Digital Transformation Program Overview

Document Version: 2.3
Last Updated: 15 March 2024
Next Review: 30 June 2024
Document Owner: Aiden Cross, Director of Digital & Information Services
Approved By: Helen Marchetti, Chief Executive Officer

Executive Summary

Metro Council WA is currently 18 months into our comprehensive Digital Transformation Program, a three-year initiative designed to modernise our citizen services and streamline internal operations. This document provides all staff with essential information about what's changing, when changes will occur, and how to access support during this transition period.

Key Message: We remain committed to our "Digital First, Community Always" approach, ensuring technology enhances rather than replaces our community focus.

Program Overview

What We're Transforming

The Digital Transformation Program encompasses four key areas:

Citizen Services Portal - Online services for residents
Internal Process Automation - Workflow digitisation and efficiency improvements
Infrastructure Modernisation - Cloud migration and security enhancement
Digital Capability Building - Staff training and change management

Why We're Transforming

Community Expectations: 73% of residents surveyed in late 2022 wanted more online service options
Operational Efficiency: Current manual processes consume approximately 2,840 staff hours monthly
State Government Requirements: Compliance with WA Digital Government Strategy 2025
Future Readiness: Preparing for projected 12% population growth by 2030

What's Changing

Phase 1: Foundation (Complete - July 2023)

✅ Infrastructure Migration - Moved 85% of systems to Microsoft Azure cloud platform - Implemented new cybersecurity framework with multi-factor authentication - Upgraded network capacity across all Council facilities

Phase 2: Citizen Services (Current - Target completion August 2024)

🔄 Systems Being Replaced:

Current System	New System	Go-Live Date	Status
Legacy rates system (RatesPro)	Civica Authority	15 May 2024	Testing
Paper development applications	MyCouncil Portal	30 June 2024	Development
Manual waste collection requests	Online Waste Portal	15 July 2024	Testing
Phone-only building permits	Integrated Planning Hub	30 August 2024	Design

Note: The Planning Hub rollout has been delayed by 6 weeks due to integration complexities identified during testing - Farah Haddad's team is working with vendors to resolve.

Phase 3: Internal Automation (Planned - September 2024 to March 2025)

📋 Process Improvements: - Employee onboarding automation (HR/Tony Sparks) - Procurement workflow digitisation (Finance/Margaret Chen) - Asset management system integration (Parks/Ben Abbott) - Document management consolidation (All departments)

Timeline & Milestones

Immediate (March - May 2024)

18 March: Civica Authority training begins for Customer Service team
25 March: MyCouncil Portal user acceptance testing starts
15 April: Staff cybersecurity refresher training (mandatory)
15 May: Civica Authority goes live (rates and customer data)

Near-term (June - August 2024)

3 June: Customer Service counter tablets deployed
30 June: Development applications move fully online
15 July: New waste management portal launches
30 August: Building permits integrated (pending vendor resolution)

Long-term (September 2024 - March 2025)

September 2024: Internal workflow automation pilot
December 2024: Document management system consolidation
March 2025: Full program completion and review

Training & Support Available

Mandatory Training Sessions

Digital Skills Foundation (3 hours) - Who: All staff - When: Rolling sessions every Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Where: Training Room 2, Civic Centre - Booking: Contact Tony Sparks on ext. 2847

System-Specific Training - Civica Authority: Customer Service and Finance teams (March 18-29) - MyCouncil Portal: Planning and Customer Service teams (April 8-19) - Cybersecurity Awareness: All staff (April 15-30)

Optional Skill Development

Digital Confidence Workshops (2 hours each) - Basic tablet and smartphone skills - Email efficiency and organisation - Video conferencing best practices - Social media for community engagement

These workshops run monthly - check the Learning Hub on our intranet for upcoming dates.

One-on-One Support

Available through our Digital Champions Network - volunteer staff members from each department who provide peer support:

Customer Services: Jenny Walsh (ext. 2901)
Planning: Michael Torres (ext. 2634)
Finance: Lisa Patel (ext. 2778)
Parks & Environment: Sarah Kim (ext. 2445)
Community Development: David Nguyen (ext. 2556)

Getting Help

Technical Issues

IT Service Desk - Email: servicedesk@metrocouncilwa.gov.au - Phone: ext. 2999 (internal) / (08) 9555-2999 (external) - Portal: Access via intranet homepage - Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM

Response Times: - Critical issues (system down): 1 hour - High priority (affecting multiple users): 4 hours - Standard requests: Next business day

Change Management Support

Digital Transformation Office - Location: Level 2, Room 2.15 - Contact: Aiden Cross (ext. 2701) or transformation@metrocouncilwa.gov.au - Drop-in Hours: Wednesday 2:00-4:00 PM, Friday 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

Training Questions

People, Culture & Community Engagement - Contact: Tony Sparks (ext. 2847) - Email: training@metrocouncilwa.gov.au

What This Means for Daily Work

Customer Service Changes

New tablet interface at front counter (training provided)
Expanded online payments reduce cash handling
Integrated customer history improves service quality
Digital forms replace most paper applications (some exceptions remain for statutory declarations)

Planning & Development

Online application tracking for residents
Digital document management streamlines approvals
Automated notifications reduce manual follow-up
Integration with GIS mapping improves accuracy

Note: Paper backups will remain available during the transition period and for residents who request them.

Finance & Administration

Automated invoice processing reduces data entry
Digital approval workflows speed up procurement
Real-time reporting improves decision-making
Cloud-based access enables flexible work arrangements

Parks & Environment

Mobile work orders for field staff
GPS tracking for asset maintenance
Online booking system for community facilities
Digital inspection records replace paper forms

Managing the Transition

Common Concerns & Solutions

"I'm not comfortable with technology" - Start with Digital Confidence Workshops - Request a Digital Champion buddy - Use parallel paper systems during transition (available until December 2024)

"Residents prefer face-to-face service" - Counter service remains available - Staff assistance provided for online forms - Phone support continues for all services - Home visits maintained for vulnerable residents

"The new system is slower than the old one" - Performance improvements expected as we optimise - Report specific issues to IT Service Desk - Temporary workarounds available during resolution

Success Metrics

We're tracking progress through: - Staff confidence surveys (quarterly) - Customer satisfaction scores (monthly) - System performance metrics (daily) - Training completion rates (weekly)

Current staff digital confidence: 67% (target: 80% by program completion)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will I lose my job because of automation? A: No. Automation is designed to eliminate repetitive tasks, allowing staff to focus on higher-value community work. No redundancies are planned as part of this program.

Q: What happens if the system crashes? A: We maintain business continuity plans including backup systems and manual processes. Critical services will continue with minimal disruption.

Q: Can I still print documents? A: Yes, though we encourage digital-first approaches where possible. Printers remain available in all departments, with new multi-function devices being installed.

Q: How do we handle residents without digital access? A: All traditional service channels remain open. We've also partnered with local libraries to provide digital support for residents.

Key Contacts & Resources

Program Leadership: - Helen Marchetti, CEO (ext. 2700) - Aiden Cross, Director Digital & Information Services (ext. 2701)

Department Representatives: - Planning: Farah Haddad (ext. 2630) - Finance: Margaret Chen (ext. 2770) - Community Services: Tony Sparks (ext. 2847)

Resources: - Intranet: Digital Transformation Hub (homepage widget) - Training Calendar: Learning Hub portal - System Status: IT Dashboard (intranet) - Feedback: transformation@metrocouncilwa.gov.au

Remember: This transformation supports our mission to serve our community more effectively. Your feedback and patience during this transition are greatly appreciated.

For urgent issues or concerns, contact the Digital Transformation Office directly or speak with your manager.

Document will be updated monthly as the program progresses. Next update scheduled for 15 April 2024.