The Digital Transformation Keeping WA Ahead

If Australia is truly the lucky country, then surely WA must be the most fortunate of all. From unspoilt beaches and spectacular outback to acclaimed vineyards and – of course – the nation’s best footy teams, we have it all.

Yet as with generations before us, we are fully aware that our community’s success didn’t happen by chance, and to secure its future, we must echo the hard work, ingenuity and collaboration of the generations that preceded us. That’s why I am excited to work with organisations across the WA Government on the technology that will enable digital transformation and support thriving communities and workplaces for generations to come.

Digital Transformation for Government

Like most residents of WA, I interact with government employees regularly. Whether frontline staff like the teachers in my child’s school and the x-ray technicians in my local hospital, or less outwardly visible workers such as the IT teams and administrators I encounter on technology upgrade projects, there is one common thread: everyone aims to offer our community exceptional service delivery. For the more than 120,000 public service employees in WA, providing the right technology tools can aid them in their efforts, and help motivate them to give their best.

Every government workplace is going through a time of profound change, thanks to a raft of emerging digital technologies. We’re seeing every level, from local through to federal, find new, better ways to connect with Australian communities using trusted Microsoft solutions. Federally, the Department of Health (DoH) is using Microsoft Dynamics as the foundation for case management, supporting every step from data capture and triage through to referral, escalation and handover to partner agencies. This doesn’t just enable greater efficiency, it also increases accuracy and reduces repetition of administrative tasks, so that staff have more time to interact with the community they serve. Reporting, too, is both faster and more accurate; if a question is asked in a Senate Estimates committee, it can be answered promptly and with confidence.

Few workplaces, though, can have changed as much as our schools. Step into a classroom and you will find a wealth of devices, used by children yet to fully understand just how remarkable their world is becoming. Students can collaborate with others across WA, Australia and the world to extend their learning far beyond the classroom walls. They can create, innovate, and connect. With affordable and easy to manage technology, lessons are transformed. The opportunity exists to create personalised learning experiences that uniquely prepare every child to reach their potential, and ready them for the future jobs that don’t yet exist.

Modernising Government

By empowering secure inter-departmental and inter-agency collaboration, there is immeasurable opportunity to deliver value. For a citizen, starting a business may involve interactions with several government agencies, each with their own separate systems. By using technology to join the dots, it is possible to make that process easier, saving time and money for the business owner.

This also opens up the possibility of sharing data, using analytics supported by tools like Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365 to predict trends and identify needs within the community. The resulting insights provide actionable ways to improve community engagement, and support better funding decisions. At any level of government, using data well during planning can help avoid scenarios like that of Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport, where famously spending billions of dollars over the initial budget is yet to see the facility open for flights.

The greater knowledge derived from data analytics can also aid security, and with cybercrime becoming more sophisticated by the day, it is reassuring to see that our government organisations are increasingly conscious of the duty to protect citizens in the online space. Recognising patterns of behaviour and sharing intelligence are among our strongest defences.

Modernising government is also about building foundations that enable use of the fast-growing internet of things (IoT). It is preparing a cloud environment that supports ambulances to connect data from body-worn devices, between agencies to hospital emergency departments. It is the use of drones to monitor national parks faster than a human possibly could, or connected sensors that track the condition of our roads. It is about doing this cost-effectively – we are often able to help the agencies we work with to manage cloud costs and prevent waste through some simple processes.

WA Government Microsoft Licensing Contract

Our contract to provide Microsoft licences to WA government organisations covers incredibly dynamic technologies, with new features added constantly. As part of our role, we are here to help identify greater opportunities, and guide you through the path of digital transformation. Our team of local specialists has a wealth of both government and corporate experience, backed by a national Data^#3 network of Microsoft experts and the global expertise of Microsoft. In WA, we’ve always worked hard and made our own luck, and together, we can earn our community’s bright future in the digital era.

Want to get more from your Microsoft licence, or have a question about digital transformation? Contact the friendly Data^#3 WA team.