Digital transformation requires seeing old problems and processes through new eyes, and it’s as much about organizational culture as it is about technology.
The book Delivering on Digital: The Innovators and Technologies that are Transforming Government, by William D. Eggers, explores how a new generation of digital innovators are using tools such as cloud computing, mobile devices, and analytics to reform and modernize long-standing processes in government. Just released by Deloitte University Press, the book also illustrates how these digital innovators are overcoming barriers such as legacy systems, silos, embedded cultural norms, procurement limitations, workforce deficits, limited funding, competing priorities, and cyber security risks.
Unlocking a digital way of thinking to embrace new tools, disrupt outdated legacy processes, and create a shared vision for citizen-focused government services is essential to any jurisdiction’s ability to function efficiently and compete in a modern global economy. Delivering on Digital explores the traits and characteristics of a digital mindset; how to “hack” embedded processes such as hiring, training, project delivery, procurement and security; and the imperative to imagine a new future for government services and programs. The book examines the journey to digital transformation in three parts:
- The Digital Way of Thinking, an exploration of the vast difference between traditional government practice and the “digital way”
- Hacking Bureaucracy, an analysis of the established processes within today’s government that must be reformed and redesigned to achieve digital transformation
- Digital Redesign, a call to action for readers and leaders to reimagine government in the Digital Age and consider the use of digital technologies to achieve mission success
You can also read multiple case studies on governments that successfully reduced costs and expanded their capabilities and efficiencies with the power of digital transformation, including:
- San Francisco’s public transit system. This transportation agency transitioned away from paper bus transfers to an RFID card and adjusted bus routes by assessing average commute times, passenger density, and popular travel hours by neighborhood.
- The state of Utah. The government digitized more than 1,100 state services, saving an average of $13 per transaction or about $500 million per year.
- Estonia. In one of the world’s most digitized governments, citizens can file taxes or register a new company online in minutes, and every citizen and business has a unique online identity –they never have to fill out the same information twice for the government.
- New South Wales, Australia. The state is redesigning its child welfare system by focusing on the user experience of the caseworker with ChildStory, a system that allows caseworkers to swiftly and easily track a child’s relationships and support networks.
- Barcelona, Spain. The city equipped lampposts with fiber-optic cables and Wi-Fi that double as telecommunications towers capable of monitoring crowds, noise, weather, and traffic.
Organizations must orient themselves in the landscape of digital transformation and set a plan for their journey. But getting from here to there is not just about technology. It requires a mindset that puts customers and users before organizational interests, turns human-centered design into a core competency, and improves the way governments serve their citizens. Embracing this change is critical for government leaders. The consequences of being left behind in the digital revolution are much too high.
Delivering on Digital is available from Rosetta Books and Deloitte University Press here.