
visit multiple agency Web pages to have their needs met. Where agencies share
responsibility for servicing the same customer, the common service and
information are to be collated and presented in one online place.
4. Make content and features
convenient, easy to find, use
and act upon
Information and services are to be collated, organised, presented and delivered
according to customers’ needs, expectations and view of the world. All
customers must be able act on the information or service easily and effectively
using any device at a time and location of their choice.
5. Improve productivity for
customers and government
The Government’s digital channels are to improve the productivity of both
customers and government when doing business with each other and when the
interaction is government to government. The digital channel is to be leveraged
to improve productivity for customers and government when using other
channels such as face-to-face, post or telephone.
6. Interact with customers and
learn from them
The government is to use digital channels to interact with customers to
understand their evolving needs, raise their awareness of government services
and to contribute to civic life and debate.
7. Provide an accessible and
secure online experience
The government’s digital channels are to be accessible to all customers.
Customers must also be confident in the security and privacy of their
interaction with the government online.
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Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
Notes on the foundation principles
1. Reduce customer effort
2. Engage customers through the
digital channel first
Customer-centric thinking and actions are to underpin
every aspect of the government’s management,
presentation and delivery of information and services
via digital channels.
The digital channel is to be the default delivery channel
for all government information, services and
transactions. Some customers and some transactions
will require face-to-face and telephone support, but
these will be the exception, not the rule.
The government’s digital channel belongs to the
customer.
For this principle to become reality, the government
must cease viewing its digital presence as a passive
connection to customers and instead elevate the
customer, responding to their service and information
needs and their preferences for interacting and
transacting with the government.
Both customers and the government should generate
content and decide how it is organised, written and
presented. Both customers and the government should
collaborate on re-engineering business processes so as
many services as feasible can be fulfilled completely
online. In short, customers must be allowed to inform
and work with the government to define what
information and services they want online and how they
want to interact and transact with the government.
Implications for agencies
Agencies will need to think digital. They will have
to work together and with customers to
determine and prioritise the services and
transactions they want access to; the design,
presentation and functionality of them; and the
devices through which they prefer to access
them.
This principle encompasses two broad requirements.
First, when planning and developing new services,
agencies are to start with the view that they will be
delivered entirely online. Second, where a transaction
between customers and the government is currently not
facilitated through the digital channel it will need to be
redesigned for that purpose. A transition to digital proof
of identity will be crucial in addressing these
requirements.
Current barriers to digital channel delivery cited by
agencies should be examined anew for solutions that
enable digital delivery. Should existing practices appear
to preclude end-to-end digital fulfilment (e.g.
demanding a hand-written signature) the practice
should be examined and removed if not justified.
Having thoroughly examined the barriers to digital
channel delivery, if an agency concludes that a service or
the provision of information is best delivered via
traditional channels they will need to justify that
decision.
Implications for agencies
This principle requires the government to
ensure that all existing and new business
processes, transactions and other interactions
with customers are delivered and managed via
the digital channel.
In addressing these requirements, agencies are
to use digital channels and digital technologies
to minimise and eradicate wherever possible
the need for a customer’s physical presence at
a government agency, for them to telephone
an agency or post a letter or form. Where a
customer chooses to attend a service centre or
telephone an agency or post a letter or form,
the interaction is to utilise the agency’s digital
channels to minimise the transaction cost and
time for government and customers.
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Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
3. Organise information and
services by customer needs, not
agencies
4. Make content and features
convenient, easy to find, use
and act upon
Customers should never have to know who in the
Victorian Government provides the information or
service they are seeking, nor should they have to visit
multiple agency web pages to have their needs met.
Where agencies share responsibility for meeting the
needs of the same customer, the common service and
information are to be collated and presented in one
online place.
Information and services are to be collated, organised,
presented and delivered according to customers’ needs,
expectations and view of the world. All customers must
be able act on the information or service easily and
effectively using any device at a time and location of
their choice.
Information and services should be presented and
delivered online by theme or purpose rather than as a
function of a particular agency. This ensures services and
information are presented in a way that is identifiable to
customers, rather than in a way that is influenced by the
government’s internal arrangements and hierarchy
Government information and services must be easy to
find, easy to understand and easy to act on, regardless
of its form, e.g. web pages, social media or applications.
Moreover, customers need to be able to access
government information and services using their
preferred device and they must find it more convenient
than using other channels. These requirements are
fundamental to moving customers and services to the
digital channel.
Implications for agencies
Implications for agency
Achieving this customer-centric, collaborative
approach will require a fundamental shift in
government agency’s culture and actions.
Particularly, it will require a major change in
decision-making processes regarding how new
services and information are conceived,
planned and delivered.
Government information must be written in plain
language, be organised and presented according
to customers’ needs and be readily discoverable
and accessible to all. Agencies should incorporate
responsive design across their website portfolio,
ensuring that customers can access relevant
information and services at their convenience,
from any location and on any device.
Customers want their interaction with the
government to be fast, effective and easy.
Practically, this translates to activities such as
developing a consistent approach to all three
channels (online, call centre/phones and
service centres), informed by thorough,
evidence-based user research. It also requires
agencies to break down inter- and intra-agency
boundaries and combine, align and organise
their resources, always putting customers first
and ahead of internal processes and structures.
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Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
5. Improve productivity for
customers and government
6. Interact with customers and
learn from them
The government’s digital channels are to improve the
productivity of both customers and government when
doing business with each other and when the
interaction is government to government. The digital
channel is to be leveraged to improve productivity for
customers and government when using other channels
such as face-to-face, post or telephone.
The government is to use digital channels to interact
with customers to understand their evolving needs,
raise their awareness of government services and to
contribute to civic life and debate.
The government will leverage its digital channels to
generate productivity gains for customers and itself,
saving time and minimising the cost of doing business
together. Current government services and information
that require customers to respond in person, either faceto-face, by mail or by telephoning, will be redesigned for
complete or partial online delivery.
To achieve a productivity gain, the customer’s
experience on the government’s digital channels must
be superior to their off-line experience. One step
towards this improvement is to ensure that where a
government service requires customers to interact with
more than one agency (or units within an agency), those
interactions occur through a single point that minimises
the customer’s input and effort.
To achieve a thorough understanding of customer needs
and expectations, and embed customer-centric thinking,
the government must establish and maintain an active,
ongoing dialogue with customers.
The government’s customers are using social media
channels to talk about government services, share
experiences (good and bad) and discuss issues that
relate to the government. This activity occurs whether
the government provides the platform for this activity or
not, and whether the government participates or not.
Consequently, agencies should monitor, listen and
participate in these online conversations and learn from
what they hear and see.
Implications for agencies
Agencies will need to identify relevant services
and information that they are not providing
online and transition them to the digital
channel, ensuring high-volume transactions are
prioritised. Performance measurements are to
be put into place from the outset, to quantify
and qualify success and monitor progress over
time.
Where customers are currently required to
engage with more than one agency (or units
within an agency) for a single service, the
relevant parts of government must work
together to ensure that the customer has only
a single interaction to utilise the service.
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Implications for agencies
Agencies must develop a communications
strategy and social media policy that align with
this Digital Strategy and other government-wide
policies. Agencies must use the website and
social media channels as a means of engaging
with customers, understanding their ongoing
needs and generating dialogue. They should
develop reporting and improvement regimes
that ensure lessons learnt from customers are
acted on.
Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
7. Provide an accessible and
secure online experience
The government’s digital channels are to be accessible
to all customers. Customers must also be confident in
the security and privacy of their interaction with the
government online.
Whether in an urban or regional setting, on the move or
at home, from a leading-edge smart device or an
internet kiosk, customers are to feel they can confidently
interact with the government online to conduct
business, contribute to civic life, be informed, learn and
engage with the government. Moreover, the
government’s digital channels are to comply with
international standards in online accessibility as
published by the World Wide Web Consortium.
Implications for agencies
Agencies are to ensure web pages and services
comply with the government’s web and
accessibility requirements and identity
management and information security standards.
Agencies must also ensure that an appropriate
risk management strategy is in place for all digital
channels.
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Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
Digital Maturity Goal Matrix
5 How we get there
The digital maturity goal matrix on the following pages
describes the typical characteristics that an agency
would exhibit in each of the five levels of digital
maturity. The characteristics are grouped according to
key success factors: governance and leadership; culture
and change; capacity; integration and infrastructure; and
innovation.
This section provides a range of tools for helping
agencies begin, or continue, their journey towards an
advanced, customer-centric approach to information
and service delivery.
The Digital Maturity Goal Matrix states the key
characteristics of the various levels of digital maturity.
Selecting channels and transactions establishes the
criteria and provides a tool for assisting agencies
prioritise services and transactions to digitise and deliver
online.
The Action Plan for Agencies indicates what actions
agencies should take in the first 18 months following the
approval of this Digital Strategy (Stage 1). It also alludes
to the following 18 months (Stage 2), but it does not yet
set out the goals and actions for that period,
acknowledging that the digital environment will change
over the first 18 months. The major review at the end of
Stage 1 will include researching and determining the
goals and actions for the following 18 months (Stage 2).
Across the government there is currently digital channel
activity at almost all levels of maturity. All agencies are
to achieve, at a minimum, digital maturity level 3 across
all five maturity characteristics of the matrix within 18
months of the approval of this strategy. Agencies are
encouraged to move to level 4 and 5 maturity ahead of
the timeframe stated in this Strategy.
This matrix is a useful self-assessment tool for agencies
to understand their current level of digital maturity
across all five maturity characteristics. It also helps
agencies to understand the nature of the digital maturity
that they should be striving to achieve.
How to use these tools
A step-by-step approach to understanding and
acting on this strategy:
Step 1: Discuss internally the vision and seven
foundation principles and the rationale driving
this Digital Strategy and understand what they
mean for your agency.
Step 2: Refer to the Digital Maturity Goal
Matrix and plot your agency’s current digital
maturity status.
Step 3: Determine what activities you need to
undertake to achieve digital maturity Level 3 as
a minimum.
Step 4: Use the Action Plan for Agencies to
plan the roll-out of your activities over the next
18 months.
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Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
Digital Maturity Goal Matrix
INNOVATION
INTEGRATION &
INFRASTRUCTURE
CAPACITY
CULTURE AND CHANGE
GOVERNANCE AND
LEADERSHIP
Transforming >>> First 18 months – All agencies to reach Level 3
Level 1
Low or non-existent
Level 2
Informal and reactive
Level 3
Strategic
Website exists but there is
no agency digital strategy;
ad hoc projects initiated by
small internal groups or
individuals; digital value
proposition not developed;
and digital opportunities are
not understood.
Small online projects; emerging
value proposition and knowledge of
opportunities; exploring impact of
innovation and emerging
technologies on business; one-off
online partnerships with other
agencies; and minor social media
presence.
Digital strategy in place; well-defined
value proposition understood and
enabled; established strategic
partnerships with other agencies;
focused on audiences and technology;
constant social media presence; and
direct engagement with, and learning
from, customers.
Bottom up culture; no or
little awareness of digital
strategy; little orientation to
digital; averse to change;
and agency-centric
engagement with customers
Small digital team emerging; some
cross organisation awareness of
digital strategy; limited ownership;
risk-aversion inhibiting change; some
social media engagement; change
management strategy developing;
and starting to break down internal
and external silos.
Endorsed digital strategy; defined
digital resources and budget; crossorganisation awareness; internal
digital community developed; change
management strategy implemented
and working; major internal silos
removed; and collaborating with other
agencies to meet customers’ needs.
No defined digital processes
or process ownership;
potential digital productivity
savings not understood or
documented; and none or
few digital policies or
procedures.
Basic digital processes developed;
move towards defining digital
capabilities; awareness of digital
channel benefits; risks and
challenges not wholly identified; and
limited risk mitigation strategies.
Web and social media policies and
procedures in place; clear ownership
of digital processes; potential
productivity gains identified and
challenges/risks identified; and staff
training regime helping to improve
online presence.
No or very low dedicated IT
commitment to the digital
channel; no defined IT
strategy; no integration of
the website with business
processes or systems; and
no integration with comms
strategy.
Basic IT support; fragmented IT
strategy; focus is on exploring IT
solutions for the agency, not the
customers’ needs; and some
integration of the digital channels
with business processes, systems
and comms strategy.
IT strategy and systems aligned to
needs of both customers and agencies;
integration of the digital channels with
business processes and online
transactions; focus on digital channel
delivery and cost efficiency; and
greater integration across multiple
platforms and responsive design
implemented.
No attempt to digitise
business processes or
consider new ways of
providing information and
service.
Digitisation of business processes
that are easy and cost-effective to
deliver online; digital assets are
static and non-customised (e.g.
brochure websites); and some new
information and services considered
for digitisation.
More advanced view of changing offline business practices to fully digital
services; new information and services
created for online delivery; and digital
channels used to engage with and
understand customers.
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Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
Digital Maturity Goal Matrix
INNOVATION
INTEGRATION &
INFRASTRUCTURE
CAPACITY
CULTURE AND
CHANGE
GOVERNANCE AND
LEADERSHIP
Transformed >>> Next 18 months
Level 4
Customer driven
Level 5
World class
Well-defined value proposition; strategy integrated
into agency planning process; clear goals, impact
and contribution to the business fully understood;
seamless customer experience across all channels
and agencies; strategic collaboration with other
agencies; and highly defined opportunities and
understanding of target audiences.
Digital is embedded and championed within the
corporate strategy as a highly valued component,
that should be continually optimised and extended;
cross agency integration and wholly aligned with
corporate vision; considers all relevant drivers,
markets, technologies and partners; and all seven
principles of the government’s Digital Strategy
embraced and acted upon.
Digital strategy driving changes with independent
budget; centres of digital excellence defined; strong
culture of innovation adopted; best practices
integrated into processes; and agency integration
and online collaboration.
Digital culture embedded into overall corporate
culture and continuously improved and refined;
open and transparent feedback encouraged and
applied; ideas and digital innovation culture; and
high level online collaboration tools used constantly.
Digital policies and procedures in place for all online
activity; full integration into agency plans and
business review cycle; focus on meeting needs of
customers through well-defined customer
relationship management solutions; and
accountabilities are clear and understood.
Digital policies, procedures and digital activities are
the core of everyday business activity; policies and
procedures are constantly reviewed and optimised;
user feedback is constantly sought and acted on;
and resources and budgets are focussed on the
supporting and improving the digital channel.
Responsive and customised digital assets; proactive
input into digitisation projects; defined IT project
management system and performance
measurement optimised for end user; and there is
use of advanced digital tools and social media.
IT performance and strategy is wholly embedded
into corporate strategy; IT constantly optimises the
benefits of digital service delivery; ongoing feedback
and optimisation of IT processes and digital tools
encouraged and applied; and business processes
and systems driven by the digital channels and
customers’ needs.
Advanced transition of off-line business practices to
fully digital; all new information and services
provided online; and social media used to explore
new business models.
Digital team seeks ways to use digital technologies
to vastly improve productivity and redefine how to
do business with customers; and new online services
encouraged and resourced.
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Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
Channel selection principles
The foundation principles of this Digital Strategy place
the digital channel as the primary channel for delivery of
government information and services. Agencies who
6
have justified the use of traditional channels (e.g.
telephone, mail, in person) to deliver a service in
preference to the digital channel will need to be certain
that the channel selection:
1.
2.
3.
meets customers’ expectations and needs;
does not disadvantage customers; and
offers the most convenient and cost-effective
method of delivering the service for customers and
the government.
This kind of assessment will provide general guidance on
which transactions should be offered online, but it will
not inform the agency as to the order in which those
transactions should be developed. Therefore, a further
step remains to prioritise the online delivery of those
transactions. Some agencies may wish to use a matrix
approach similar to that shown below.
Agencies are also to ensure that the digital channel
supports and supplements the delivery of information
and services through traditional channels.
Prioritising high-volume
transactions which should be
offered online
Many government agencies already offer customers the
choice of transacting with them online. This Digital
Strategy builds on those efforts and asks that agencies
commit to transitioning all suitable transactions to the
digital channel.
In determining the suitability of transactions for delivery
online, the general principles of prioritising transactions
for transition to online delivery will apply. These include
an assessment of those prospective transactions with
regard to:
user demand and frequency of the transaction;
how easily the transaction can be moved online,
e.g. technical difficulty, business processes,
legislative considerations;
how quickly it can be moved online, e.g. the
agency’s digital readiness and capacity, the need to
re-purpose content and update databases;
how cheaply it can be moved online;
the resources and capacity required to move the
transaction to the digital channel and whether the
department or agency can meet the requirements;
and
the overall value proposition.
Here, agencies make an assessment as to the frequency
and readiness of the prospective transaction, where
frequency relates to the volume of transactions and
readiness relates to the ease, cost, time and resources
associated with delivering it online. The level of
granularity in the rating of frequency and readiness may
be determined by the relevant agency; in this example a
transaction is rated on a score of one to four. In the
above example, Transaction B has been rated highly on
both measures and consequently should be prioritised
over Transaction A, which has an average frequency and
low readiness rating.
It should be noted that while a transaction may be rated
outside of the top right quadrant this does not mean
that the transaction should not be developed as an
online offering. Whilst that particular transaction may be
reprioritised in the short term and other transactions
preferred for online delivery, at some point the agency is
to return and develop the transaction for online delivery.
6
See foundation principle - engage customers through the
digital channel first
Page 15 of 19
Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
Action plan for agencies
The plan below illustrates the implementation timeline for the Strategy, highlighting the activities that should be completed in the first 18 months following the approval of the
Strategy. The plan also indicates that a major review at the 18 month point will determine the appropriate activities for the following 18 months.
STAGE ONE – Transforming
6 months
• Develop your digital strategy in
alignment with this Digital
Strategy
• Secure endorsement by
Executive
• Establish your digital team with
adequate resources and budget
• Determine your KPIs - consistent
with this strategy
Victorian
Government
Digital
Strategy is
approved.
• Develop a change
management strategy
12 months
• Implement the new strategies,
policies and procedures
• Ensure that the management,
design, content and features of
your digital channels conform
with this Digital Strategy
• Prioritise high-volume
transactions for digitisation
STAGE TWO - Transformed
18 months
• Maintain the new digital channels
• Implement monitoring and reporting
regimes for your KPIs and report every six
months leading to the major review
• Review your progress against your KPIs –
e.g. the Digital Maturity Goal Matrix and
the seven foundation principles of this
Strategy
• Implement the change management strategy
• Monitor progress of the strategy and report every six months leading to the major review
• Research customers’ needs
• Ensure that your comms strategy and
digital strategy are aligned
• Review your internal business processes
and online services to find productivity
gains
• Review IT systems and solutions,
security, privacy and authentication
• Develop customer-centric digital services and content and
collaborate as required with other agencies
• Develop new services and launch online transactions
• Two -way dialogue with customers is actively sought and acted on
• Breaking down silos within your agency and with other
agencies
• Existing business processes and models are challenged
• Innovation in communicating with customers is encouraged and explored
• Keep a watching brief on new digital technologies that may impact on your
strategy
Six-monthly
reviews
Six-monthly
reviews
Page 16 of 19
Next 18 months
Major
Review
Major
Review
Stage Two goals and actions are not
defined in acknowledgment of the
reality that the digital environment will
change in unpredictable ways over
the first 18 months.
The major review will research and
determine the goals and actions for
Stage Two in the light of the
contemporary digital landscape.
Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
6 Critical success factors
Achieving the vision outlined by this Digital Strategy will
require a managed, proactive approach from all
agencies, both within their own environments and in
collaborating with each other. There are several distinct
success factors requiring particular focus.
Success in this regard would result in an environment
where:
there is an appropriately skilled digital leader and
digital team mandated to execute and sustain their
agency’s digital strategy;
an agency digital strategy has been developed
which is aligned to the Victorian Government ICT
Strategy and this Digital Strategy and endorsed by
the relevant executive(s);
digital policies and procedures are in place
addressing websites, social media and mobile
applications;
Governance and management
Governance, leadership and sound management of the
digital strategy are essential to its success. This requires
approval of this Strategy by the government and the
creation of a centralised team under the direction of the
Office of the Chief Technology Advocate (CTA), with
acknowledged responsibility for driving and
implementing the Strategy across all government
agencies.
The digital team is to be staffed by well-credentialed and
experienced individuals. They may be current
government staff or external to government or some
combination of both. The role of the digital delivery
team would include:
managing the implementation and ongoing review
of this Digital Strategy;
establishing and managing website, social media
and mobile application standards;
promoting the Digital Strategy within government
and securing cross-government buy-in;
helping agencies to collaborate;
support agencies in their digital maturity journey
with tools, resources and professional development
opportunities; and
assisting in identifying business processes and
transactions that should be digitised and helping to
coordinate their digital transition.
the digital team has sufficient staff with appropriate
skills and an ongoing training program; and
adequate resources and budget are allocated to
develop, implement, sustain and review the
agency’s digital strategy.
Culture and change
management
As agencies traverse different stages of digital maturity,
significant questions will arise for consideration: what is
the state of the service and management culture; what
information and services are offered and how; what are
the business processes and technical infrastructure
supporting those services; and what are the roles and
functions our people perform?
In the vast majority of circumstances, the responses to
these questions demonstrate that the primary challenge
for agencies is managing change. Consequently, each
agency should develop and implement an appropriate
change management strategy and action plan for the
realisation of this Strategy and their own digital
strategies.
Success in this regard will result in an environment
where:
Digital leadership
Digital leadership in agencies is vital to the success of the
Digital Strategy. The challenges are many and varied and
require leaders with exceptional communications skills,
peerless understanding of the customer, sound change
management methods, and a thorough knowledge of
their respective agency’s business processes and of
digital channels and technologies. Agency executives and
their supporting managers will need to endorse and fully
support this Strategy, and their agency’s digital strategy,
if it is to meet its goals.
each agency has an appropriate change
management strategy;
there is a top-down management commitment to
the digital channel;
staff embrace the Digital Strategy and the relevant
agency’s digital channel and assets;
there is an appropriate balance between risk-taking
and risk-aversion and an environment that supports
and encourages innovation; and
inter- and intra-agency divisions and boundaries are
broken down allowing co-development of
customer-centric, digital services and products.
Page 17 of 19
Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
Collaboration and consultation
Measuring success
The success of this Digital Strategy will depend heavily
on the quality and depth of collaboration and
consultation between agencies and with customers.
Whatever level of effort and expenditure may be
invested in increasing the digital maturity of agencies,
the end result will be poor if there is insufficient
engagement with customers.
The strategy
Whether agencies are working alone or together in
bringing a service online, or even centralising
information sources for customer convenience, early
and constant engagement and incorporation of internal
and external feedback will be crucial. Agencies will need
to work actively with and encourage feedback from each
other and customers alike. Moreover, when a service is
delivered, the conversation should continue and
appropriate monitoring of usage and activity
implemented and maintained.
In short, the Digital Strategy requires agencies to initiate
an open, well-managed process for the continual
consultation, collaboration, feedback and revision of
online services and information.
Innovative culture
For the government’s digital channels to be effective
agencies will need to support and encourage innovation
and vision. Executives, managers and staff within
agencies will need to continually identify and respond to
opportunities and challenges posed by the Digital Age.
Success in this regard would result in an environment
where:
staff explore new developments in the web, social
media and digital technologies to uncover ways in
which they can improve delivery of services to
customers;
The success of this Strategy should be assessed by the
degree to which customers feel that the seven
foundation principles accurately and fairly describe their
experience transacting with the government. If a
representative group of customers are able to attest
that the foundation principles are accurately reflected in
their transactions with government, the Strategy will
have achieved its objectives and the vision will have
been successfully implemented.
In addition, success may be measured by how many
agencies have met or exceeded digital maturity level
three, as described in the Digital Maturity Goal Matrix.
Within agencies
At the service level, success can only be measured by
having a full understanding of the position the relevant
agency is starting from. Consequently, agencies are to
baseline any services that will be transitioning to digital
channels before that transformation takes place. This
exercise should be as detailed as possible and include all
effort, costs and resources associated with the service,
as well as the turnaround times associated with the
service, e.g. the time to fulfil a transaction from end to
end.
Once a transformation of the service to a digital
channel(s) has taken place, agencies are to then
regularly measure and record the improvements that
have taken place over the traditional channels. This data
can then be used for further updates of this Strategy and
the agency’s strategy for the purposes of continual
improvement and as a historical representation of
improved service delivery over time.
existing business processes and models are
challenged and alternatives are sought in order to
improve productivity for customers and the agency;
and
innovation in communicating with customers is
encouraged and explored within the boundaries of
the Digital Strategy and government policies.
Page 18 of 19
Victorian Government Digital Strategy – customer-driven, digital first
Appendix
About this strategy
The authors of this Digital Strategy, KPMG Australia and
the Digital Government Branch of the Innovation,
Services, Small Business and Technology Division, met
with a representative range of Victorian Government
agencies (listed below) to understand and discuss what
they were doing online, what their challenges were and
where they saw the opportunities for using digital
channels to improve information and service delivery.
From these discussions the authors were able to discern
common themes, concerns, issues, strengths and
challenges with respect to digital channel management
across the Victorian Government. The authors also
gained valuable insights into what agencies hoped that
this Digital Strategy would address and mandate.
The authors would like to thank all participants that
contributed to this document, particularly the workshop
participants from the following agencies and agencies:
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of Environment & Primary Industries
Department of Health
Department of Human Services
Department of Justice
Department of State Development, Business and
Innovation
Department of Transport, Planning and Local
Infrastructure
State Revenue Office
VicRoads
Page 19 of 19