Operating context
The increasing digitisation of economies has highlighted the importance of digital transformation for government and how it can help improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and accessibility of government services.
Digital services are the face of modern government, and great digital services can build trust with citizens. Citizens and businesses now expect government information and services to be readily available online, easy to find, secure, accessible, inclusive, understandable, and available at low or no cost.
Ongoing cost of living pressures are increasing demand for the department’s services, as more people seek information, support and assistance.
Increasing productivity within government via shared services remains a strong focus for the department. Delivering modern shared services can enable greater efficiency, enhanced service delivery, and improved responsiveness to the needs of citizens, businesses and government agencies.
Key challenges and risks
Our operating context gives rise to challenges and strategic risks that must be managed effectively to achieve our objectives.
We adhere to the Victorian Government Risk Management Framework which requires all departments to have formal risk management processes. Our framework supports activities including the management of strategic and shared risks, engagement in state significant risk activities, risk mitigation plans and risk appetite initiatives.
Accelerating customer expectations and technology change
Leading product and services businesses succeed because they give their customers fast, frictionless service across every channel. They use data, analytics and insights to see where things break down, what customers value and what drives unnecessary cost. This helps them to fix pain points and streamline operations.
Advances in technology and generative AI are rapidly accelerating the effectiveness of customer insights and performance of products, systems and service channels leading to fewer surprises, faster responses, and better use of limited resources.
DGS must meet these rapidly evolving service expectations to ensure the continued adoption of services and digital technologies. This relies on new approaches that better aggregate government’s technology investment and simplify operating models so that government service delivery can keep pace with broader economic and technology developments.
Increasing complexity of reform also requires strong portfolio strategy, integrated project delivery, evaluation, performance reporting and governance. Using data, evidence and insights to shape policy, prioritise investment and measure outcomes is critical to ensuring that reforms deliver long-term benefits for Victorians.
Increasing cyber security threats
Global tensions, conflicts and the rapid evolution of technologies, such as artificial intelligence, have increased the complexity of the cyber threat landscape, creating impacts for privacy, digital resilience and cyber security.
The evolving nature of these cyber threats and several wide-spread IT and telecommunications outages have highlighted risks to the resilience of government services. DGS is leading collaboration with the Commonwealth and other jurisdictions to enhance our digital resilience.
DGS is also leading focused policy and operational responses, such as implementing secure technology to deliver high-quality digital services and mitigate the risk of service delivery disruptions or breaches of privacy, security or integrity.
Barriers to digital inclusion
The socio-economic challenges faced by the most vulnerable in our society can be magnified by the increasing use of digital service delivery.
We will identify and address common challenges and inhibitors to service access such as insufficient telecommunications access and resilience, or digital skills gaps. This will ensure government services are accessible to all Victorians.
Increasing concurrent emergency response
DGS has emergency management responsibilities under the State Emergency Management Plan, including as the Control Agency for cyber security emergencies, and the Lead Response Support Agency for public telecommunications, local government, and consumer affairs.
Emergency events, whether caused by a natural disaster or another event, are becoming more frequent and increasingly complex, and require resourcing from across the department. There is a risk that multiple different emergency events occur at the same time.
To mitigate this risk, the department works with sector partners and industry to strengthen preparedness for emergencies and improve coordination during response and recovery. This includes monitoring emerging risks, supporting the department’s resource prioritisation and allocation, and maintaining arrangements that enable the department to scale during periods of heightened emergency activity.
Organisational capability
As DGS’ operating model, technology landscape, policy environment and customer needs continue to evolve, ongoing organisational development is essential to build the capabilities required to deliver strategic objectives and meet legislative, regulatory and policy obligations.
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