Digital transformation for the People
Editor’s note: Bill Walker is MPP for Bruce — Grey — Owen Sound and the Minister of Government and Consumer Services. In his role as Minister, he is also in charge of the Ontario Digital Service. This is a guest blog post from him.
Each morning when I enter my office, and sit down at my desk, I look at two phrases that remind me of why I’m here, and what my focus should be. One was given to me by Premier Doug Ford after he appointed me Minister of Government and Consumer Services — it’s a name plate that reads “For the People.” The other is a pin, given to me by Hillary Hartley, Ontario’s Chief Digital Officer and Deputy Minister of Consumer Services — it says “Users first.”
These words remind me that the focus of government should always be on the people — not focused on the needs of special interests. They also remind me that the tools that government uses need to be designed and built around the ways that Ontarians will interact with them — programs and services need to be intuitive, effective, and, most importantly, useful.
In my role as Minister, I am focused on making government work better for the people and protecting people. Central to this is digitizing government, so that users can get the services they need more quickly and easily. The team at the Ontario Digital Service is working hard to create accessible and innovative online products and services for the People of Ontario. I am excited to share the work that we’re doing in Ontario to put people at the centre of government programs and services.
Since becoming Minister, I’ve had the opportunity to meet, and visit with, the teams at the Ontario Digital Service, Open Government and ServiceOntario. We have a lot of talent on the front lines of government, and these teams are leading the way when it comes to delivering more efficient, effective services for people and businesses.
Across government, we deliver many vital programs and services that the people of Ontario, and the public service, use every day. Whether you need a birth certificate, a health card or a business registration, Ontario.ca is often the first place people start their interactions with the government. It’s our job to ensure that those interactions are as simple, smooth and seamless as possible. Like the private sector, government needs to respond to people’s expectations, and deliver services as efficiently as possible.
A modern, more sustainable government
That’s why our government is focused on transforming government to be more modern and sustainable in the digital world. Through the recent line-by-line review, we learned that a citizen-centred and digital-first mindset is a key part of the pathway to modernizing government.
That means a culture shift must take place.
To make this shift, we must digitize and introduce lean thinking.
My previous career at Bruce Power is where I first learned about lean thinking. I helped lead and facilitate lean delivery across the organization to create a more efficient way of doing business.
Lean delivery teaches you to view organizations — whether the organization is the government or a business — holistically. Instead of building silos of experts that never speak to one another, you are taught to integrate expertise, so that good and novel ideas can be developed. It teaches you to identify efficiencies such as removing waste and red tape throughout the supply chain, not just in specific areas. Ultimately, it can help you serve taxpayers or customers more efficiently and affordably without compromising quality of service.
We are also working on a people-centred, digital-first approach that will enable our government to deliver simpler, faster, better government for the People of Ontario. I’m looking forward to championing a digital-first mindset, so that we can build online services so good, people prefer to use them. This means continually improving services, so that the overall experience is better for you, whether you are an individual, a not-for-profit organization or own and operate a business. It’s time to fully embrace a digital-first mindset, in order to get government leading in a world where a growing number of the world’s most valuable companies are tech firms.
Unlocking the value of data, protecting privacy
Recent developments in data systems have led to nothing short of a technological revolution in the private sector.
While data holds vast possibilities that can help all industries, we need to ensure public trust, privacy and security. In the rapidly advancing era of Big Data, the Ontario Government must be equipped.
Today, we launched a public consultation on creating a provincial Data Strategy and convening a Minister’s Task Force on Data.
Our government recognizes the economic potential of data technologies, and we’re seeking to position ourselves to unlock the economic and technological benefits of data within government operations. At the same time, we are committed to protecting data privacy and building a better, smarter, more accountable government — one that earns and keeps the trust of Ontarians.
We want to ensure that we maintain the trust and confidence of Ontario’s residents, so part of this consultation will seek to determine ways to safeguard privacy and keep personal information secure. That is a paramount consideration for us.
I’m looking forward to seeing the results of our consultation, so please take this opportunity to tell us what you want to see happen when it comes to data.
New skills for a new era of government
It’s an exciting time to lead a tech-savvy government team like the Ontario Digital Service, especially when digital is at the heart of what the government must become. But digital transformation is not just about using modern technologies to build better services, it’s also about embracing new approaches when it comes to improving people’s interactions with government and protecting them.
As a modern government, we must:
- Adapt to the changing needs of Ontarians in a digital age — we know that a better digital service puts your experience front and centre
- Rethink, simplify and streamline people’s interactions with government
- Use new processes to maximize value and minimize waste, so that we can deliver outcomes that better serve the people
- Work in the open, sharing what we’re doing and providing easy access to Ontario’s data and information to restore trust and accountability in government
- Listen to real people, not special interests, to truly understand what Ontarians need
- Partner with the private sector — for example, digital suppliers — to drive digital innovation and economic prosperity forward in this province
- Unlock the value of data and analytics to improve the lives of Ontarians and build trust in government.
Putting people’s needs first
Digital is using the most-effective approach possible, and new tools available, to fulfill user needs and, as a result, improve customer satisfaction.
Here’s a great example:
The Ontario government runs several user research labs. I saw first-hand a user research group on health care being run at the Ontario Digital Service. These spaces let us engage with users and learn about their needs prior to designing an online service or tool. By doing this research first, we save time, money, and energy by having a clearer idea of what Ontarians need and want from government. The team at our user research labs are doing integral work to help teams across government focus on understanding user behaviours, needs, and motivations through user testing and feedback.
Promise made, Promise kept
We promised to make life better for the people of Ontario by working harder, smarter, and more efficiently. We promised to deliver on our plan For the People, and that includes restoring trust and accountability back to government. Working collaboratively across our ministry, and the government as a whole, I am confident that we will see the delivery of more efficient and effective government services that Ontarians want to use.
I’m excited about what our team has in store, and the work ahead. I can’t wait to share all that we’re doing with you.
