The digital transformation of government and the public sector isn’t as easy as it looks. You would think that after 20 years or so, mainly on the outside looking in, and occasionally from the inside looking out, and a book or two to boot, I’d have worked that out by now. And of course I have. It’s hard work, grinding through ‘hard boards” with passion and perseverance, to paraphrase Max Weber’s reflections “on politics.” Almost everything is harder in practice than it is in theory. Writing about stuff and offering occasionally helpful advice and, even more occasionally, clever insights from the sidelines is so much easier than doing the work. But in the last little while, my general enthusiasm, irretrievably amateur though it so often feels, has been tested by some insights about the day to day reality confronting the digital transformation “project” in government and the public sector, especially here in Australia. Like the recent session in which we were spruiking the rising influence of artificial intelligence and the likely impact on public services and citizen engagement of augment reality only to be told that, in one regional government office, the vast majority of the team didn’t have ‘smart’ phones or wifi enabled laptops. When they left the office, they were no longer connected. Unless they were happy to switch to their personal phones (and …
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Public Purpose is an independent advisory practice working at the intersection of government, policy, technology and innovation.
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The practice is centred on the work of its principal, Martin Stewart-Weeks and his extensive networks of innovators, ideas and influence in Australia and around the world from over 35 years’ work in and around government, innovation and technology.
The practice is busy in the following areas:
Strategic Thinking
Helping organisations think about strategy and change to guide new aspirations, plans and work.
Helping organisations think about strategy and change to guide new aspirations, plans and work.
Facilitation
Designing and facilitating small and large scale events and processes to help organisations improve the quality and impact of their work together.
Designing and facilitating small and large scale events and processes to help organisations improve the quality and impact of their work together.
Research
Conceiving, undertaking and writing up social and qualitative research (focus groups, workshops, interviews).
Conceiving, undertaking and writing up social and qualitative research (focus groups, workshops, interviews).
Writing and thought leadership
Undertake research and writing projects, either independently or for clients, that tackle big strategic issues to prompt thinking about strategy and change
Undertake research and writing projects, either independently or for clients, that tackle big strategic issues to prompt thinking about strategy and change
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