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Dynamic, digital and adaptive systems and structures

It’s about being able to respond quickly to the changes that will inevitably come towards us." ‐ David Thodey

Share your ideas

We can’t predict the future – but we can prepare for it. The only certainty is things are changing.

The Australian Public Service needs the right systems and structures to keep delivering and stay effective.

We’ve heard people need to work together more.

So how could the rules, culture, incentives, funding, digital systems or risk culture make it easier to do that?

The people of Australia may not be worried about the structure of the Australian Public Service, but they do care about the services they receive and outcomes for the nation.

How do we set the public service up to focus on these things?

Based on your input and more, it’s clear it is worth exploring how the Australian Public Service:

Explore these discussion threads. What do you think?

Be specific about the changes you think are needed. Who should do what, when and how?

Think about what factors have stopped change in the past, or point us to examples of a job well done.

Why is this important?

This is about how the Australian Public Service is organised and does its work.

We must work together to deliver services and outcomes across countries, organisations or subject areas.

Decades from now, our research has shown the public service will grapple with four major uncertainties. These include how:

  • public expectations of the service shift over time
  • we develop and take up new technologies
  • societies and international relationships change
  • workplaces and jobs will be different

As these things change, working together is very important. And we’ve heard there are frustrations, inefficiencies and barriers which can slow progress or prevent good work.

But we’re not the first to say collaboration is vital to success. And this is about more than collaboration. You’ve also told us the service needs to be able to respond quickly, and shift and reform easily.

So why doesn’t this happen as a matter of course across the service? What incentives or obligations are needed to make it possible?