Scotland’s public services should be shaped around people’s needs and easily-accessible, while also being delivered effectively and efficiently during these difficult economic times. Digital technology offers great potential for public sector organisations to deliver wide-ranging advances on both of those fronts.
Today, access to and use of the internet is growing among people of all ages and backgrounds. In particular, people are using mobile phones over landlines and the rapid growth of smartphones is creating a whole new group of customers whose preference is to access and receive information and services on the move.
Crucially, new technologies not only allow greater scope for people to do things themselves, but also to contribute opinions, access information and interact with others. There is significant potential to transform how the public sector operates, with entirely new services and products becoming possible. Online delivery can make public services easier, quicker and more convenient for people to use, while also being less expensive than many other methods.
To help us realise to those aims, the Scottish Government published the national Scotland’s Digital Future: Delivery of Public Services strategy in September 2012.
The strategy – jointly introduced by Ministers and CoSLA – will promote innovative, integrated and user-friendly public services that cross organisational boundaries. It was produced following engagement with partners from across the public sector to ensure a collaborative approach that delivers the best outcomes for the people of Scotland.