New independent research has found most councils across Australia and New Zealand struggle to clearly demonstrate the value generated by their technology investments, despite spending millions modernising critical systems.
The research from Intelligent Business Research Services (IBRS) found that in almost every council studied, measurement of benefits stopped after implementation, leaving councils unable to answer a fundamental question: what value did we get for the investment?
Many councils are running ageing systems approaching end of life while facing growing cybersecurity risks, tighter budgets and rising service expectations. As councils accelerate digital transformation, the ability to measure and demonstrate value has become as important as the technology itself.
To help councils maximise the return on digital transformation, TechnologyOne commissioned independent research from IBRS Senior Advisor & Analyst Dr Joe Sweeney, resulting in Local Government Digital Transformation: A Practical Guide to Value Realisation.
The research argues that technology projects should not end at go-live. Instead, councils that continuously measure outcomes, refine processes and track benefits over time achieve significantly stronger community and operational outcomes.
To support Councils, the report introduces the Continuous Digital Transformation (CDT) Framework. The framework includes a maturity model, value register, ROI calculator, readiness assessment, workshop guide and governance tools to help councils embed value realisation into everyday operations.
“This report gives every council in the country a practical roadmap to measure, demonstrate and maximise the return on their technology investments,” said TechnologyOne’s EVP Local Government, Ben Malpass.
“For too long, success has been measured by whether a project was delivered on time and on budget. The real measure of success is the value created after implementation.
“Councils that measure value are better placed to make confident investment decisions, build community trust and unlock the potential of AI opportunities. The leading councils of the next decade will be those that build a culture of improvement and leverage their data to demonstrate real outcomes for their community,” he said.
IBRS Senior Advisor & Analyst Dr Joe Sweeney says the moment a new system goes live “isn’t the finish line, it’s the starting line”.
“The councils getting the greatest value from their technology treat value realisation as an ongoing discipline,” he said.
“They assign accountability, measure outcomes, and continuously improve long after implementation is complete.”
Download the full report HERE.
