Episode 50: Transforming Municipal Services Delivery with Devonport City Council

Jeffrey Griffith11/24/2021

Devonport, a city in Tasmania, Australia, is not only a beautiful place to live, but it's also become a leader in digital transformation. In this episode of #shifthappens, Jeffrey Griffith, the General Manager of Devonport City Council, shares insights into how the council has been able to embrace digital transformation to improve citizen services.

Creating a Digital Transformation Strategy

To start digital transformation, it's important to have a strategy that outlines the goals, vision, and objectives. Griffith notes that their strategy was developed by considering the current pain points and challenges faced by the council and the community. The council wanted to create an environment that was customer-centric, where they could deliver better services and improve their processes.

The Importance of Upskilling Employees

The implementation of new digital technologies requires training and upskilling employees. Griffith mentions that this process can be challenging, but it's necessary to ensure that the employees can work efficiently and effectively. They also created a culture of continuous learning, where they encouraged the employees to learn and improve their skills.

Building Alliances with Other Organizations

Griffith emphasizes the importance of building alliances with other organizations, as it can help the council gain access to more resources and expertise. For example, they partnered with Google to create a digital skills training program for the community. They also partnered with other councils to share knowledge and best practices.

Encouraging Employee Collaboration

Digital transformation should not only be focused on technology, but it should also involve creating a collaborative environment. Griffith notes that by providing the employees with the right tools and training, they can work together and achieve more. The council also implemented agile methodologies to improve their teamwork and project management.

Simplify with Cloud and Mobile

To improve citizen services, the council implemented a chatbot on their website, which has been an enormous success. Griffith notes that by moving their systems to the cloud, it has allowed employees to work from anywhere, anytime, and improve collaboration. He also emphasizes the importance of simplifying the council's processes and making service delivery more frictionless for the community.

Devonport's digital transformation journey is a great example of how a city can use technology to improve citizen services. It's clear that the council's approach was focused on putting the community at the center of their efforts. By understanding the pain points and challenges, they created a strategy focused on delivering better services and improving processes.

It's also clear that upskilling employees and creating a culture of continuous learning was critical to their success. The council understood that digital transformation is not just about technology, but it's also about creating a collaborative environment where employees can work together and achieve more.

Finally, the council's focus on simplifying processes and making service delivery more frictionless for the community is a great lesson for other cities. By embracing the cloud, the council was able to improve mobility, collaboration, and service delivery. This is an important lesson for other cities that want to improve their citizen services and create a better future for their communities.

In conclusion, Devonport's success in digital transformation is a notable example of what can be achieved when a city puts the community at the center of its efforts.