Delivering Australian Government Services: Access and Distribution Strategy
Introduction
Australian citizens expect government information and services to be delivered seamlessly and through multiple channels. Citizens are not concerned about which agencies or levels of government deliver the services they require; they increasingly expect coordinated responses that they can access in any way they choose. There are three stages of evolution towards a networked or integrated service delivery:
Stage 1 – represents silo-based approaches, where customers, information, access, distribution and governance models are owned and controlled by a single agency. Service improvements or collaborations generally arise opportunistically through agency initiatives.
Stage 2 – is evidenced by ad hoc collaboration between agencies and some sharing of infrastructure. Although information and capability is still agency-based, variable governance arrangements and inconsistent customer experience exist.
Stage 3 – reflects a service delivery network and a whole of government service delivery environment based on the premise of ‘standardise’ not ‘centralise’. Culture change, involving innovative planning and a collaborative approach to the stewardship of information, infrastructure and business processes, leads to seamless multichannel, multi-agency customer-centric (networked) service delivery. Agencies are currently at differing levels of service delivery evolution.
Meeting public expectation challenges agencies to consider the array of possibilities for interconnections both within and between agencies. To realise these possibilities, agencies need to rethink traditional service delivery approaches, organizational structures and existing business process and information management practices.
The aim of the Access and Distribution Strategy (‘The Strategy’)
The Strategy promotes multi-agency, multi-channel ‘networked’ service delivery, where appropriate. The Strategy focuses on strategic thinking and systematic investment in building whole of government networked capability. Australian Government services will progressively be delivered seamlessly and efficiently to meet the needs and preferences of Australian citizens, within the defined policy objectives of government.
What does The Strategy include?
The Strategy provides an Australian Government Service Delivery Framework, which offers a high-level roadmap for service reform and integration initiatives.
The Strategy addresses key areas of the Framework in more detail, and references to tools and resources, developed in partnership with other agencies, to fast-track transition to the service delivery environment promoted in the Strategy. These areas are shaded in the Framework and include:
- The Australian Government Service Delivery Principles – a set of standards for the design, development, deployment and evaluation of government service delivery
- Distribution and access models – a conceptual overview of models for planning and delivering government services utilising community and business delivery mechanisms where appropriate
- The Service Delivery Capability Model – a guide (released with this Strategy) for mapping an agency’s capability to deliver multi-agency, multi-channel and customer-centric services
- The Australian Government Interoperability Framework – consisting of chapters on business process, information and technical interoperability, and highlighting the standards and protocols for greater connectivity across these domains
- Managing Multiple Channels – a guide (released with this Strategy) for the strategic assessment and development of service delivery channels (web, shop-front, telephone etc.)
The final section of the Strategy is a listing of other tools, case studies and frameworks that support service delivery.
What will success look like?
For customers
- Increasing number and diversity of multi-channel, multi-agency services
- Reduced complexity in navigating service pathways
- Increasing satisfaction with the service continuum
For agencies
- Increasingly sophisticated methods and tools to promote multiagency, multi-channel service delivery
- Identified critical success factors as a result of evaluation of projects promoting innovative business models and multi-channel service delivery
- Demonstrated return on investment from increased collaboration and reduction in end-to-end service delivery costs
- Recognised requirements and resources to address key barriers and legislative/policy gaps relating to multi-channel service delivery
For government
- Policy proposals designed and developed with a whole of government multi-agency, multi-channel focus
- Increased investment in interoperable, rather than agency-specific, approaches and programs
- Recognised relevant achievements, work in progress and opportunities to promote innovative delivery of government services across the Australian Government
- Iterative strategy development
Contact for information on this page: nsip@finance.gov.au