KPMG partnered with the Public Sector Network to support the National Local Government Transformation series, focusing on whole-of-council digital transformation.
The series of in-person events included key senior public sector professionals from various local government organisations. Live polling was conducted at each event and the focus of the discussion was on generating ideas and sharing insights on driving digital transformation.
Top 3 priorities for local government on their modernisation journey
Culture and readiness
Developing capable and confident capability in local government to lead and to operate in a contemporary and complex environment
Delivering on the digital promise
Enhancing how citizen and business interact with councils in a modern, digital way
Addressing the data challenge
Sharing data remains a significant challenge culturally and operationally
* Percentage of respondents
Key takeaways
Focusing on the benefits of digital transformation
The 'why' provides a strong key driver for the organisation and all individuals involved. Frictionless processes and systems create an effective workplace that allows for customer centric service delivery.
Digital transformation requires cultural transformation
An organisations' culture defines the behaviours that are rewarded and discouraged. A successful technology transformation requires a mindset change, one that puts customers at the centre and supports employees to embrace the new ways of working.
Modernisation as a platform for transformation
To build agility and flexibility into an organisation, it first needs a strong foundation. Having a clear digital strategy, alignment with the organisation's purpose and values, a strong customer service focus and a highly detailed roadmap towards building an integrated system environment are core areas to drive focus and investment.
There's such strong appetite for digital acceleration and being data focused. However, innovation and technological transformation require cultural transformation to succeed. For many councils, their ability to move forward is also restricted as the key building blocks are not in place – which means they'll need to address their legacy systems and unsupported platforms, and better align the organisational model of council with its strategic priorities.
Communicating the purpose of modernisation
To ensure the success of the modernisation journey, teams must be aligned with the transformation strategy through clear priorities, goals and cascading KPIs. Improving an organisation’s culture and capability is easier when the individuals involved can see a direct connection between the transformation strategy and the organisational purpose and values.
During periods of significant change and uncertainty, strong leadership is needed. Having shared purpose and values are the key to continuously driving the changes for success.
Next step – cyber security is a priority
Only 4% of respondents indicated that cyber security was a priority. This demonstrates a need for further education in this area. As councils move to a more advanced digital delivery model, cyber security becomes a key enabler that cannot be forgotten. Cyber security best practice should be considered as part of the transformation process.
