[CITY] will use data and common platforms to support the creation of data-driven public services, ensuring that service delivery is efficient, transparent, and responsive to community needs.
Enabling Data-Driven Services
Currently, many municipal services rely on manual processes and inaccessible formats, such as paper-based forms for service requests and issue reporting. These inefficiencies make it difficult to collect, analyse, and act on data in real-time, leading to delays in service delivery and gaps in monitoring performance.
One of the other key challenges faced by [CITY] officials is that they do not have guidelines or formats that can help with creating digital forms. Currently, whenever digital forms are used by municipal officials, they are created by teams on an ad-hoc basis and rely on personal discretionary. This can often lead to many errors and wrong or unnecessary data being collected the first time.
[CITY] will prioritise digitising data collection and management processes, ensuring that data is captured correctly the first time and is securely stored and shared. By embedding standardised digital workflows across departments, the municipality will enable more responsive service delivery while maintaining data security and privacy. The CDataO team will also create standardised forms as guidelines for teams to collect data, similar to what has been done in the UK Digital Government approach.
[CITY] will use disaggregated service delivery data to monitor and proactively address disparities in access to public services. This includes tracking trends such as response times for service complaints in informal settlements vs. affluent areas, and public transport reliability by gender and disability status. By applying an equity-focused approach to analytics, the municipality can ensure that data-driven governance leads to fairer, more inclusive service delivery outcomes.
Collecting the Right Data in the Right Way
To build a strong foundation for data-driven services, [CITY] must ensure that the right data is collected at the right time. This includes:
- Standardising Data Collection: Ensuring that all departments use digital, structured forms to collect service-related data.
- Minimising Data Duplication: Identifying the foundational data in the city and defining a common way of accessing data based on an individual’s role.
- Ensuring Data Privacy & Security: Implementing strong data protection measures to safeguard resident information while enabling responsible data accessibility.
By capturing accurate data at the source and reducing reliance on manual methods, the municipality can enhance decision-making, improve efficiency, and provide better services to residents.
Real-Time Services for the Public
Real-time data collection and analysis will allow [CITY] to respond more quickly to service requests and emerging issues. Key initiatives include:
- Performance Dashboards: Live dashboards tracking service response times, resolution rates, and issue trends.
- Automated Data Collection: Forms and digital workflows to streamline data input across city departments.
- API-Driven Services: Enabling departments and external stakeholders to access and integrate municipal service data securely and efficiently.
- Proactive Service Monitoring: Using automated alerts and predictive analytics to address service issues before they escalate.
- Notifications Platform: A single, centralised space where residents can report issues and receive updates. Any services provided by the [CITY] can be communicated in this space.
Action Items
- Publish public data on service performance, ensuring transparency and accountability in municipal operations
- Develop a central forms platform to allow departments to collect and manage data digitally, replacing inefficient manual processes
- Create and maintain a list of APIs that provide structured access to city service data, enabling interoperability and better service integration