Can you help us identify what information sharing forums and inter-agency networks exist across the APS?
One of the first activities we have been undertaking as part of the new Centre for Excellence in Public Sector Design is to try and map out the innovation and design ecosystem within which the Centre lives. Part of that task includes identifying what channels there are for how information (including ideas) moves through and beyond the APS and where various capabilities lie.
We know there are lots of formal mechanisms (inter-departmental committees, reports, regular meetings, etc.) but we’re interested in getting a better picture of some of the less formal pathways as
well.
The following are some of the networks that we have identified that exist across the APS. If you know of any others, could you please let us know about them in the comments below?
(Also if you know of any good tools for mapping and describing the people and elements within networks/eco-systems, we would be much obliged if you could let us know about them too. We are on the hunt for a way to map out and share what we do find.)
Design, Innovation & Strategy Networks
- Australasian Joint Agencies Scanning Network (AJASN) – a cross-agency horizon scanning network including some state/territory/local government agencies
(and some from outside of Australia). Facilitated by Delaney Foresight - Commonwealth State and Territory Advisory Council on Innovation – a council of high level officials (which meets twice a year) from the Australian Government, the State and Territory governments, and the New Zealand Government who advise and coordinate comment on their innovation policy, activities and programs. With a targeted and strategic approach to innovation issues, the Council aims to improve the effectiveness, integration and coordination of the national innovation system. Facilitated by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
- Coordination Committee on Innovation – a discussion forum for Australian Government departments and agencies with responsibilities or interests that impact on the national innovation system. The Committee comprises representatives from 30 Commonwealth Departments and Agencies and acts as an information sharing forum for Australian Government innovation activities. Facilitated by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
- Innovation Policy Report – aims to highlight departmental, national and international developments in the innovation policy area (not necessarily public sector). It also includes summaries of relevant innovation documents and events. Compiled by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
- Public Sector Innovation Network – a network of public servants and academics interested in public sector innovation. Facilitated by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
- Policy Visualisation Network – a newly established network to bring policy makers and designers together to explore how the APS can better use visualisation techniques to provide better policy analysis, advice or engagement. Facilitation led by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Strategic Policy Network (SPN) – comprising SES policy practitioners from across the APS. The network meets regularly to discuss strategic policy issues including better practice methodologies.
The Strategic Policy Network is developing an online strategic policy resource that will provide APS staff with access to practical policy development tools. Facilitated by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet - SPN+ – an open forum for all APS strategic policy practitioners, building on discussions held by the SPN. Facilitated by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
General Inter-agency Networks
- APS 200 – senior leadership group made up of Secretary and Deputy Secretary level staff of Commonwealth departments and agencies. The APS200 champions critical projects across the service, focusing on complex challenges that span more than one specific portfolio. It identifies and discusses strategic priorities. Supported by the Department of the Prime Minister
and Cabinet and the Australian Public Service Commission - Executive Level Leadership Network – provides an opportunity for EL employees from across the APS to come together to strengthen their leadership practice by hearing from a range
of engaging speakers with diverse perspectives, sharing insights and experiences with colleagues, and building collaborative networks across agencies. Facilitated by the Australian Public Service Commission - SES Leader to Leader Series – The Leader to Leader series provides an opportunity for members of the SES to hear from Heads of Departments and Agencies on their leadership experiences and challenges in the context of public sector reforms. This event also provides senior APS leaders with a valuable opportunity to meet and network with their colleagues. Facilitated by the Australian Public Service Commission
Function/Issue Based Networks
- Procurement Discussion Forum – provides procurement and contract management officials with the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues and to hear from a range of experts on
topics across the full procurement cycle. Facilitated by the Department of Finance and Deregulation - HR Leaders Forum – a vehicle for thought leadership in human resources. It provides an opportunity for HR leaders to discuss current and emerging issues, to share results and lessons from HR activities as well as to explore HR activities that are consistent with best practice. Facilitated by the Australian Public Service Commission
- APS Policy Implementation Network – a network of SES expert implementers sharing advice on key implementation challenges for the APS. Facilitated by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Cross Agency Communication Forum – a network of people working in the communications space in the APS
- ICT – includes the Chief Information Officer Committee and the Chief Information Officer Forum, run by the Australian Government Information Management Office
- APS Human Rights Network – people who are interested in how human rights relate to their work and is principally focused on the work of the APS. Currently the Network has over
500 members. The Network is intended to provide a space to discuss human rights and how they relate to and inform the work of the APS in a friendly, informal and collaborative environment. Coordinated by the Australian Human Rights Commission
External Not-for-Profit Public Administration Networks
- Canberra Evaluation Forum – a not for profit, unincorporated networking Association that facilitates people to gather for the purposes of presenting and discussing issues of
common interest concerning program and project evaluation. The Forum is a network of Commonwealth and ACT Government departments and agencies, private sector companies and academics interested in evaluation and performance management issues in the public and private sectors - The Change Management Institute – The Change Management Institute (CMI) is an independent, international, not-for-profit organisation set up to promote and develop the practice of change management. It has an ACT Chapter
- Institute of Public Administration Australia – the nationwide professional association for those involved in public administration
External Informal Networks
- TEDxCanberra – now in its third year, TEDxCanberra is a volunteer run, nonprofit ideas event that brings the internationally recognised TED brand to the National Capital once a year in the Spring for an independently organised TEDx event
- Gov 2.0 – there is a loose, informal network around Gov 2.0. This network was important in running GovHack and GovCamp as part of Innovation Week 2012. There is an informal discussion forum for the group
- OZLoop – an Australian social network of interested public servants and community colleagues expressing and exchanging ideas and knowledge to help build an engaged Australian public sector.
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An additional one that has been identified is the iLearn Netmeet is a Community of Practice (CoP) established by the DEEWR Interactive Learning Solutions team in February 2012 as a network of instructional designers and eLearning professionals from across the public service; including participation by Federal and State Government, private, not-for-profit and education sectors.
The network provides an avenue for Government agencies to contribute to and keep up-to-date with current knowledge and trends for the implementation of eLearning in the Australian Public Service. The CoP conducts monthly meetings, the purpose of the network is to:
• promote the sharing of learning and development solutions between agencies
• reduce duplication of products across the APS
• showcase learning and development products and programs
• ...
... establish eLearning priorities
• share information about the development of eLearning programs
• clarify best practice use of Learning Management Systems
• provide opportunities for guest speakers, providers and other stakeholders to share learning and development information
The network is supported online via the Govdex web sharing platform. (Thanks Connor!)
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Thank you for the comprehensive list of networks. I have two corrections for events under ‘General Inter-agency Networks’
* the best website for the Executive Level Leadership Network is http://www.apsc.gov.au/learn/programs/networking/executive-level-leadership-network
* the best website to stay up-to-date with the APSC’s suite of SES events is http://www.apsc.gov.au/learn/programs/networking/ses-events (this covers both the ‘APS Views’ and ‘Leadership Conversations’ series)
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Hi Rebecca – thanks for those corrections.
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http://speechbubble-blog.dhs.gov.au/
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Another two that I’ve been informed about are
*APS Workforce Planning Working Group – a group of 19 agencies that work collaboratively to drive innovation and better practice in workforce planning across the APS. Working Group meetings provide an opportunity to facilitate information sharing and is the vehicle through which a consistency in approach to workforce planning practices are developed to assist agencies in progressing workforce planning. Facilitated by the Australian Public Service Commission.
*APS Workforce Planning Practice Group – a group of over 40 agencies that work collaboratively to contribute to innovation and better practice in workforce planning across the APS. The Practice group is a virtual group that provides opportunities to facilitate information sharing and is the vehicle through which the consistency in approach to workforce planning practices are further developed and matured to assist agencies in progressing workforce planning. Facilitated by the Australian Public Service Commission.
Questions about either of ...
... these two groups can be directed to apswfp@apsc.gov.au.
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Hi
There is a group operating in the Newcastle region under the banner of the Hunter APS Network. The focus of the group is to build a strategic network to share ideas to improve and strengthen each APS department, service delivery, policy, work force and community interaction.
There are a number of opportunities for the network including –
o the availability of local training, identify joint training needs and influence the training being held locally
o identifying work synergies and developing best practice work protocols
If you would like more information on the network please feel free to contact me.
Thanks
Juleigh Cook
juleigh.cook@ato.gov.au
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That sounds like a great initiative Juleigh, thanks for letting us know about it.
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Hi,
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is in the process of developing a dedicated innovation program to drive evolutionary and transformative change. This is a wonderful opportunity for staff (especially frontline staff) across DHS to be able to provide their first-hand experience and their views on how governement services can be delivered differently. It will be known as iDHS and will be made up of three phases.
iDHS
- a support network of innovative advocates
- a repository for innovative ideas (an ideas management system to track and record ideas)
- a set of tools to convert ideas into outcomes ( will include an online forum to capture ideas)
- high level support to foster innovation in the department ( Assoc Sec advocate)
The ideas will be reviewed and assessed by a Peer Review team and their understanding of design in DHS is critical. Innovation and design thinking go hand in hand.
It is ...
... worth noting that innovation in public sector is a challenge and that there are many different types of innovation
- services innovation – a new or improved service. Example the NBN which will provide hihg-spped internet access to most of the country
- services delivery innovation – a new or different way of providing a service. Example is the Australian Government Business.gov.au website
- administrative or organisational innovation – a new process. Example is Child Support Scheme which provides an administrative approach to assessment of child support through a forumula, rather than using courts to determine payments.
- conceptual innovation – a new way of looking at problems. Example is National Respite for Carers Program which provides support for carers in addition to that provided directly to those who require care
- Policy innovation – a change to policy thinking – Example is HECS which improves access to higher education for all students
Systemic Innovation – a new or improved way for parts of the pubic sector to operate and interact with stakeholders. Example is the establishment of Centrelink which adopted a completely new approach to providing government services. This is now DHS which has integrated Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support Scheme.
Interestingly, if you were to ask the end-user i.e. the citizens who use the service, would they agree that the examples are good innovative ideas. For example, a dad, let’s call him Paul, who pays child support for two children is an end-user of the service.The forumula that is used to work out his child support payments satisfy the business need for Child Support i.e. it was both possible and viable to implement the new change, but is it desirable for the dad. When we assess innovative ideas they need to be assessed against being desirable, possible and viable. The idea needs to meet all three as there are multiple users who will use or deliver a service.
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Alex. Get in touch with Bob Herbert from DIT bob.herbert@infrastructure.gov.au who manages the Program Managers Community Practice of Forum. He might like to provide some information on this list. It is an excellent group and one I would encourage people to join. I’ve let Bob know about the PSIN as well.
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Jeepers not having a good day, got the title wrong!
‘Program Management Community of Practice Forum’
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Hi Brant! Thank you for the suggestion
We will follow up with Bob.
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Thanks Brant! Will do.
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You could add:
APS KM – a knowledge management CoP for KM practitioners working in the APS.The Forum comprises a group of knowledge management practitioners who aim to share knowledge on current methods and practices, engage in collaborative activities for KM between government agencies, and identify strategies that will raise awareness of KM in APS senior management.
It has a Govdex page.
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Thanks Paulette, very relevant for the Centre. Alex
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Do you have a contact for the APS KM group, Paulette?
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Hi bBridget
The best contact would be Bridget Costello at ComCare . She is the current convenor of the Forum (although we have not met recently)
Regards
Paulette
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Thanks for listing OZloop.
Good to see you pulling this architecture together. Would be great to bring everyone together to see how we can compliment one another.
Regards
Steve
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AELERT is a network that connects environmental regulators to share and solve common issues and support better practice regulatory approaches. The network comprises over 100 member agencies (across Federal, State, Territory and Local Governments, inc NZ) with regulatory responsibilities with regard to the environment, natural resource management and heritage. Further information can be found at http://www.aelert.net
A number of similar international networks also exist (e.g. http://www.inece.org ).
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Thanks for adding that Nicole, much appreciated.
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There is also an Information Contact Officer Network (ICON) for FOI, Privacy and information publication officers. Information on the network is here: http://www.oaic.gov.au/news/networks/index.html
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Thanks Rebekah!
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An informal network – the Local Government Designers Forum – is a network encompassing all designers working in Victorian Local Governments. http://lgdforum.wordpress.com/
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Thanks Charlotte!
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