The research is in. All 537 local government authorities (LGAs) in Australia are either considering a digital transformation or are already on the journey.
Accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, digital transformation has been underway in local government for some time. More and more community members want to interact with government on their mobiles, tablets or desktop computers rather than in-person or over the phone.
“In the wake of the sudden digital acceleration prompted by the pandemic, customer expectations and community demand also evolved to be digital-first. Now that digital services are becoming the norm, councils are looking to capitalise on the momentum and digitise even more of their operations,” – Jonathan Throssell, president of Local Government Professionals Australia (LGPA)
Well-planned systems integration is the only way
A challenge for local government digital transformation is the breadth and variety of services that councils deliver.
Jodie Rugless has been a senior consultant with 9Yards for 4 years and has worked with a number of local councils to develop strategies and manage the change that comes with digital transformation.
“For the community, you want service delivery to be a seamless experience. The other side of the equation is about efficiencies and cost. There are usually multiple different systems in place. Each service might be using its own systems, data and technology.”
There’s a cliché that council services are simply ‘roads rates and rubbish’. The reality is much more complex. Along with rates and fee collection, local government is also involved with asset management and a broad range of services that can include community events, community centres, libraries, sports centres and more. Even in smaller councils, the diversity of services is so broad that there’s no centralised solution that supports them all.
Jodie is clear that with all this complexity, councils will only see successful digital transformation with well-designed integration architecture.
Five steps to a well-executed digital transformation
Achieving successful digital transformation in local government requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. Here are some recommendations to address the challenges and increase the likelihood of success:
1. Skilled leadership
The Digital Transformation Index report found that councils see the value of skilled leadership in digital transformation. Ten percent of respondents already employ a dedicated director or manager for their digital transformation, and the report’s authors expect that number to increase. Skilled leadership will understand the aims of digital transformation in the context of their council and will provide an effective interface between councillors, staff, technology providers and consultants.
2. A comprehensive digital transformation strategy and roadmap
Ensure you have a well-defined digital transformation strategy and roadmap underpinned by a holistic enterprise architecture. This will enable alignment with your council’s business needs, and will future-proof the organisation’s technology ecosystem. At its core, the strategy will identify the current state and future state of Council digital and operational services as well as the pathway to transform.
3. Engage stakeholders
Involve stakeholders early, including council staff, community members and businesses. Ensure that their perspectives and needs are considered in the planning and implementation phases. Digital transformation brings change and not all of it will be welcome.
4. Build digital skills in your team
Digital transformation will change the way your council operates, at many levels. Build digital skills in existing staff and when recruiting new team members, make sure the relevant digital skills are included in position descriptions and job advertisements. Digital transformation will benefit ratepayers, community and visitors to your local government area, and the professional development opportunities it brings can also benefit staff.
5. Work with experts
The complexity of digital transformation in local government may be daunting, but seeking expert help during the strategic planning phase is a great way to set yourself up for success. For best results, engage digital transformation consultants who are experienced in local government, have deep understanding of the legislative and regulatory environment, and are also technology agnostic. This will ensure your digital transformation has the right tech, systems and processes in place for your council and its stakeholders.
Best in class?
The Digital Transformation Index report identifies the qualities that make an LGA ‘best in class’ when it comes to digital transformation. The report also identifies that 82% of councils are not there yet.
“A best-in-class council is one that has an effective digital transformation strategy and roadmap – and not merely for the implementation phase but on an ongoing basis to accommodate the evolution of the council’s digital offering.” – Digital Transformation Index report
If you’re in local government and keen to make sure your council is on a best-in-class digital transformation trajectory, 9Yards local government digital transformation consultants are ready for an initial chat about how we can help.
