Automation, when used safely and responsibly, has the potential to significantly improve service delivery in NSW Government. Automation is when technology is used to augment humans in day-to-day tasks.
This technology can result in increased accuracy and efficiency, better accessibility, improved cybersecurity, and less repetitive tasks for employees. The NSW Automation Guide, released September 2024, will help guide the use of automation, and support NSW Government leaders and decision makers to adopt automation technology responsibly and securely.
We spoke to Daniel Roelink, Director of Digital Strategy and Architecture, and Ahmed ElSayed, Principal Solution Designer at Digital NSW, to hear more about the new Automation Guide, and the positive impact it will have on the NSW Government and our communities.
Automation is no longer just an option for government – it’s a necessity
Automation is no longer a choice; it’s a necessity. “It’s imperative that the NSW Government adopts automation. It’s inevitable, not just to keep up with the private sector but also to meet the growing expectations of the digital-savvy public,” says Ahmed. Automation is key to achieving digital transformation, improving service delivery and positioning NSW as a leader in digital innovation.
How automation will support NSW communities
Automation can make services more inclusive and accessible to a broader range of people, including those with disability. For example, reducing the time and physical effort required to perform a manual task or commute at a service centre for people with mobility impairment.
“Automating routine tasks can provide 24/7 support, making it easier for community to access information anytime and anywhere,” says Ahmed. The technology combined with AI can also make services more accessible to people who have limited English proficiency or prefer to communicate in a language other than English.
Automation reduces manual tasks, which allows government employees to focus on the work that matters most. This is particularly helpful for frontline workers – the Productivity Commission predicts that automating simple tasks in health would save workers up to 11 hours a week, freeing up 30% of their time1.
This has the potential to have very valuable outcomes for patient care. “By optimising processes and reducing manual intervention, agencies can achieve significant time and cost savings, allowing them to direct resources into more critical public services,” says Daniel.
How automation will benefit NSW Government agencies
With repetitive, manual tasks being reduced through automation, employees can focus on more meaningful work, which has the potential to reduce work stress and enhance staff wellbeing.
It also streamlines government operations and strengthens cybersecurity. “Automation helps agencies mitigate potential risks and implement more secure and reliable practices within government,” says Daniel. “It also helps agencies protect sensitive data and maintain system integrity.”
The Automation Guide ensures that automation is aligned with legal and ethical standards, maintaining public trust. “The guide is aligned with the AI Assessment Framework to ensure we’re giving guidance that’s consistent with how we’re managing the risk of AI,” says Daniel.
Rules of success for automation
Both Daniel and Ahmed highlighted the importance of agencies having a clear strategy for their automation use. “Automation does require coordination across different capabilities within the organisation, ensuring top-down support and appropriate oversight,” says Daniel.
Automation use should also be value-driven and aligned with organisational objectives. “If the automation goal does not align with organisational objectives, don’t do it,” says Ahmed.
The guide also focuses on the importance of building multi-disciplinary teams with expertise in business, technology, legal and governance; and fostering diverse human capabilities when implementing any automation technology. “The guide stresses the importance of government organisations prioritising upskilling their teams in alignment with their automation ambition to achieve the best results,” says Ahmed.
Real-world applications of automation technologies
The practical use cases in the guide offers insights on employing automation effectively. The guide focuses on robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent automation (IA).
RPA involves streamlining repetitive, administrative tasks, freeing up employees for more complex work. “Robotic process automation reduces processing time and increases accuracy, reducing errors from manual work,” says Ahmed.
Intelligent automation (IA) combines AI capabilities with automation to handle more complex tasks that require human cognitive abilities. Real-world applications include document processing, fraud detection and language translation services.
Using automation in government is no longer just an option; it’s necessary for improved service delivery and productivity. The new Automation Guide will make sure the use of this technology is efficient, ethical, safe and responsible.
Learn more about the NSW Automation Guide.