Improving Information Flow for Commonwealth Service
Delivery
Findings and Conclusions
The Department of Finance and Deregulation
19 August 2011
Contents
1.
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................1
2.
Overview of Conclusions ......................................................................................................................3
3.
Benefits Assessment ............................................................................................................................4
3.1 Life Events.................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
3.2 Customer Type ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5
4.
Count of Data .........................................................................................................................................7
4.1 Life Events.................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
4.2 Customer Type ......................................................................................................................................................................... 10
5.
Ready Application................................................................................................................................13
6.
Cluster Groupings ...............................................................................................................................15
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Improving Information Flow in Commonwealth Service Delivery
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1.
Introduction
This report presents the Department of Finance and Deregulation (DoFD) with considerations for the scope
to improve the use and transmission of personal information both within and between Commonwealth
agencies. The aim is to improve the experience of individuals accessing Commonwealth services through a
whole of Government architecture or “Reliance Framework”.
In investigating the potential for a Reliance Framework that would enable people to share their personal
information amongst participating agencies, this report:
►
Provides an analysis of the potential benefits to individuals, and the potential benefits to the
Commonwealth for two clusters; Life Events, and Customer Type
►
Identifies Commonwealth services or transactions which require action by more than one agency,
which serves as an input to the analysis of potential benefit areas
►
Assesses the information (based on data elements) that has the potential for ready application within a
Reliance Framework in the immediate, near term and long term
►
Summarises the extent to which individuals interact with the Commonwealth
The Department of Finance and Deregulation
Improving Information Flow in Commonwealth Service Delivery
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The Department of Finance and Deregulation
Improving Information Flow in Commonwealth Service Delivery
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2.
Overview of Conclusions
Broadly the analysis shows there is scope for consideration of a Reliance Framework that might be used to
improve the use and transmission of personal information between Commonwealth Agencies, and therefore
improve the experience for individuals in accessing Commonwealth services.
The analysis is based on two clusters that were identified for specific population groups (in the form of Life
Events and Customer Types). The Life Events cluster consists of 14 events and the Customer Type cluster
consists of 8 types.
Within the two clusters, service interactions have been identified and grouped where the same or similar
information relating to Individuals is sought by more than one agency. The Life Events cluster consists of
120 service interactions, and the Customer Type cluster consists of 149 service interactions.
For each cluster the total data elements, service interactions and agency interactions were calculated. The
total data elements sought for the Life Events cluster is 3105, across 120 service interactions, and involving
45 agency interactions. The total data elements sought for the Customer Type cluster is 3338, across 149
service interactions, and involves 33 agency interactions.
The conclusions drawn within this report are:
►
►
Within each of the two clusters, the Life Event and Customer Type that will provide the greatest
potential benefit to the Individual and to the Commonwealth if information was able to be re-used
within a Reliance Framework are:
►
Life Events –Provide/Change your Details
►
Customer Type – Family
The table below provides the quantity of data elements that can be shared for each data element
group. This table also provides the amount of data that is not shared for that data element.
Data element group
Identical information
Same information
collected
differently
Underlying concept
is similar but not
identical
TOTAL
Unmatched
information
Individual details
Partner/ Carer details
Dependent's details
Children's details
Housing status
Employment status
Disability status
Assistance to access service
Financial details
Total
96
9
103
208
173
23
2
36
61
54
7
0
7
14
20
8
0
9
17
33
3
0
0
3
29
2
0
0
2
22
0
0
0
0
14
2
0
0
2
5
22
1
0
23
219
163
12
155
330
569
Table 1: Ready Application data summary
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Improving Information Flow in Commonwealth Service Delivery
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3.
Benefits Assessment
This section provides an analysis of the potential benefits to individuals and to the Commonwealth for the
Life Events, and Customer Type clusters.1
The benefits categories and benefit types considered for the Individual and the Commonwealth are 2:
Benefit recipient
Individual
Benefit Category
Provide same data less often
Commonwealth
Less pain
Save time and effort
Contributing factor
Number of occurrences
Number of agency interactions
Number of service interactions
Count of data elements
Stress impact of life events
Number of occurrences
Number of agency interactions
Number of service interactions
Count of data elements
The benefits to both Individuals and the Commonwealth are represented and explained in detail in Sections
1.4 and 1.5 of the document ‘Analysis Approach.’
3.1
Life Events
The benefits assessment for Life Events, as depicted in the table below, maps the benefits to individuals
and benefits to the Commonwealth if information was able to be re-used within a Reliance Framework.
The key findings in this table are:
►
Overall, the three3 Life Events that will provide the greatest potential benefit if information was able to
be re-used within a Reliance Framework are:
►
Provide/Change your Details
►
Death and Bereavement
►
Starting a Family
►
The Life Event that would provide the greatest potential benefit for an Individual if information was able
to be re-used within a Reliance Framework is Provide/Change your Details
►
The Life Event that would provide the greatest potential benefit for the Commonwealth if information
was able to be re-used within a Reliance Framework is Provide/Change your Details
Table 2 provides the benefits to Individuals and the Commonwealth by each Life Event. These benefits
were determined using assumptions 3 - 8 outlined in section 2 of the document ‘Analysis Approach.’
Categories were developed in conjunction with DoFD and are presented in detail in the associated document ‘Analysis
Approach’
2 Assumptions supporting the development of benefits and determination of pain levels are explained in Section 2 of the document
‘Analysis Approach’
3 The top three life events that will provide the greatest combined potential benefit within a Reliance Framework are based on the
calculated three largest ratings
1 Benefit
The Department of Finance and Deregulation
Improving Information Flow in Commonwealth Service Delivery
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120
49
482
53
150
121
35
343
4
7
3
1
2
3
1
3
2
5
3
7
2
2
7
13
12
2
5
19
1
7
10
18
8
11
3
4
313
254
204
21
30
554
10
215
585
352
191
225
96
55
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Med
High
Med
High
Low
High
High
High
80
120
80
50
70
100
60
90
110
110
70
120
70
80
14300
226
50
754
209
120
49
482
53
150
121
35
343
7
3
1
2
3
1
3
2
5
3
7
2
2
13
12
2
5
19
1
7
10
18
8
11
3
4
313
254
204
21
30
554
10
215
585
352
191
225
96
55
COMMONWEALTH
BENEFIT POTENTIAL
88
138
88
50
75
113
50
75
113
100
75
113
50
63
COMBINED BENEFIT
POTENTIAL
84
129
84
50
73
106
55
83
111
105
73
116
60
71
Less pain
Level of pain
INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT
POTENTIAL
COMMONWEALTH BENEFITS
Number of
occurrences
106
('000)
Number of
agency
4
Save
interactions
time and
Number of
effort
service
7
interactions
Count of data
elements
Crisis
Disaster
209
Death &
Bereavement
754
Enjoying later life
Relationships:
Getting Divorced
Dealing with
Disability or Illness
Relationships:
Getting Married
50
Starting a Family
Immigrating to
Australia
226
Going Overseas
Jobs & Career
Renting & Buying
Property
Provide / Change
your details
14300
Becoming
Independent
106
INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS
Number of
occurrences
('000)
Number of
Provide
agency
same
interactions
data less
Number of
often
service
interactions
Count of data
elements
Table 24: Life Events heat map5
3.2
Customer Type
The benefits assessment for Customer Type, as depicted in Table 3, maps the benefits to individuals and
benefits to the Commonwealth if information was able to be re-used within a Reliance Framework.
The key findings in Table 3 are:
►
Overall, the two6 Customer Types that would provide the greatest potential benefit if information was
able to be re-used within a Reliance Framework are:
►
Family
►
Individual
4 The
overall combined benefit for each Life Event was determined by comparing the potential benefit to individuals and to the
Commonwealth and applying a rating of High, Medium and Low
5 In the document ‘Analysis Approach’ detailed tables are provided to demonstrate how benefits were determined
6 The two Customer Types that will provide the greatest combined potential benefit within a Reliance Framework are based on the
three largest ratings calculated
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Improving Information Flow in Commonwealth Service Delivery
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►
The Customer Type that will provide the greatest potential benefit for an Individual if information was
able to be re-used within a Reliance Framework is Family
►
The Customer Type that will provide the greatest potential benefit for the Commonwealth if information
was able to be re-used within a Reliance Framework is Family
Individual
482
1415
50
5
150
53
5
3
8
8
2
1
4
2
13
7
40
37
5
33
10
4
297
225
1305
579
118
423
260
131
63
75
150
138
50
75
75
50
106
1138
482
1415
50
5
150
530
5
3
8
8
2
1
4
2
13
7
40
37
5
33
10
4
297
225
1305
579
118
423
260
131
COMMONWEALTH BENEFIT
POTENTIAL
63
75
150
138
50
75
75
50
COMBINED BENEFIT POTENTIAL
63
75
150
138
50
75
75
50
COMMONWEALTH BENEFITS
Number of
occurrences ('000)
Number of agency
Save time interactions
and effort
Number of service
interactions
Count of data
elements
Senior
Family
1138
Veteran
Student
106
INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS
Number of
occurrences ('000)
Number of agency
Provide
interactions
same
data less
Number of service
often
interactions
Count of data
elements
INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT POTENTIAL
Carer
Youth
Person with
a disability
Table 2 provides the benefits to Individuals and the Commonwealth by each Customer Type. These
benefits were determined using assumptions 3 - 8 outlined in section 2 of the document ‘Analysis
Approach.’
Table 3: Customer Type heat map
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4.
Count of Data
This section identifies Commonwealth services or transactions which require action by more than one
agency. The data presented within this section serves as an input to the analysis of potential benefit areas.7
For each of the Life Events and Customer Types, this section provides the:
►
Number of agency interactions
►
Number of forms
►
Number of service interactions
►
Number of times each data element is repeated in the forms assumed to be relevant for each Life
Event (14) and each Customer Type (8), and for each data element category (9).
4.1
Life Events
The count of data for Life Events, as depicted in Table 4 below, identifies service interactions or
transactions which require action by more than one agency.
Across the fourteen Life Events:
►
There are 45 agency interactions
►
There are 117 forms
►
There are 120 service interactions
►
There is a total of 3105 data elements
Key Findings
Within the fourteen Life Events, the key findings from the sample analysed are:
►
The Life Events Provide/Change your Details and Death and Bereavement interact with the greatest
number of agencies (7)
►
The Life Events Renting and Buying a Property and Relationships – Getting Married interact with the
smallest number of agencies (1)
►
The Life Event Immigrating to Australia involves the greatest number of forms (19)
►
The Life Event Relationships – Getting Married involves the smallest number of forms (1)
►
The Life Event Immigrating to Australia is associated with the greatest number of service interactions
(19)
►
The Life Event Relationships – Getting Married is associated with the smallest number of service
interactions (1)
►
The Life Event Starting a Family requires the Individual to fill the greatest number of data elements
(585)
7A
list of forms used in the Count of Data analysis can be found in Section 7 of the document ‘Analysis Approach’
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►
The Life Event Relationships – Getting Married requires the Individual to fill the smallest number of
data elements (10)
Becoming Independent
Provide/Change your details
Jobs & Career
Renting & Buying a Property
Going Overseas
Immigrating to Australia
Relationships - Getting
Married
Relationships - Getting
Divorced
Starting a Family
Dealing with a Disability or
Illness
Enjoying Later Life
Death & Bereavement
Disaster
Crisis
TOTAL
This analysis is shown in the table below.
Number of agency
interactions
4
7
3
1
2
3
1
3
2
5
3
7
2
2
45
Number of forms
7
13
12
2
5
19
1
7
9
16
8
11
3
4
117
Number of service
interactions
7
13
12
2
5
19
1
7
10
18
8
11
3
4
120
Number of data elements
313
254
204
21
30
554
10
215 585
352
191
225
96
55
3105
Individual details
148
160
112
16
26
326
7
80
206
212
102
115
39
38
1587
Partner/Carer details
20
4
4
1
61
3
39
104
25
40
35
16
352
Dependent's details
15
2
45
7
25
6
5
10
4
119
Children's details
11
4
43
18
64
6
4
6
26
8
7
6
12
4
2
10
7
6
5
6
17
1
1
6
1
1
16
2
6
6
2
2
1
1
38
38
60
143
76
28
42
33
16
701
Housing status
Employment status
Financial details
2
5
6
Disability status
Assistance to access
service
1
1
112
84
63
5
1
159
10
65
3
52
32
Table 4: Life Events - Count of data
Analysis
The analysis is provided in three sections (Life Events, Interactions and Data Elements).
For Life Events the key findings are:
►
To access 7 services from 4 agencies, when people Become Independent, they complete 7 forms and
fill 313 data elements
►
To access 13 services from 7 agencies, when people Provide or Change their Details, they complete
13 forms and fill 254 data elements
►
To access 12 services from 3 agencies, when people are Engaged in Jobs or Careers, they complete
12 forms and fill 204 data elements
►
To access 2 services from 1 agency, when people Rent or Buy a Property, they complete 2 forms and
fill 21 data elements
►
To access 5 services from 2 agencies, when people Go Overseas, they complete 5 forms and fill 30
data elements
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►
To access 19 services from 3 agencies, when people Immigrate to Australia, they complete 19 forms
and fill 554 data elements
►
To access 1 service from 1 agency, when people Get Married, they complete 1 form and fill 10 data
elements
►
To access 7 services from 3 agencies, when people Get Divorced, they complete 7 forms and fill 215
data elements
►
To access 10 services from 2 agencies, when people Start a Family, they complete 9 forms and fill 585
data elements
►
To access 18 services from 5 agencies, when people Deal with a Disability or Illness, they complete 16
forms and fill 352 data elements
►
To access 8 services from 3 agencies, when people are Enjoying Later Life, they complete 8 forms and
fill 191 data elements
►
To access 11 services from 7 agencies, when people Experience Death and Bereavement, they
complete 11 forms and fill 225 data elements
►
To access 3 services from 2 agencies, when people are involved in a Disaster, they complete 3 forms
and fill 96 data elements
►
To access 4 services from 2 agencies, when people are involved in a Crisis, they complete 4 forms
and fill 55 data elements
For Interactions (including agencies, forms and service interactions) the key findings are:
►
The greatest number of service interactions exist for those Life Events where people immigrate to
Australia (19), are dealing with a disability or illness (18), provide or change their details (13), and are
engaged in jobs or careers (12),
►
The least number of service interactions exist for those Life Events where people are getting married
(1), or renting and buying a property (2)
►
In terms of the number of forms associated with service interactions, the Life Events that rely on the
most amount of forms are immigrating to Australia (19), dealing with a disability or illness (16), and
provide or change your details (13)
►
In terms of the number of forms associated with service interactions, the Life Events that rely on the
least amount of forms are relationships - getting married (1) and renting and buying a property (2)
►
The number of agencies associated with service interactions are the greatest when an individual
provides or changes their details (7), or is experiencing death and bereavement (7)
►
The number of agencies associated with service interactions are the smallest when an individual is
renting or buying a property (1) or getting married (1)
►
The number of data elements associated with service interactions are largest for starting a family (585)
and immigrating to Australia (554)
►
The number of data elements associated with service interactions are smallest for relationships –
getting married (10),and renting or buying a property (21)
For Data Elements the key findings are:
►
Individual details (1587) comprises the largest number of data elements on forms associated with the
14 Life Events. This is followed by financial details (701) and partner/carer details (352)
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►
Disability status (32) comprises the least number of data elements on forms associated with the 14 Life
Events. This is followed by assistance to access service (38)
More detailed tables can be found in Tables 8 to 16 in the document ‘Analysis Approach’
4.2
Customer Type
The count of data for Customer Type, as depicted in Table 5 below, identifies service interactions or
transactions which require action by more than one agency.
Across the eight Customer Types:
►
There are 33 agency interactions
►
There are 144 forms
►
There are 149 service interactions
►
There is a total of 3338 data elements
Key Findings
Within the eight Customer Types, the key findings from the sample analysed are:
►
The Customer Types Individual and Family interact with the greatest number of agencies (8)
►
The Customer Type Veteran interacts with the smallest number of agencies (1)
►
The Customer Type Family involves the greatest number of forms (38)
►
The Customer Type Carer involves the smallest number of forms (3)
►
The Customer Type Family is associated with the greatest number of service interactions (40)
►
The Customer Type Person with a disability is associated with the smallest number of service
interactions (4)
►
The Customer Type Family requires the Individual to fill the greatest number of data elements (1305)
►
The Customer Type Carer requires the Individual to fill the smallest number of data elements (118)
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Carer
Senior
Person with a
disability
8
8
2
1
4
2
33
7
38
36
3
33
10
4
144
Number of service interactions
13
7
40
37
5
33
10
4
149
Number of data elements
297
225
1305
579
118
423
260
131
3338
Individual details
161
116
532
333
68
272
128
61
1671
Partner/Carer details
19
10
190
29
9
42
51
15
365
Dependent details
22
14
47
9
24
7
6
129
Children details
14
1
120
3
45
16
26
14
2
8
Housing status
Employment status
4
4
Disability status
6
145
1
11
2
Assistance to access service
1
1
11
2
2
Financial details
76
79
332
165
31
TOTAL
Individual
3
13
Veteran
Student
5
Number of forms
Family
Youth
Number of agency interactions
7
79
2
6
3
61
7
2
13
32
3
3
23
52
23
833
75
Table 5: Customer Type - Count of data
Analysis
The analysis is provided in 3 sections (Customer Types, Interactions and Data Elements).
For Customer Types the key findings are:
►
To access 13 services from 5 agencies, when people identify as a youth, they complete 13 forms and
fill 297 data elements
►
To access 7 services from 3 agencies, when people identify as a student, they complete 7 forms and
fill 225 data elements
►
To access 40 services from 8 agencies, when people identify as a family, they complete 38 forms and
fill 1305 data elements
►
To access 37 services from 8 agencies, when people identify as an individual, they complete 36 forms
and fill 579 data elements
►
To access 5 services from 2 agencies, when people identify as a carer, they complete 3 forms and fill
118 data elements
►
To access 33 services from 1 agency, when people identify as a veteran, they complete 33 forms and
fill 423 data elements
►
To access 10 services from 4 agencies, when people identify as a senior, they complete 10 forms and
fill 260 data elements
►
To access 4 services from 2 agencies, when people identify as a person with a disability, they
complete 4 forms and fill 131 data elements
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For Interactions (agencies, forms and service interactions) the key findings are:
►
The greatest number of service interactions exist for those Customer Types where people identify as a
Family (40), an Individual (37) or a Veteran (33)
►
The least number of service interactions exist for those Customer Types where people identify as a
Person with a Disability (4) or a Carer (5)
►
In terms of the number of forms associated with service interactions, the Customer Types that rely on
the most amount of forms are Families (38), Individuals (36) or Veterans (33)
►
In terms of the number of forms associated with service interactions, the Customer Types that rely on
the least amount of forms are Carers (3) and People with a Disability or Illness (4)
►
The number of agencies associated with service interactions are the greatest for Individuals (8) and
Families (8)
►
The number of agencies associated with service interactions are the smallest for Veterans (1) and
Carers (2), and People with a Disability or Illness (2)
►
The number of data elements associated with service interactions are largest for Families (1305) and
Individuals (579)
►
The number of data elements associated with service interactions are smallest for Carers (118) and
People with a Disability (131)
For Data Elements the key findings are:
►
Individual Details (1671) comprises the largest number of data elements on forms associated with the
8 Customer Types. This is followed by Financial Details (833) and Partner/Carer Details (365)
►
Assistance to Access Service (23) comprises the least number of data elements on forms associated
with the 8 Customer Types. This is followed by Disability Status (32) and Employment Status (61)
More detailed tables supporting the above analysis can be found in Tables 17 to 25 in the document
‘Analysis Approach’.
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5.
Ready Application
This section assesses the information (based on data elements) that has the potential for ready application
within a Reliance Framework in the immediate, near term and long term.
Table 68 below identifies:
►
Identical information, for potential immediate application within a Reliance Framework where the
question and answer field on the forms are identical
►
The same information (yet collected differently), for potential near term application within a Reliance
Framework where the question on the forms is the same, but the answer field is different
►
The information where the underlying concept is similar but not identical, for potential long term
application within a Reliance Framework. The only concept that was selected for this category was
identification number (specifically excluded from either of the above two categories) as the concept is
the same (i.e. the ID number is used to identify individuals) but not identical across agencies.
►
Unmatched information where the information collected from the forms did not fit into any of the above
categories
Data element group
Identical information
Same information
collected
differently
Underlying concept
is similar but not
identical
TOTAL
Unmatched
information
Individual details
Partner/ Carer details
Dependent's details
Children's details
Housing status
Employment status
Disability status
Assistance to access service
Financial details
Total
96
9
103
208
173
23
2
36
61
54
7
0
7
14
20
8
0
9
17
33
3
0
0
3
29
2
0
0
2
22
0
0
0
0
14
2
0
0
2
5
22
1
0
23
219
163
12
155
330
569
Table 6: Ready Application of Information into a Reliance Framework9
The key findings are of this analysis is that the data element group with the largest overall potential for
ready application within a reliance framework is the individual details followed by the Partner/Carer
details10.
A more detailed assessment of the extent of similarity within each data element is presented in Section 8 of
the document ‘Analysis Approach’. These tables identify the data elements within the data element groups
that can be applied within a Reliance Framework in the immediate, near and long term. 11
8A
sample of 60 forms were analysed in detail to determine the ready application of information within a Reliance Framework. A list of
these of these forms can be found in Section 7 of the document ‘Analysis Approach’
9 Section 8 of the document ‘Analysis Approach’ presents a more detailed assessment by each of the 9 data elements
10 These findings are based on an assumption that information will be shared across the Commonwealth through a Reliance
Framework
11 A PDF file of the ready application analysis can be provided upon request
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6.
Cluster Groupings
The service interaction maps12 illustrate the interactions between Individuals and the Commonwealth. This
section provides a summary of those service interactions.
When people experience a Life Event or identify as a particular Customer Type they interact with a number
of agencies. Table 7 shows the extent of this interaction.
Number in the Cluster
Number of Service
Interactions
Number of Agency
interactions13
Life Events
14
Customer Types
8
120
149
45
33
Table 7: Cluster groupings - data summary table
12 Service
13 Refers
interaction maps are presented in Section 9 in the document ‘Analysis Approach’
to the total number of agency interactions
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