Step 0: Identify investment

A digital investment proposal is prioritised internally by an agency, and the agency’s digital investment roadmap is updated and submitted to the Department of Customer Services, Open Data, and Small and Family Business (CDSB) for consultation. The CDSB performs an initial assessment of the proposal and provides digital investment advice back to the agency.

This step ensures the proposal adheres to the digital investment principles and aligns to digital strategic priorities (where possible) and policies.

The CDSB also reviews the investment considering other investment proposals across the whole‑of‑government pipeline and initiatives currently being implemented, and facilitates cross agency collaboration and productivity, reducing duplication.

Agencies will follow their internal planning processes to identify digital investment proposals to address their service needs. The proposal is an internal agency document/record which identifies future service need based on clearly defined problems and/or opportunities.

If a proposal is internally prioritised within the agency, the proposal is added to the agency’s digital investment roadmap (refer to digital investments roadmap) with information fields updated as additional information becomes available. These updates are to be provided in line with the regular monthly reporting cycle and as agreed between the agency, Digital Economy Leadership Sub Group (DELSG) and CDSB.

The proposal should be registered with CDSB once established as a project.

The CDSB will provide digital investment advice back to the agency which could include recommendations on how the proposal could be strengthened, opportunities for the reuse of digital and IT solutions and platforms, or guidance to ensure agencies align achieving service needs with the strategic direction set by government.

The CDSB will present the consolidated digital investment roadmap annually and any updates for new investment proposals at the monthly DELSG meetings.