Digitalisation of the public sector: Who is doing it well and why?

In our new paper, co-authored by Microsoft and Linklaters, “Building Blocks for a Successful Digital Transformation Strategy”, we share our perspectives on best practice procurement and policy approaches for the digitalisation of the public sector.

Microsoft’s, Andrew Cooke and Olivia Neal, together with Linklaters’ Ashleigh Sinclair, provide a snapshot of this paper on Microsoft’s Public Sector Future Podcast. Listen to the episode: Public Sector Future Podcast | Episode 41: Building blocks for digital transformation (microsoft.com).

Based on the combined global experience of Microsoft and Linklaters and the extensive research undertaken, the paper details eight building blocks which we have found to be pivotal to a successful digitalisation journey, being:

1. A national cloud strategy and cloud first policy
2. A data classification framework fit for the digital age
3. Adoption and implementation of a digital identity solution
4. A centralised procurement function
5. Use of government framework agreements
6. Flexible and adaptive finance rules
7. A collaborative approach amongst stakeholders
8. A digital culture and technology skilling agenda.

For each of these building blocks we have identified their core components, the key challenges each seeks to address, and how certain countries around the world have implemented these building blocks in practice. Importantly, these building blocks are linked; the implementation of one contributes to the implementation and success of others.

The paper also includes more detailed case studies of the digital transformation journeys of Australia, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Read the full paper: Building Blocks for a Successful Digital Transformation Strategy