Implementation & Services

Identifying, designing and implementing services that benefit the Australian community.

Contents

Implementation and services is the craft of identifying, implementing and delivering services that meet real needs.

To deliver great services we must start by identifying the requirements and challenges the services are trying to solve and why.

How can we ensure delivery of good government services?

I see two key components of that delivery of good government services. Firstly, it is designing and setting up those services, making sure you've got co-design, engagement, and quite clearly understanding the user experience of having the user voice, human centred design at the centre of it, having your plans, your risks understood, and all your capabilities pre- prepared. Then there is the execution or the actual final implementation of those services. What is fundamental about that is the people have to have the skills, the abilities, and the right posture, and the right understanding, and the ability and the professional empathy to engage with customers in very different circumstances to bring all that preparation to bear to get the right outcome for Australians.

How do we design and deliver services to meet our customer’s needs?

It's important not to deliver a government service in isolation. The individual, the Australian that we're serving, is having a range of other services and a range of other actions happening to them. What we do is we run the risk of making the world confusing for them and making the burden they wear to try and engage with us excessive, so designing those services in such a way with reference to other government, federal or state or local and how they fit together, leveraging off what I call are the natural processes of society where people do normal things, enables us to get a good outcome in terms of design for the individual.

What is the relationship between policy and delivery?

The relationship between policy and delivery is pivotal to success. The policy officers understand how delivery translates on the ground and ensure that the policy architecture is appropriate, relevant, and gets the right outcome. Secondly for the delivery capability, to understand the policy intent on what we're trying to achieve. That combination, both a challenge and an opportunity.

Delivering great services means:

  • Following a service design and delivery process
  • Understanding user and stakeholder needs
  • Defining desired outcomes, measuring actual impact and adjusting accordingly
  • Exploring and prototyping multiple solutions, sharing ideas early and often
  • Understanding interactions between policy intent and delivery imperatives
  • Identifying risks and managing them
  • Working collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams – ideally from across government
  • Displaying commercial intelligence whenever commissioning services

Resources

Commonwealth Procurement Framework
When commissioning services, the Commonwealth Procurement Framework sets out the basic rules for all Commonwealth procurements and and the way entities undertake their own processes.
Commonwealth Risk Management Policy
The Policy's goal is to embed risk management as part of the culture of Commonwealth entities where the shared understanding of risk leads to well informed decision making.
Digital Service Standard
For designers of digital services, the Australian Government Digital Service Standard sets out the best-practice principles that are simple, clear and fast.
Modern ways of working
Digital Profession quick guides help you with basic concepts and ideas to integrate modern ways of working in your organisation.
Observatory of Public Sector Innovation Service Design toolkits
The Observatory of Public Sector Innovation at the OECD has curated a wide range of toolkits on service design for you to explore.
Regulator Performance Guide
The Australian Government released refreshed expectations for regulator performance and reporting that took effect from 1 July 2021.
Service Design and Delivery Process
The Digital Transformation Agency provides guidance on the Service design and delivery process to support agencies to meet the Digital Service Standard criteria.
ABS Census program delivery case study
The case study examines the approach taken for the 2021 Census and a number of ‘firsts’ achieved in its successful delivery.
Agile and user centred design process
Developed by the Digital Transformation Agency, this guide provides direction on how you can design and build a service taking an agile and user-centred approach.
APS Change Framework
The APS Change Framework is for anyone managing change across the Australian Public Service.
APS Data Professional video library
The APS Data Professional video library includes the series ‘In Conversation with Dr Gruen’ along with past Data Profession Technical Forums. Hear about the experiences and lessons learned by agencies and data professionals in the Australian Public Service (APS).
Checklist: Making defensible decisions
Use this checklist to review your decisions to ensure they are defensible. You can also use this if you are recommending a decision.
Contract Management Guide
Good contract management is an essential component in achieving value for money for Australian Government procurements. The Australian Government Contract Management Guide provides practical process guidance at a practitioner level for Commonwealth officials who manage contracts.
Craft Conversations - Implementation and Services
This video is recorded from the March APS Academy's Craft Conversations event for Implementation and Services Craft month in February 2022.
Craft Conversations – The Digital Regulator
Using data and digitisation for oversight and enforcement is increasingly part of the work of most regulators. This recorded panel discussion gives an overview for regulators who are not data specialists. Recorded in May 2022.
Data.gov.au
Data.gov.au is the central source of Australian open government data. Anyone can access the anonymised public datasets, publicly-funded research data and datasets from private institutions that are in the public interest.
IDEO Designing for Public Services toolkit
The toolkit is for policymakers and those who deliver public services. The tools and methods included allow users to get to the heart of the needs of citizens and civil servants.
Risk management resources
Comcover has produced a variety of risk management resources that provide information on risk, including examples of better practice risk management throughout the Commonwealth.
Service Mapping 101 Guide
A ‘how to’ guide to service mapping for system stewards, policy makers and service providers working to improve human services.
Sustainable Procurement Guide
Australia has the opportunity to make best use of our waste resources by recycling them to create new products. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water have created a Sustainable Procurement Guide to assist in this decision making.
Taskforce toolkit
The Australian Public Service Commission's Taskforce Toolkit provides a practical guide through every stage of the taskforce lifecycle, whether setting up, mid-operation or winding down.
User research
User research helps you learn about your users and create services to meet their needs. The Digital Transformation Agency provides a useful guidance on user research.
ANZSOG National Regulators Community of Practice
The National Regulators Community of Practice is an active network of public sector regulators from all 3 levels of government.
Change X-Change – Change Management Community of Practice
This professional community aims to deepen understanding of Change Management principles and approaches across the APS and provide opportunities for continued development.
Data and Digital Professions members' community
Join a community of data and digital professionals at all levels of government. Connect with your peers, access training and learn from community meetups.
ANAO Insights: Rapid Implementation of Australian Government Initiatives
This edition of audit insights outlines key messages from Auditor-General reports which have examined the rapid implementation of government initiatives.
Regulator performance – (RMG128)
The Department of Finance provides regulatory performance guidance to assist Commonwealth entities performing regulatory functions.

Courses

Achieving value for money
​This course builds on APS officials' knowledge of the Commonwealth Procurement Framework and Procurement Lifecycle by focusing on the core rule of the CPRs – to achieve value for money in procurement.
Change Management Foundation
The program focuses on developing APS Change Management capability to build the capacity for government to deliver well considered and well-planned change.
Change Management Practitioner Program
The Change Management Practitioner program is an online program offering extension learning to participants who have completed the Change Management Foundation Program.
Contract Management Basics
Contract Management Basics aims to provide APS employees with fundamental knowledge and skills essential for the management of a Commonwealth contract.
Dealing with Change
This is an intensive course exploring change at the personal and organisational level. Understand concepts of resilience and develop techniques to be adaptable and responsive. Share thoughts and ideas on dealing with change with others.
Developing Project Management Expertise
Understand the project management process and tools for implementation and evaluation. This includes project planning, resource identification, implementation, deliverables and milestones, risk assessment, stakeholder management and governance.
Embedding an Active Risk Culture: Part 1
This course highlights the importance of having a culture that actively engages with risk, what this looks like, and key considerations on how to overcome a culture of risk aversion within an entity.
Embedding an Active Risk Culture: Part 2
Builds on part 1. Understand assessing risk culture, the benefits of an active risk culture, and how to influence behaviour change from risk aversion to an entity that actively engages with risk.
Introduction to Risk in the Commonwealth
The course provides a foundation for understanding risk and its management in the Commonwealth. It introduces risk management principles and the Commonwealth Risk Management Policy.
Leading Successful Projects
This course outlines the knowledge, tools and techniques required to lead projects and teams at the executive level.
Managing Indemnity Risk
This course to help you better understand indemnities, and how to reduce likelihood and consequence of the risks that they present.
Organisational Resilience in a Crisis
This course discusses the importance of reflecting on the resilience of our organisations and learning from our response to the COVID-19 pandemic early on while the experience is fresh.
Practical Risk Management: More than just ticking boxes
This program aims to provide depth of knowledge to staff at all levels on how to effectively apply good risk management to everyday work.
Procurement and Contract Management Basics
Procurement and Contract Management Basics aims to provide APS employees with an introduction to Commonwealth procurement and fundamental knowledge and skills essential for contract management.
Procurement Basics
This course has been designed to build the procurement and contracting capabilities of employees as the Commonwealth seeks to deliver more strategic value for money outcomes when undertaking the purchase of goods and services.
Procurement Basics eLearning
​This course advances procurement capability across the APS; to deliver value for money outcomes from Commonwealth procurement activities; and ensure APS officials understand and acquit their obligations in line with Commonwealth procurement requirements.
Procurement for SES Delegates
​This course is a high-level overview of the procurement lifecycle and provides guidance to SES delegates on their role and responsibilities in each phase, from planning through to contract management.
Program: Commonwealth Procurement and Contract Management Training Suite
Provided by the Department of Finance, the procurement and contract management training suite assists in building capability across the Australian Public Service.
Regulatory Practice Essentials Program
The Regulatory Practice Essentials program builds foundational capability for officers performing a regulatory role regardless of classification level. The program supports best practice in regulation and focuses on an officer’s ability to exercise judgement and discretion in making defensible and systematic regulatory decisions.
Regulatory Professional Practice Support Program
The Regulatory Professional Practice Support Program has been designed to support regulatory practitioners to navigate immediate challenges and strengthen commonly required skills and capabilities.
Risk Appetite and Tolerance
Changes in our operating environment may impact risk appetite. Shares key considerations in understanding planning and managing your future and current activities in a changed environment.
Structuring Work
Essential techniques and tools to get work done effectively; avoiding methodologies, jargon and unnecessary steps. Practical activities relating to your work or case studies and exercises.

Programs, Scholarships and Secondments

The Excellence in Professional Regulation pilot program is building capability and supporting the professional development of Australian Government regulators.

Do you know of other APS resources which could be shared through toolkits to help build APS Craft awareness and capability?

Please contact the APS Academy via the Contact Us webform.

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