Digital Transformation in Government
This POSTnote summarises the potential benefits, barriers, and negative consequences of digital transformation in central and local government.
Central governmentInformation technologyLocal governmentPublic administration
Briefing
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN743
- Digital transformation is broadly defined as the use of digital technology at one or more of the following levels: changing processes and services from analogue to digital, rethinking the way a process or service is provided, or redesigning the way a business or organisation runs through the implementation of digital technology.
- The 2025 State of Digital Government Review found that 25% of government services are “outdated” and 47% of services offered by central government are not digitised.
- Government digital transformation has multiple potential benefits, including improved service efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced citizen engagement by streamlining processes and speeding up service delivery.
- Challenges to digital transformation in government arise across a range of areas, including finance and funding, communication, skills, leadership, project and departmental structure, and cultural resistance.
- Potential negative effects of government digital transformation include environmental harm, digital exclusion, health and social harms and decline in service resilience.
- A checklist of questions to inform parliamentary scrutiny has been developed in collaboration with stakeholders.
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