In Brief: Victorian Govt Digital Strategy 2021-2026

The following is the author's personal opinion, and does not represent the views or opinions of any past, present or future employer.

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The new Victorian Government Digital Strategy 2021-2026 might be one of the state's best "better late than never" strategies for the year.

Enabled by a new entity Digital Victoria, this will be a whole of government strategy finally embracing the world we live in - digital technology has changed the way we work and live.

The three outcomes are:

1. Better, fairer, more accessible services.
2. A digital-ready public sector.
3. A thriving digital economy.

For any pessimist out there, there are plenty of strategies produced that have no teeth and don't follow up with delivery, but I'm kept positive with the use of the language in this strategy. For example, on page 30 it reads: " [Victorian Government will...] Ensure the personal information shared with government is always secure and privacy requirements are consistently fulfilled. " In my experience the government has been very careful about its' use of adverbs, but this one feels like a deliberate setting of the high bar, that is required.

Underpinning these outcomes, are 6 enablers:

1. Policy & Governance
2. Portfolio and Investment
3. Process, people and partners
4. Data Intelligence
5. Security and Privacy
6. Technology platforms

There is a series of supporting design principles and guidelines (8 in each), and digital pathways that set out the 3 high level stages to get to the outcomes. These are:

1. Establish Digital Platforms
2. Connecting Secure & Responsive Services
3. Shaping Intelligent Ecosystems

There's been a lot of thought that has gone into these outcomes, design principles and guidelines. In particular I am most pleased that risk & security are baked into the strategy.

I won't go into a deep analysis, other than to recommend that the document is worth at least a skim, and possibly a good sit down and digestion. Especially for anyone who's planning on still living in Victoria for the next 5 years! (Or for those of you migrating to Queensland, maybe look for a similar one in your new home, I think there QLD Digital Strategy is up for review next year)

There is a a good blend of innovation outlook, and embedded security at the front. As someone who has become deeply interested in innovation and organisational behaviour (with particular application to my field of experience in cyber), I'm looking forward to seeing how government, industry and community grow into the current decade.

You won't see me say/type this often, but... Bravo Victoria Government.