Digital on Toast: So, what is digital really?

Have you heard all this talk about digital? Digital capability, digital literacy, digital platforms, …the list goes on. It sounds good, but what does it really mean and why is it so important for the way government delivers its work?

Welcome to Digital on toast – quick little titbits about all things digital in Queensland Government.

Have you heard all this talk about digital? Digital capability, digital literacy, digital platforms, …the list goes on. It sounds good, but what does it really mean and why is it so important for the way government delivers its work?

Government needs to evolve, change how we learn, deliver services and connect with people. Digital is more than technology its the broader environment that we that we work in, the culture and mind set, and the way we do things as well as the mode in which we deliver.

So, when we talk about digital transformation it's basically the process of using technologies to create new – or enable existing – business processes, services and customer experiences to meet changing needs in an online environment.

Whether you work in education, health, policy, corporate services or any agency across the Queensland public service, digital transformation is reinventing the government service programs and policy by redesigning what we do with citizens at the centre. It also means we deliver these things in a transparent way, online, so people can access them anywhere, anytime.

Think how you would effortlessly whip out your smartphone to do some banking or check social media? We want customers to feel the same way when they access government services online. And the good news is that there's a large part of government already working in these ways.

Benefits of digital?

• Faster and more regular development of new products and services
• A more creative and innovative culture
• Increased flexibility and adaptability
• Better decision-making resulting from data, analytics and customer insights.

Here's four practical tips you can apply today

Consider your customers' needs at a deeper level by incorporating a Human Centred design approach in your planning the delivery of digital services, programs or projects. Human-centred design is an approach to problem-solving that places the needs of people at the centre of the process.

Unlock the power of digital disruption by being open to re-examine how your business is conducted. Are you keep up with your customers' expectations? Are you using digital technologies to disrupt the way you deliver services for your customers?

Ask, are you using an agile approach? Agile is all about creating high-performing teams. For example, if an agency is trying to replace a slow legacy system for a more fast-paced digital solution an agile approach could help to keep multiple teams on time, on track, informed and collaborating in a joined up way.

Adopt a digital mindset, this is all about cultural shifts, being open to change and innovation are important elements of successful digital transformation. For many people, being digital is second nature.

Want to know more?

Why not check out what a digital government looks like in this TED talk we liked.

Digital on toast is brought to you by the Queensland Government Customer and Digital Group, Department of Housing and Public Works