HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO 01-24Report to
Executive Committee
Report Number: CAO 01-24
Date: February 5, 2024
From: Marisa Carpino
Chief Administrative Officer
Subject: Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy
-File: A-1440
Recommendation:
1.That the Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy prepared by MNP Digital Inc. dated
September 2023, and provided as Attachment 1, be endorsed in principle;
2.That the recommendations from the Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy be
considered, along with all other municipal priorities, through future annual municipal plans
and budget processes
3.That the appropriate officials of the City of Pickering be authorized to take the necessary
actions as indicated in this report.
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s endorsement, in
principle, of the City’s Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy (Digital Strategy), as
prepared by MNP Digital Inc. (set out in Attachment 1). This report also provides a summary of
the consultant’s work and key deliverables over the span of the project, which has an eight
year implementation plan.
Relationship to the Pickering Strategic Plan: The recommendations in this report
respond to the Pickering Strategic Plan Priorities of Advance Innovation & Responsible
Planning to Support a Connected, Well-Serviced Community - with a strategic focus on
promoting community connectivity and accessibility; and Foster an Engaged & Informed
Community – with a strategic focus on making information and services readily accessible and
available to all community members.
It also supports the Corporate Key of Good Governance/Customer Service Excellence, with a
strategic focus on promoting the organizational efficiency and effectiveness, along with
exceptional customer service.
Financial Implications: The implementation of the Digital Strategy will have budgetary
implications that will be considered as part of future budgets.
CAO 01-24 February 5, 2024
Subject: Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy Page 2
Discussion:
A. The need for a Digital Strategy
The City of Pickering is embarking on a transformational journey to become a municipal leader
in citizen-centred digital services. Through the development and execution of a Digital
Strategy, the City is setting the foundation for future service delivery by establishing a vision,
an organization-wide commitment, and clear accountability and actions for the City’s digital
future. It is important that the City prioritizes digitization in pursuit of high quality services to the
community, leverages data to make business decisions, and creates a convenient and
enhanced service experience for all citizens.
It is important to note that a Digital Strategy encompasses more than the traditional role of
Information Technology within an organization. A Digital Strategy guides an organization’s
business and digital transformation through the recommendation of future investments in
people, processes, and technology, enabling the integration of digital technology into all areas
of a business, fundamentally changing how organizations operate and deliver value to citizens
and other stakeholders. It is about using technology to make processes more efficient,
improving the customer experience, and identifying new ways to deliver services.
B. Background
The recommended proposal from MNP Digital Inc. in response to RFP 2022-2, in the amount
of $161,798.00 (net of HST), was approved by Council through Resolution #982/22 (see
Attachment 3) on September 6, 2022 and included in the 2022 Current Budget.
MNP has experience working with over 750 municipal clients across Canada in a number of
service areas, including Digital Transformation Strategy and Solutions. MNP Digital Inc. has
developed a Municipal Technology Framework that outlines leading practices for how
municipalities can leverage modern technology to achieve excellence in program and service
delivery.
C. Key Project Deliverables
1. The Current State Report (Attachment 2) includes key drivers for change based on leading
practices and industry trends, case studies comparing municipal digital strategies across the
world, a summary of the City of Pickering’s digital maturity, learnings from staff, leadership,
and Council, as well as the identification of key opportunities.
2. The Digital Strategy includes a budget/investment plan and implementation plan for
technology. MNP Digital Inc. has developed a prioritized list of capabilities that can help drive
digital transformation in our organization, as well as a list of possible service changes, service
expansions, and service improvements for our various business units. Also included is a ‘What
We Heard’ Report summarizing learnings from stakeholder engagement.
CAO 01-24 February 5, 2024
Subject: Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy Page 3
D.Engagement
MNP Digital Inc. and the City’s Corporate Communications team facilitated a number of
engagement opportunities to collect feedback from Members of Council, project Steering
Committee, staff, and members of the public. Please refer to page 29 of Attachment 1 for an
overview of engagement efforts.
Outlined below is a summary of the key findings from engagement with stakeholders, with a
full ‘What We Heard’ Report included in page 28 of Attachment 1.
•The City of Pickering is experiencing significant economic and residential growth that is
expected to continue over the next several years. There is an understanding that digital
opportunities can be leveraged to ensure the needs and expectations of the community are
met.
•Digital can be utilized to enable connections and engagement between the City and
community; however, consideration must be given to various demographics and the related
accessibility and digital literacy challenges.
•There is an importance related to ensuring technology is user-friendly and accessible for
the people who are utilizing it. Tools and service delivery must be intuitive to drive adoption
and engagement through digital channels.
•The balance of an omnichannel approach (a variety of integrated digital, print, and in-
person channels) is critical to meeting the diverse community’s needs and expectations.
•Opportunities can be provided to increase the digital literacy, skills, adoption, and
perception throughout the community, including focusing on building trust and reliability
with digital services.
E.Recommendations
MNP’s recommendations follow a Municipal Technology and Innovation Framework, which
uses leading practices for leveraging modern technology to continuously improve municipal
services.
The three main focus areas are:
1.Digital Transformation – This involves replacing manual processes with digital processes or
replacing older digital technology with newer digital technology.
2.Technology Governance – This involves organizational change management of how
technology is selected, managed and maintained.
3.Data and Analytics – This involves data architecture, privacy and cyber security.
The first phase includes a focus on upgrading the City’s website to ensure a user-friendly
experience, with attention to content, design, and navigation, and optimum performance using
the latest web technologies. It also includes streamlining digital service delivery through the
development of an online customer portal, enhancement to e-Commerce offerings, and the
exploration of an online tax portal solution.
CAO 01-24 February 5, 2024
Subject: Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy Page 4
These digital initiatives are expected to commence in mid-late 2024 and may take three to five
years to fully realize, contingent on securing sufficient staff resources required to implement
and support the Digital Strategy.
This phase will also focus on setting the foundation for long-term success by developing strong
digital governance practices. The City of Pickering has traditionally operated using a
decentralized approach to managing technology and data for the organization and this shift to
an organization-wide digital governance model will enable the City to achieve efficiencies and
strengthen security practices to protect the City and its stakeholders.
Subsequent years place a significant focus on opportunities to increase digital literacy both for
employees as well as the community, and enhancing the City’s ability to use data to make
informed decisions. A significant focus is also placed on continuous organization-wide
management of security and privacy, as well as the multitude of internal business applications
to drive efficient and effective delivery of services.
The digital transformation investments outlined in this report represent a strategic step towards
enhancing the City’s digital presence and efficiency and creating a more connected and user-
friendly experience for City staff, citizens, and stakeholders.
Attachments:
1.Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy dated September 2023
2.Digital Readiness and Strategy Current State Report revised March 7, 2023
3.Resolution #982/22
Prepared By: Approved/Endorsed By:
Shauna Muir Mark Guinto
Supervisor, Public Affairs & Division Head, Public Affairs &
Corporate Communications Corporate Communications
Dale Quaife
Division Head, Information Technology
MG:sm
Original Signed By Original Signed By
Original Signed By
CAO 01-24 February 5, 2024
Subject: Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy Page 5
Recommended for the consideration
of Pickering City Council
Marisa Carpino, M.A.
Chief Administrative Officer
Original Signed By
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Digital Strategy
Digital Readiness and Strategy
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September 2023
Attachment #1 to CAO 01-24
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Table of Contents
1.Project Overview (pages 3-5)
2.What We Heard Summary (page 6)
3.Current State Summary (page 7)
4.Digital Vision and Outcomes (page 8)
5.Benefits of Digital Transformation (page 9)
6.Our Digital Strategy (page 10)
7.Digital Strategy Work Streams (page 11)
8.Digital Strategy Roadmap (pages 12-24)
9.Digital Strategy Cost Summary (pages 25-27)
10.Appendix: What We Heard Report (pages 28-45)
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The City of Pickering is embarking on a transformation journey to become a
municipal leader in citizen-centred digital services. Through the development of
a Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy, the City has set the foundation for
future service delivery by establishing an organization-wide commitment and
clear accountability and actions.
3Wherever business takes you
Digital Readiness and Strategy
It is important to note that a Digital Strategy encompasses more than the traditional role of Information Technology within an organization.
A Digital Strategy guides an organization’s business and digital transformation through the integration of digital technology into all areas of a
business, fundamentally changing how organizations operate and deliver value to citizens and other stakeholders. It is about using technology to
make processes more efficient, improving the customer experience, and identifying new ways to deliver services.
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Modern Municipalities
4
Expectations of municipalities around the world have changed. They are faced
with operating in a period of rapid change, and citizens today want a more
open, integrated, digital and interactive experience. As a result, they are
shifting towards a citizen-centric service delivery model that applies an
integrated and iterative approach to delivering services to the community.
Municipalities across the world have adopted digitization efforts in attempts to
provide high quality services to stakeholders through diverse platforms. In
addition,the COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations to quickly embrace
technology and shift services and operations to a digital environment.More
and more, citizens want to access relevant and timely information through
transparent and convenient digital means. As a result,exceptional services that
are centralized, accessible and available through digital channels is emerging
as a top priority for local government organizations.
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Digital transformation is a key strategic initiative that municipalities around the world are
undertaking to modernize their technology and enhance their use of data and innovation in
order to meet the changing needs and expectations of their citizens, businesses,
community stakeholders and employees. Digital cities hold the promise to creating more
accessible, inclusive, and collaborative urban spaces that are resilient, healthy, and vibrant.
The City of Pickering’s future is exciting and transformational –and this Digital Strategy is
helping us get there by focusing on using technology, data, and innovation to drive stronger
connections and enhance the delivery of programs and services.
Our team worked through the activities shown right to ensure this Digital Strategy was
reflective of our diverse community needs as well as learnings from other organizations who
are also undergoing service transformations.
Thank you to all those who were involved in the creation of the City of Pickering’s Digital
Strategy. From our project team, City employees and City leadership to the many community
members and other stakeholders who shared their perspectives and ideas, we are appreciative
and grateful for your time and contributions.
5
Project Overview
NOVEMBER –JANUARY 2023Data Gathering and Analysis
JANUARY –FEBRUARY 2023 Internal Stakeholder Engagement
MARCH –APRIL 2023 Public and Community Engagement
APRIL –SEPTEMBER 2023Digital Strategy Report
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What We Heard Summary
6
A key component of the development of the Digital Strategy was engagement with both internal City staff and diverse community stakeholders. A comprehensive engagement plan was developed to enable effective connections and discussions to gather valuable information that drove the development of a
meaningful and relevant Digital Strategy.
Outlined below is a summary of the key findings from engagement with stakeholders, with a full What We Heard Report available in the Appendix.
•The City of Pickering is experiencing significant economic and residential growth that is expected to continue over the next several years. There is an
understanding that digital opportunities can be leveraged to ensure the needs and expectations of the community are met.
•Digital can be utilized to enable connections and engagement between the City and community; however, consideration must be given to various
demographics and the related accessibility and digital literacy challenges.
•There is an importance related to ensuring technology is user-friendly and accessible for the people who are utilizing it. Tools and service delivery must be
intuitive to drive adoption and engagement through digital channels.
•The balance of an omnichannel approach is critical to meeting the diverse community’s needs and expectations (i.e. seniors).
•Opportunities can be provided to increase the digital literacy, skills, adoption, and perception throughout the community, including focusing on building
trust and reliability with digital services.
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Current State Summary
7
Like many municipalities and public sector organizations, the City
of Pickering has traditionally operated using a decentralized
approach to managing technology and data for the
organization. This means that business areas outside of the
Information Technology Division will typically manage and oversee
their own business applications with limited or no oversight or
involvement from IT. It has also led to a lack of standardization
when it comes to business processes, procedures, expectations,
and guidelines, including the ability for IT to manage cyber
security risks and for the organization’s data to be recognized as a
corporate asset.
Additionally, the IT Division is limited in their ability to provide
enhanced support to the organization due to resource capacity
constraints.
With the implementation of a Corporate Digital Governance
structure, the City will be able to proactively increase
collaboration between departments and the IT Division when it
comes to making technology investment and sourcing
decisions.
The City is not alone in this situation. Historically, many public sector
organizations have limited funding for technology in favour of
investing funds into direct service areas. This has resulted a
significant gap in how to meet the demand from citizens and the
community for a streamlined digital experience as well as the
ability to effectively manage and use data and information for
strategic and operational decision-making.
Trends have started to show an increase in spending on digital
transformation, third party hosted applications, cloud infrastructure,
and data analytics across the public sector as organizations embark
on their journey to modernize and embrace the digital future.
Municipalities across Canada and the world are digitizing their
business processes and interactions with citizens, as well as becoming
leaders with Open Data and Smart City initiatives through the
adoption of innovative and disruptive technologies as well as the
movement to more open and transparent digital governance
models.
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Digital Vision and Outcomes
8
Vision
Advancing digital service
delivery and citizen
experience that is
accessible, trustworthy,
and convenient and
supports our diverse
population and growth.
Outcomes
A future state vision helps to purposefully and clearly articulate an organization’s future Digital direction and aspirations. It is meant to unite and generate
support from employees and other stakeholders by providing a clear, concise statement on the future of the organization.
Digital services are accessible, inclusive, age-friendly, and reflective of diverse
community needs, with a focus on adapting and responding as those needs evolve. 1.
Digital services and information are reliable and trustworthy, building
stronger relationships between the City and community.2.
Digital literacy and skills are supported through awareness-building and
community partnerships, leading to more relevant digital connections.3.
Internal processes and tools are streamlined and automated in order to
facilitate reliable, timely, and consistent service delivery.4.
Employees have the skills, capacity and resources to understand and use
data and information to achieve a culture of data-driven decision-making.5.
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Many municipalities are undergoing significant digital transformations to drive innovation and enhance direct service delivery in their communities. Though it
requires dedicated time and resources, digital transformation drives operational efficiency, fosters connections, and will enable the City to match the pace of
growth and development.
Benefits of Digital Transformation
9
Digital transformation focuses on leveraging modern technology to standardize, streamline and automate
processes in order to deliver greater value to the community. It results in employees being able to focus their time
and energy on higher value activities rather than manual tasks which in turn results in greater, more efficient
service delivery. It also enables the City to reimagine how services are delivered in order to meet the changing
needs and expectations of the people they serve.
A specific focus on digital service delivery empowers the organization to make decisions that will transform the
way the public interacts with the City and within the community they live in. As digital becomes intertwined in
everyday life, municipalities are faced with growing community needs and desires to utilize technology to conduct
business. In addition, increasing digital service delivery can increase integration of accessibility features that meet
the diverse needs of community members.
When municipalities effectively leverage digital tools, they have the opportunity to enhance internal processes to
gain efficiencies by reducing the manual effort needed. This is critical to municipalities that are experiencing
significant growth as it mitigates the need to hire additional resources that solely focus on processing an increasing
number of manual transactions.
Lastly, many municipalities discover an increase in community engagement throughout and after digital
transformation initiatives as individual and groups are able to easily access what they need, when and how they need
it. An increase in community engagement and connections is key to empowering and strengthening the City as a
whole.
Increased operational efficiency results in a more streamlined
and efficient citizen experience
Enhances the ability to meet the
needs of the community and increase accessibility from a digital lens
Fosters digital connections and engagement within the
community
Enables the City to match the pace
of community growth through digital tools and processes
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Our Digital Strategy
Our Digital Strategy sets the direction for the City of Pickering’s digital journey for the next eight
years. It is comprised of six Work Streams, with each Stream consisting of a number of Activities. Activities will encompass projects, initiatives, and ongoing tasks that will contribute to the achievement
of the outcomes described earlier in this report.
The following pages provide an overview of each Work Stream as well as a Roadmap of Activities, including resource estimates and timing.
The implementation of a Digital Strategy is a large undertaking for the City. There are many components and activities that must be completed to enable short-and long-term effectiveness and success for the
City and community. The transformation and sustainment of a Digital Strategy requires organization-
wide commitment, clear accountability and dedicated resources.
It is recommended that the City establish a Digital Transformation Office that will lead the
implementation of the Digital Strategy and related projects over the next five years. The Digital Transformation Office will foster communication and integration across the City to effectively manage
and execute various projects and activities. This structure will enable the City to establish appropriate accountability for progress towards the City’s digital vision and outcomes while prioritizing collaboration and effectively supporting ongoing operations.
The organization will need to determine the most appropriate placement of the Digital Transformation Office within the organizational structure.
There are foundational elements that are required in order to support the successful implementation of a Digital Strategy. This includes ensuring adequate resourcing for such areas as technology project management, application oversight, technology infrastructure management, and cyber security. A
review of the adequacy of the resourcing within these areas was not within the scope of this project.
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Digital Strategy Work Streams
11
Based on key findings and opportunities, the following work streams have been identified to implement and sustain digital transformation initiatives. A key factor in
leveraging the following opportunities is effective resource management and investment to successfully implement and sustain transformation initiatives.
Digital Governance and Leadership
The corporate-wide framework and tools that guide the City’s digital
future and experience, ensuring programs and services are effective
in meeting the needs of all internal and external stakeholders.
Data and Information Accessibility
Effective management and analysis of current and future municipal
data to increase transparency and establish a culture of data driven
decision making.
Citizen Platforms and Experience
Digital technologies and initiatives that enable the City to provide
citizens and other external stakeholders with high quality digital
services and engaging interaction.
Business Applications
Effective sourcing, selection, and management of the City’s
applications with necessary functionalities and capabilities to enable
employees to serve citizens seamlessly.
Digital Literacy
Enhancing the knowledge, skills and capabilities of employees,
citizens, and other external stakeholders to access, manage,
integrate, analyze and evaluate information, grow knowledge and
skills, and create and communicate with others.
Technology Risk Management
A formal corporate-wide mechanism to understand, articulate,
mitigate, and track technology risk at both a strategic and
operational level in order to support and sustain the digital
transformation.
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Digital Governance and Leadership
12
#Activity New FTE Requirements New FTE Costs External Consulting Estimated Effort External Consulting Costs Implementation Year
DGL-1 Create and Resource Digital Transformation Office 2 new FTEs $275,000 annually --2-3
DGL-2 Develop Corporate Digital Governance
Framework, including:--Outlined below Outlined below 2-3
DGL-2A •Digital Investment Framework --85 hours $17,000 2-3
DGL-2B •Technology Vendor Management Framework --40 hours $8,000 2-3
DGL-2C •Data Governance Framework --50 hours $10,000 2-3
DGL-2D •Citizen Digital Platform Governance Framework --45 hours $9,000 2-3
DGL-2E •Technology Risk Management Framework --30 hours $6,000 2-3
Total Work Stream Cost 2 new FTEs $1,787,500 $50,000 $1,837,500
The corporate-wide framework and tools that guide the City’s digital future and experience, ensuring programs and services are effective in meeting the needs of all
internal and external stakeholders.
Note: New FTE placement within the organization will need to be determined.
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Digital Governance and Leadership
13
The following summarizes the role and job description for the new FTEs identified for Digital Governance and Leadership.
Senior Staff Resource, Digital Transformation
The Senior Staff Resource for Digital Transformation will be
responsible for leading the implementation of the Digital Strategy
initiative and related activities.
•Lead the planning and successful implementation of complex
strategic and transformational digital initiatives as outlined in the
Digital Strategy roadmap
•Lead the development, implementation, and sustainment of
effective digital governance structures for the City
•Work with the City’s leadership team to enable and support
organization-wide collaboration for the advancement of digital
activities and initiatives
•Lead the planning and execution of a strong change management
and communications plan to drive internal and external
engagement, create positive momentum, and sustainment
•Remain current with industry trends and emerging technologies
and determine their potential impact on the digital citizen
experience
Staff Resource, Digital Transformation
The Staff Resource for Digital Transformation will support the
implementation of the Digital Strategy initiative and related activities.
•Collaborate with stakeholders to advance activities within the
Digital Strategy roadmap
•Support the development, implementation, and sustainment of
effective digital governance structures for the City
•Support project management activities, including defining scope
of work, schedules, timelines, milestones, and required resources
to meet the goals and objectives
•Gather, analyze, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data,
and develop strategic recommendations
•Support the preparation and distribution of communications to
leadership on project progress and status
•Support change management and communications efforts related
to the Digital Strategy implementation
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Data and Information Accessibility
14
#Activity New FTE Requirements New FTE Costs External Consulting Estimated Effort External Consulting Costs Implementation Year
DIA-1 Develop Corporate Data Strategy --300 hours $60,000 2-3
DIA-2 Develop Data Inventory and Gap Analysis 2 new FTE $250,000 annually 150 hours $30,000 4-5
DIA-3 Develop Data and Information Privacy Program in
accordance with Data Privacy and Protection regulations
--300 hours $60,000 2-3
DIA-4 Digitization of Corporate Records --300 hours $60,000 4-6
DIA-5 Identify Business Intelligence and Data Analytics Opportunities --150 hours $30,000 2
DIA-6 Develop Business Intelligence and Applied Data
Roadmap, including pilot rollout --250 hours $50,000 2
DIA-7 Identify Digital Tools for Data Analytics --100 hours $20,000 3
DIA-8 Create Corporate Open Data Internal Working Group 1 new FTE $100,000 annually 30 hours $6,000 3
DIA-9 Create Open Data Citizen Advisory Committee --30 hours $6,000 4
DIA-10 Develop Open Data Citizen Toolkit --100 hours $20,000 4
DIA-11 Enhance Open Data Portal --300 hours $60,000 4
DIA-12 Identify Open Data Partnerships --60 hours $12,000 5
Total Work Stream Cost 3 new FTEs $1,450,000 $414,000 $1,654,000
Effective management and analysis of current and future municipal data to increase transparency and establish a culture of data driven decision making.
Note: New FTE placement within the organization will need to be determined.
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Data and Information Accessibility
15
The following summarizes the role and job description for the new FTEs identified for Data and Information Accessibility.
Senior Staff Resource, Corporate Data
The Senior Staff Resource for Corporate Data will be responsible for
ensuring City data and information is consolidated, useable and
available for relevant stakeholders.
•Manage the implementation of the Corporate Data Strategy and
Data Governance Framework
•Ensure data is treated as a strategic asset and oversee organizational
data governance standards and activities in alignment with Data
Governance Framework
•Ensure data plays an integral role driving ongoing analytics and
business intelligence to drive data driven decision making
•Work closely with business areas to ensure data is of high quality,
follows expected standard, and has consistent meaning
•Maintain and evaluate roadmap for use of data through alignment
of business strategy, technology, and data sources
•Provide leadership to the development of the City’s Open Data
Program and partnerships
•Identify information to be made publicly available through Open
Data portal
Staff Resource, Corporate Data and Information
The Staff Resource for Corporate Data and Information will support the
implementation of the Corporate Data Strategy.
•Use a variety of systems to collect, organize, blend and analyze organizational
data and information, including the development of data analysis, dashboards
and reports
•Work with stakeholders to identify scope of data and information analysis,
dashboards and reports to ensure that dashboards and reports meet the
needs of the organization
•Independently validate the data for completeness, accuracy and relevance.
Seek validation from a variety of perspectives to continuously improve the
accuracy of the analysis
•Research new reporting styles and techniques including visual presentation
best practices and assist with the development of standard practices and
processes for data collection
•Identify data issues; work with the business and IT to recommend solutions,
initiate resolutions
•Identify information to be made publicly available through Open Data portal
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Data and Information Accessibility
16
The following summarizes the role and job description for the new FTEs identified for Data and Information Accessibility.
Staff Resource, Data Accessibility
The Staff Resource for Data Accessibility will be responsible for the
publication of the City's data to the Open Data platform.
•Coordinates the development of data visualizations and other
data-oriented solutions that consume open data
•Structuring datasets for publication, reviewing them to ensure
compliance with City policies (including privacy), ensuring data
and metadata quality, and supporting open data users
•Build relationships with leaders across the City to co-develop new
opportunities for using data and analysis to improve the delivery
and help measure the performance of City services
•Develop and train open data stakeholders internally and externally
•Build and maintain relationships with civic technology
organizations and seek to develop partnerships that leverage City
open data to help solve community issues
•Foster a data-driven culture, helping to develop capacity to
understand data and use it in decision-making
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Citizen Platforms and Experience
17
Digital technologies and initiatives that enable the City to provide citizens and other external stakeholders with high quality digital services and engaging interaction.
#Activity New FTE
Requirements New FTE Costs External Consulting Estimated Effort External Consulting Costs Implementation Year
CPE-1 Enhance City Website, including:--Outlined below Outlined below 1-2
CPE-1A •Conduct Content Inventory and Audit --75 hours $15,000 1-2
CPE-1B •Conduct Useability Review, including User Research --75 hours $15,000 1-2
CPE-1C •Develop Content Strategy --100 hours $20,000 1-2
CPE-1D •Redesign the User Experience --225 hours $45,000 1-2
CPE-1E •Document Website Requirements, including
Accessibility --125 hours $25,000 1-2
CPE-1F •Develop Procurement Strategy and Documents --75 hours $15,000 1-2
CPE-1G •Procure and Contract Website Vendor --75 hours $15,000 1-2
CPE-1H •Develop and Implement Website --500 hours $100,000 1-2
CPE-1I •Migrate Content --250 hours $50,000 1-2
CPE-1J •Develop Website Management Plan --125 hours $25,000 1-2
Work Stream Activities continued next page.
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Citizen Platforms and Experience (continued)
18
Digital technologies and initiatives that enable the City to provide citizens and other external stakeholders with high quality digital services and engaging interaction.
#Activity New FTE Requirements New FTE Costs External Consulting
Estimated Effort
External Consulting
Costs
Implementation
Year
CPE-2 Develop Citizen Portal and Streamline e-Commerce, including:--Outlined below Outlined below 1-2
CPE-2A
•Identify Scope of Citizen Portal, including specific opportunities for streamlining payments and increasing self-service opportunities (i.e. new property tax solution)
--275 hours $55,000 1-2
CPE-2B •Document Citizen Portal and e-Commerce Requirements --300 hours $60,000 1-2
CPE-2C •Develop Procurement Strategy and Documents --90 hours $18,000 1-2
CPE-2D •Procure and Contract Portal Vendor --90 hours $18,000 1-2
CPE-2E •Develop and Implement Citizen Portal --1200 hours $240,000 1-2
CPE-2F •Streamline Citizen Payment Process --500 hours $100,000 1-2
CPE-2G •Identify and Implement Necessary Website Portal Integrations --425 hours $85,000 1-2
CPE-3 Identify Additional Digital Tools or Add-Ons to
above to Enhance Citizen Experience ----3-8
CPE-4 Create Citizen Digital Transformation Community of Practice --250 hours $50,000 4-8
Total Work Stream Cost $951,000
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Technology Risk Management
19
#Activity New FTE Requirements New FTE Costs External Consulting Estimated Effort External Consulting Costs Implementation Year
TRM-1 Implement Cyber Recommendations 2 new FTEs $300,000 annually 100 hours $30,000 2-3
TRM-2 Document and Enhance Cyber Security Program --200 hours $60,000 2-3
TRM-3 Document and Enhance Disaster Recovery Plan --200 hours $40,000 2-3
TRM-4 Document and Enhance Business Continuity Plan --200 hours $40,000 2-3
TRM-5 Strengthen Cyber Security Practices --200 hours $60,000 4-6
Total Work Stream Cost 2 new FTEs $1,975,000 $230,000 $2,205,000
A formal corporate-wide mechanism to understand, articulate, mitigate, and track technology risk at both a strategic and operational level in order to support and
sustain the digital transformation.
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Technology Risk Management
20
The following summarizes the role and job description for the new FTEs identified for Technology Risk Management.
Senior Staff Resource, Cyber Security
The Senior Staff Resource for Cyber Security will define and
implement the Cyber Security Program for the City.
•Engage with the City’s leadership team and business areas to raise
awareness and understanding of cyber risks and threats
•Lead the development of the cyber security risk register
•Ensure required controls are in place to mitigate cyber threats
•Ensure controls are consistently applied and reviewed on a regular
basis
•Drive City-wide adoption of secure behaviors resulting in a high
performing security organization and culture
•Remain informed of the changing landscape of preventative cyber
security
•Provide quarterly cyber security report to the City’s leadership
team.
•Work with third-party vendors to ensure proper security controls
and processes are in place
•Manage risk of emerging technologies
Staff Resource, Cyber Security
The Staff Resource for Cyber Security will be responsible for
supporting the City’s cyber security program.
•Conduct cyber security risk assessments, including risk
identification, analysis, and evaluation
•Understand and work to mitigate residual risks identified in the
cyber security risk register
•Track remediation activities with key business and technical
stakeholders
•Facilitate scoped and scheduled cyber security risk assessments of
select business applications and platforms
Wherever business takes you
Business Applications
21
#Activity New FTE Requirements New FTE Costs External Consulting Estimated Effort External Consulting Costs Implementation Year
BA-1 Develop Business Applications Inventory 3 new FTEs $350,000 annually --3-4
BA-2 Document and Enhance Application Lifecycle Management Plan --75 hours $15,000 3-4
BA-3 Streamline Business Application Functionality --450 (150 hours per year)$90,000 5-7
BA-4 Enhance Business Application Integrations --750 (250 hours per year)$150,000 6-8
Total Work Stream Cost 3 new FTEs $1,800,000 $255,000 $2,055,000
Effective sourcing, selection, and management of the City’s applications with necessary functionalities and capabilities to enable employees to serve citizens
seamlessly.
Wherever business takes you
Business Applications
22
The following summarizes the role and job description for the new FTEs identified for Business Applications.
Senior Staff Resource, Corporate Business Applications
The Senior Staff Resource for Corporate Business Applications is
responsible for developing the City’s business application inventory,
ensuring effective lifecycle management, and streamlining and
enhancing business application integrations and functionality.
•Oversee the delivery of enterprise-wide applications and
associated custom and third-party integrations for all business
areas across the City
•Maintain a comprehensive understanding of applicable business
processes and systems to identify where technology will enhance
efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery
•Manage the team responsible for analysis, design, development,
configuration integration, implementation and support of
enterprise applications including supporting technologies as well
as custom and third-party integrations that support the City’s
business processes
•Lead the development, maintenance, and ongoing support of
application architecture which includes defining and implementing
standards, continuous refinement activities, maintenance, change
requests, risk management, and reporting
Staff Resource, Corporate Business Applications (2)
The Staff Resource for Corporate Business Applications works to
support the City’s business application inventory, ensuring effective
lifecycle management, and streamlining and enhancing business
application integrations and functionality.
•Manage the maintenance of various business applications across
the City throughout the complete lifecycle from requirements
definition to implementation and transition to support to eventual
decommissioning
•Manage multiple business applications throughout the
organization,which vary in size and complexity and span domains
•Provide an enterprise-wide view of all IT initiatives, investigate
solutions, apply business acumen, and develop quality deliverables
to support investment decisions
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Digital Literacy
23
#Activity New FTE
Requirements
New FTE
Costs
External Consulting
Estimated Effort
External Consulting
Costs
Implementation
Year
DL-1 Identify Digital Literacy Partnership Opportunities, including Resources and Connections for Community Members Needing Digital Literacy Support --60 hours $12,000 2-3
DL-2 Develop Internal Communications and Change Management Plan for Digital Strategy Implementation 1 new FTE $100,000 annually 250 hours $50,000 2-3
DL-3 Implement Internal Communications and Change Management Plan for Digital Strategy Implementation --600 hours $120,000 2-5
DL-4
Develop External Communications for Digital Strategy Implementation in alignment with Citizen Platforms and Experience Work Stream, including Digital Services Toolkit and How-to Videos
1 new FTE $100,000 annually 250 hours $50,000 2-3
DL-5 Implement External Communications or Digital Strategy Implementation --300 hours $60,000 2-3
DL-6 Develop Internal Training Plan for Digital Strategy Implementation --250 hours $50,000 2-3
DL-7 Implement Internal Training Plan for Digital Strategy Implementation --600 $120,000 2-5
Total Work Stream Cost 2 new FTEs $1,300,000 $462,000 $1,762,000
Enhancing the knowledge, skills and capabilities of employees, citizens, and other external stakeholders to access, manage, integrate, analyze and evaluate
information, grow knowledge and skills, and create and communicate with others.
Note: New FTE placement within the organization will need to be determined.
Wherever business takes you
Digital Literacy
24
The following summarizes the role and job description for the new FTEs identified for Digital Literacy.
Staff Resource, Internal Change Management and
Communications
The Staff Resource for Internal Change Management and
Communications will be responsible for the development and
delivery of internal change management, communications, and
training in support of the Digital Strategy implementation.
•Apply a structured methodology to drive change management,
training, adoption and communications activities related to digital
transformation projects and initiatives
•Provide support to align vision, outcomes, and culture through
targeted change efforts, sponsor commitment, leadership
alignment, stakeholder engagement and other strategic
interventions
•Create holistic change management strategies and integrate
change management activities into project plans, including
assessing the change impact related to transformation initiatives
and creating actionable deliverables such as communications,
sponsor roadmap, coaching plan, training plan, resistance
management plan, and benefits realization
Staff Resource, External Change Management and
Communications
The Staff Resource for External Change Management and
Communications will be responsible for the development and
delivery of external change management and communications in
support of the Digital Strategy implementation.
•Execute and sustain citizen and stakeholder-focused
communication and engagement efforts that supports overall
digital adoption
•Develop strategy to build awareness and understanding of digital
service offerings, that includes building and delivering
presentations to targeted stakeholder audiences and potential
partners as needed
•Develop communication materials for the public
•Create toolkits and how-to guides to support citizens and other
stakeholders in using the City’s digital services
Wherever business takes you
Digital Strategy Total Cost Summary | 8 Year Implementation
25
Work Stream Year One Year Two Year Three Year Four Year Five Year Six Year Seven Year Eight Total Cost by Work Stream
Digital Governance and Leadership -$162,500 $300,000 $275,000 $275,000 $275,000 $275,000 $275,000 $1,837,500
Data and Information Accessibility -$60,000 $60,000 $185,000 $335,000 $436,000 $402,000 $386,000 $1,864,000
Citizen Platforms and Experience $450,500 $450,500 -$10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $951,000
Technology Risk Management -$260,000 $385,000 $320,000 $320,000 $320,000 $300,000 $300,000 $2,205,000
Business
Applications --$157,500 $257,500 $380,000 $430,000 $430,000 $400,000 $2,055,000
Digital Literacy -$256,000 $356,000 $275,000 $275,000 $200,000 $200,000 $200,000 $1,762,000
Total Cost by Year $450,500 $1,189,000 $1,258,500 $1,322,500 $1,595,000 $1,671,000 $1,671,000 $1,571,000 $10,674,500
Conservative Estimate
(+10% rounded to the nearest $1000)
$496,000 $1,308,000 $1,385,000 $1,455,000 $1,755,000 $1,839,000 $1,779,000 $1,729,000 $11,746,000
The following table outlines the total estimated cost for implementing the City’s Digital Strategy by workstream by year. The following pages break down the costs
by one-time investment and proposed FTE resources.
Wherever business takes you
Digital Strategy One-Time Cost Summary | 8 Year Implementation
26
Work Stream Year One Year Two Year Three Year Four Year Five Year Six Year Seven Year Eight
Total One-
Time Cost by
Work Stream
Digital Governance and Leadership -$25,000 $25,000 -----$50,000
Data and Information Accessibility -$60,000 $60,000 $35,000 $85,000 $86,000 $52,000 $36,000 $414,000
Citizen Platforms and Experience $450,500 $450,500 -$10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $951,000
Technology Risk
Management -$85,000 $85,000 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 --$230,000
Business Applications --$7,500 $7,500 $30,000 $80,000 $80,000 $80,000 $255,000
Digital Literacy -$156,000 $156,000 $75,000 $75,000 ---$462,000
Total Cost by Year $450,500 $776,500 $333,500 $147,500 $220,000 $196,000 $142,000 $96,000 $2,362,000
Conservative Estimate
(+10% rounded to the nearest $1000)$496,000 $854,000 $367,000 $162,000 $242,000 $216,000 $156,000 $106,000 $2,599,000
The following table outlines the estimated one-time costs for implementing the City’s Digital Strategy by workstream by year.
Wherever business takes you
Digital Strategy FTE Summary | 8 Year Implementation
27
Work Stream New
FTE Year One Year Two Year Three Year Four Year Five Year Six Year Seven Year Eight
Total FTE
Cost by
Work Stream
Digital Governance and Leadership 2 FTEs -$137,500 $275,000 $275,000 $275,000 $275,000 $275,000 $275,000 $1,787,500
Data and Information
Accessibility 3 FTEs ---$150,000 $250,000 $350,000 $350,000 $350,000 $1,450,000
Citizen Platforms and Experience ----------
Technology Risk Management 2 FTEs -$175,000 $300,000 $300,000 $300,000 $300,000 $300,000 $300,000 $1,975,000
Business Applications 3 FTEs --$150,000 $250,000 $350,000 $350,000 $350,000 $350,000 $1,800,000
Digital Literacy 1 FTEs -$100,000 $200,000 $200,000 $200,000 $200,000 $200,000 $200,000 $1,300,000
Total 11 FTEs -$412,500 $925,000 $1,175,000 $1,375,000 $1,475,000 $1,475,000 $1,475,000 $8,312,500
Conservative Estimate(+10% rounded to the nearest $1000)11 FTEs -$454,000 $1,018,00 $1,293,000 $1,513,00 $1,623,000 $1,623,000 $1,623,000 $9,147,000
The following table outlines the estimated cost for new FTEs for the implementation of the City’s Digital Strategy by workstream by year.
Wherever business takes you
What We Heard Report
28
Appendix
One of the key inputs to the development of this Digital Strategy was stakeholder engagement. The goal was to
reach as many diverse citizens and stakeholders in the City of Pickering as we could over the course of a number
of months. A plan was developed to connect with internal team members at the City, City Council members, and the
various citizens, businesses and other stakeholders that make up the Pickering community.
It was important to try and gain as many perspectives as possible –not just those who are tech-savy –so the plan
encompassed leveraging existing community hubs such as the Rec Centre and Library as well meeting with adults
in the 55+ age group and at a retirement home. Also included were workshops, open houses, and surveys on
LetsTalkPickering.ca for the general public and youth.
Wherever business takes you 29
Engagement Approach
Public and Community
•Digital Strategy Pop-Up Booth at Recreation
Complex
•Digital Strategy Pop-Up Booth at Central
Library
•Facilitated Discussion with Adults 55+ Group
•Facilitated Discussion with Retirement Home
Residents
•Virtual Meeting with Accessibility Advisory
Committee
•Virtual Meeting with Cultural Advisory Committee
•Workshop with Pac For Teens Volunteer Group
•LetsTalkPickering Surveys for Community,
Youth and Businesses (170 responses)
A significant focus was placed on ensuring stakeholders across the organization and within the community had the opportunity to share their perspectives, ideas,
challenges, and opportunities in order to develop a Digital Strategy that is effective and valuable for the City and those they serve.
The following pages outline key themes and findings from engagement. Perspectives and information shared was utilized to drive the development of the Digital
Strategy.
City Staff
•Completed 11 Steering Committee Interviews
•Completed 6 Interviews with Additional City Directors
•Analyzed 122 Responses to Employee
Survey
•Completed 7 Department Workshops
(approximately 70 staff members)
•Completed 6 Digital Maturity Discussionswith IT Division
•Completed 8 Cyber Maturity Discussionswith IT Division
Elected Officials
•Completed Interviews with all City Council
members
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City Council Engagement
30303030303030Wherever business takes you
As part of engagement with key stakeholders, City Council members were interviewed to understand their perspectives on the City’s strategic direction and key
priorities. The key themes outlined on this page encompass the ideas, opportunities, and challenges that City Council members shared as a result of their vision for Pickering combined with what they have heard from residents.
City Council members recognized the tremendous growth the City is facing and acknowledged that digital can be leveraged to ensure the needs and
expectations of the community are met. In addition, many members spoke about utilizing digital to enable connections and engagement between the City and community, as well as connections between community members.
A key part of digital is the experience of its users. Council members identified the importance of ensuring technology is user-friendly and accessible for both internal and external stakeholders. As well, leveraging data and information to drive effective decision making for the City to continuously improve.
Pickering Growth and
Development
Community Connections and
Engagement
User Friendly, Accessible Digital
Experience
Data Driven Decision Making
Wherever business takes you 31
Public Engagement |In-Person Discussions
Members of the public were engaged in discussions at the Pop Up Booths at the Recreation Complex and Central Library. Key information from the perspectives shared are outlined below.
Desire for additional digital community signage
Lack of clarity around services delivered by the
City versus the Region and how best to support a
streamlined service experience
Digital services allow for timely and convenient
access
Access to technology support and education
drives enhanced digital literacy and skills
Intuitive search functions and clear website
navigation enables enhanced access to
information
Balance of human interaction and digital
services
Wherever business takes you 32
Public Engagement |In-Person Discussions
Members of the public were engaged in discussions at the Pop Up Booths at the Recreation Complex and Central Library. As part of the discussions, participants were asked to complete an interactive poll outlining what digital means to them. Within the word cloud shown below, words that were used more often appear
larger which outline common themes and perspectives from the public.
What does digital mean to you?
Wherever business takes you 33
Public Engagement |Community Survey
A Community Survey was developed to gather public perspectives. The survey was publicly available on LetsTalkPickering. Results from the 170 responses are outlined below.
What kind of technology devices do you use (please
select all that apply).
From your perspective, what are the benefits of digital services?
(Please select your top three choices)
96%
69%
85%
44%
50%
39%
4%
Smart Phone
Tablet
Laptop
Desktop
Smart Home Device
Smart Watch
Other
50%
34%
82%
43%
41%
14%
4%
6%
Efficient
Easy to Use
Can Access Any Time
Ability to Self Serve
Ability to Search for Relevant Information
and Services
Option to Receive Customized Notifications
Options to Receive Personalized
Recommendations
Other
Wherever business takes you 34
Public Engagement |Community Survey (continued)
A Community Survey was developed to gather public perspectives. The survey was publicly available on LetsTalkPickering. Results from the 170 responses are outlined below.
What are your preferred methods for accessing information
from the City of Pickering? (Please select your top three choices)
What barriers prevent you from accessing digital services?
(Please select all that apply)
16%
23%
70%
12%
70%
26%
29%
24%
3%
3%
In-Person
Phone
Email
Online Chat
Website
Mobile App
Social Media
eNewsletter
Digital Community Signs
Other
1%
2%
1%
2%
9%
11%
74%
13%
Do Not Have Smart Device to Access
Services
Do Not Have Access to the Internet
Do Not Know How to Use a Smart
Device
Do Not Know How to Access Digital
Services
Do Not Trust Digital Interactions
Prefer Face to Face Interactions
I Do Not Experience Any Barriers
Other
Wherever business takes you 35
Public Engagement |Community Survey (continued)
A Community Survey was developed to gather public perspectives. The survey was publicly available on LetsTalkPickering. Results from the 170 responses are outlined below.
Please rate your current experience using the following digital services available at the City of Pickering.
7%10%5%3%3%
20%17%11%18%
8%
38%40%
9%
22%
34%29%23%16%19%
29%
6%6%
30%22%
13%
Website LetsTalkPickering Pingstreet App Active Net City of Pickering Map Portal
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor
4%
9%13%10%9%7%
25%
17%22%23%24%
36%
29%29%30%25%
19%16%18%20%16%
8%9%6%5%
City of Pickering Open Data Portal eNews Online Service Request Online Form Submission Online Payments
Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor
Wherever business takes you 36
Public Engagement |Community Survey (continued)
A Community Survey was developed to gather public perspectives. The survey was publicly available on LetsTalkPickering. Results from the 170 responses are outlined below.
The City must work to prioritize digital initiatives both now and in the future. From your perspective, select your top three (3)
focus areas from the six (6) below.
21%
24%
25%
60%
80%
71%
Innovative Partnerships
Digital Literacy and Skills Development
Community Connections
Open Data and Analytics
Digital Communications
Digital Service Delivery
Digital Service Delivery -Making civic services available to the community from a
consolidated and user-friendly digital platform
Digital Communications -Streamlining way in which information is shared
through digital means, including an easy to navigate and accessible website
Open Data and Analytics -Ensuring data is openly accessible to the public,
increasing transparency and opportunities for community innovation
Community Connections -Enabling people to stay connected to one and
another through the use of technology and data
Digital Literacy and Skill Development -Supporting the knowledge, skills and
capabilities within the community to access digital services)
Innovative Partnerships -Finding ways to partner with businesses, community
organizations, post secondary institutes, etc. on digital initiatives
Wherever business takes you 37
Public Engagement |Community Survey (continued)
A Community Survey was developed to gather public perspectives. The survey asked the community share their ideas and suggestions on what the City should include in the Digital Strategy.
•Provide the option to push notifications to end user through mobile app or email or newsletter. Citizens should be able to select preferences and Notifications pushed to their phones or emails.
•You must continue to contact people through regular channels.
•Encourage community engagement by advertising on all digital signs around Pickering. Include digital news and education at all Town Hall meetings. Education sessions frequently at library's. Ask Pickering businesses to educate their staff.
•Ease of use, including accessibility of information; that is not ‘hiding’ information or making it an electronic scavenger hunt to find information
•Create a Digital Employment Hub teaching skills and employing in our community -nurturing our own talent.
•One should be able to fulfill services via a web, without having to install multiple apps for different tasks. Should be able to go to the website on desktop or on a phone a preform the required task. The app should collect minimum data required for the task. Of course, one would expect the city to provide maximum privacy and security.
•Digitize wherever possible, but have a person to talk to when a task cannot be fulfilled online.
•Digital Archiving strategy to preserve and rely the information for long term.
•Data Privacy and security as there are lots of cases where banking/tax-related information is available within the system.
•Accessible and intuitive UI -while data is available online, it's at times a nightmare to navigate through the websites...
•Clearer and more transparent manners of raising issues, communicating the various services provided will be helpful
•Resident's personal information will keep confidential and not be used for any purposes without my permission.
•Ability for the public to participate in council voting on any matter using digital technology.
•More Surveys like this would also help. The more the city knows, the better for both the city and the public.
•I think there also needs to be a "directory" of sorts. Who to contact for what, who is connected to Provincial and Federal politics.
•Make sure the data being provided is up to date
•Incentivizing young adults (18-35) to participate in town halls and other various local government events, through the promotion on digital platforms (Instagram, TikTok). Allow and accommodate for the increase in participation of local matters and issues by young adults.
•Easy to use and no registration / login information required. Prompt responses from a live human.
•Investigate the possibility of adding more interactive services as they relate to fire and life safety.
•Need to watch the digital divide. Many elderly miss out and Pickering and area have a lot of precariously housed. So while some homes have multiple devices, others struggle with next to none. The library is a huge resource in this area.
•The experience needs to be mapped holistically to city services. Stop band-aid solutions where each service gets independently addressed. Look at the big picture and road map this product.
•Make it easier to self serve, find all in one place, facilitate services and renews online, allow for business partnership and offer the community opportunities to save.
•The senior community need to feel confident using online digital services. Ensure fraud prevention to make them feel that their savings and homestead are safe.
•Ensure it is useable across all platforms, devices, iOS etc. Also it is key to ensure it can be used by all abilities and ages.
•Plan for partnering with schools -especially high schools. This could make students aware of services provided and engagement with the city including digital initiatives.
•Ensure lobbyist registry is fully open and transparent to the public via digital access.
•Please include strong IT process framework (like ITIL) and cybersecurity. The last thing you want is to launch new services and have them plagued by lack of quality, ransomware, or lost personal information
•The technology needs to be accessible to people with a variety of disabilities, physical and cognitive, there is a socioeconomic issue that needs to be addressed as well in terms of access to devices and internet to get the information posted digitally.
•Pickering should incorporate AI into all forms and methods of communication.
Wherever business takes you 38
Public Engagement |Seniors (55+) In-Person Discussions
Members of the public within the Adults 55+ Group were engaged in a facilitated discussion. Key information from the perspectives shared are outlined below.
Desire to learn and utilize digital
Digital literacy and skills cannot keep pace
with technology changes
Frustration with time consuming navigation
on City website
Difficulty identifying potential scams and
phishing
Open to simplified self service model
Personalized education and training is
critical
Wherever business takes you 39
Public Engagement |Seniors Retirement Home In-Person Discussions
Residents at a Seniors Retirement Home were engaged in a facilitated discussion. Key information from the perspectives shared are outlined below.
Personalized 1-1 training and support is needed
Desire for City and event information (i.e.
personalized, relevant e-newsletters or emails)
Open to digital community signs with relevant
information
Frustration performing basic tasks using
technology
In-person, human interaction first is preferred
Digital services can be viewed as increasing the disconnect between City and seniors
Wherever business takes you 40
Public Engagement |Youth In-Person Discussions
Members of the youth community were engaged through a facilitated discussion with the Pac for Teens volunteer group, as well as through discussions with Community members at the Pop Up Booths at the Recreation Complex and Central Library. Key information from the perspectives shared are outlined below.
Prefer digital when
connecting with the City
Identifying and finding the
information that is relevant
to them is key
Utilize social media for
awareness of City events and
news
Useful, intuitive app with
City information and services
would be beneficial
Wherever business takes you 41
Public Engagement |Advisory Committee Presentations & Discussions
The following information was gathered and analyzed through facilitated virtual discussions at the Accessibility Advisory Committee and Cultural Advisory Committee meetings. Key information from the perspectives shared are outlined below.
Opportunity for partnerships for digital
literacy education and support
Omnichannel approach and balance
is key
Intuitive and simple tools can assist in
reducing digital intimidation or fear
Limited device and economic access
can be a barrier to digital
City website and digital services must
accommodate accessibility tools (i.e. screen readers, text-to-speech, described images, language translation, etc.)
Wherever business takes you 42
Internal Engagement |Employee Survey
City of Pickering employees were invited to participate in a survey to share their perspectives. The survey asked employees to rate their level of agreement with the
following statements.
3%6%
30%
45%43%49%
25%
I understand how to use the technology systems and tools that are
required for my job.
I have received adequate training and support to use these technology
systems and tools.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
1%1%7%
18%23%
40%
52%48%53%
30%29%
I am comfortable learning how to use and apply new technology
systems and tools in my job.
I know where to access relevant technology support and resources at
the City
I find it easy to get help when something is not working with the City's
technology.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Wherever business takes you 43
Internal Engagement |Employee Survey (continued)
City of Pickering employees were invited to participate in a survey to share their perspectives. The survey asked employees to rate their level of agreement with the
following statements.
4%9%6%
21%
32%
20%
49%44%44%
26%
15%
31%
I can easily access the information, including data and/or reports,
required to complete my job activities.
I find processes are streamlined and automated because of the
technology systems and tools being used at the City.
I often have to perform additional tasks and manual activities to
ensure tools, systems, and/or processes work effectively.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
7%7%9%
29%29%
35%39%
51%
41%
26%
14%14%
I am required to enter the same data multiple times in multiple systems
or documents.
I feel the City's current systems, tools, processes and accompanying
support meet my professional needs and enable me to complete my
job efficiently.
I feel the City's current systems, tools, processes and accompanying
support enable efficient and effective service delivery to the public.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Wherever business takes you 44
Internal Engagement |Employee Survey (continued)
City of Pickering employees were invited to participate in a survey to share their perspectives. The survey asked employees share their ideas and suggestions for how to
improve the City’s use of technology, data, and innovation.
“An online portal for citizens to view their information and conduct services
(i.e. payments) would reduce amount of work for employees.”
“Opportunity to invest in other technologies (i.e. applicant tracking system,
learning management system, etc.)..”
“Understanding how systems work together (integration of software and
databases).”
“The website is outdated and difficult to navigate. We could Upgrade and
modernize website so employees and citizens can navigate more efficiently
and increase user-friendliness.”
“Improve coordination, streamline processes and improve information
sharing organization-wide.”
“Integrate systems to limit data entry.”
“Streamline processes and implement smart city solutions.”
“We could use data visualization tools to display information to be reviewed
at a glance and data analytics for decision making.”
Wherever business takes you
Wherever business takes you 1
Current State Report
Digital Readiness and Strategy
Wherever business takes you
Revised March 7, 2023
Attachment #2 to CAO 01-24
Wherever business takes you 2
Executive Summary (page 4)
1.Project Overview and Alignment (page 22)
2.Change Drivers (page 31)
3.Current State Observations and Impacts (page 38)
4.Leading Practices and Industry Scan (page 78)
5.Key Opportunities (page 111)
6.Appendix: Digital Strategy Employee Survey Results (page 113)
Table of Contents
Wherever business takes you
Disclaimer
3
Digital Readiness and Strategy Current State Report
This report is intended solely for the information and use of the City of Pickering. This report should not be distributed to third parties without MNP Digital Inc.
(MNP) written consent.Any use that a third party makes of this report, and any reliance or decisions made based on it, are the responsibility of such third party. MNP accepts no liability or responsibility for any loss or damages suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made,or actions taken, based on this report.
This engagement was planned and conducted to prepare and provide a Digital Readiness Assessment and Digital Strategy. Our work and findings do not in any way constitute advice or recommendations (and we accept no liability in relation to any advice or recommendations) regarding any commercial decisions.
MNP’s work was not designed to identify and cannot necessarily be expected to disclose defalcations, fraud and other irregularities. As a result, this report does not
necessarily include all those matters which a more extensive or special examination might develop.
Our work to provide this report was carried out based on the assumption that information provided to us by management and employees of the organization was
reliable, accurate and complete.We did not subject the information contained in the report to checking or verification procedures except to the extent expressly stated.In no circumstances shall we be responsible for any loss or damage, of whatsoever nature, arising from information material to our work being withheld or
concealed or misrepresented to us by management and employees of the organization or any other person of whom we may make enquiries.
Executive Summary
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Executive Summary |Project Overview and Purpose
5
Wherever business takes you
The City of Pickering is embarking on a transformation journey to become a
municipal leader in citizen-centred digital services. Through the development of
a Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy, the City will set the foundation for
future service delivery by establishing an organization-wide commitment and
clear accountability and actions.
6Wherever business takes you
Digital Readiness and Strategy
It is important to note that a Digital Strategy encompasses more than the traditional role of Information Technology within an organization.
A Digital Strategy guides an organization’s business and digital transformation through the integration of digital technology into all areas of a
business, fundamentally changing how organizations operate and deliver value to citizens and other stakeholders. It is about using technology to
make processes more efficient, improving the customer experience, and identifying new ways to deliver services.
Wherever business takes you
Modern Municipalities
7
Executive Summary
Expectations of municipalities around the world have changed. They are faced
with operating in a period of rapid change, and citizens today want a more
open, integrated, digital and interactive experience. Many municipalities have
recognized the challenges that exist with traditional disparate service
structures and organizational siloes. As a result, they are shifting towards a
citizen-centric service delivery model that applies an integrated and iterative
approach to delivering services to the community. These local governments are
actively working to streamline the service experience –by reducing or removing
organizational siloes from the view of the citizen and creating an experience
that is holistic and standard for all municipal programs and services.
Municipalities across the world have adopted digitization efforts in attempts to
provide high quality services to stakeholders through diverse platforms. In
addition,the COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations to quickly embrace
technology and shift services and operations to a digital environment.More
and more, citizens want to access relevant and timely information through
transparent and convenient digital means. As a result,exceptional services that
are centralized, accessible and available through digital channels is emerging
as a top priority for local government organizations.
Wherever business takes you
Executive Summary |Current State Findings
8
Wherever business takes you 9
Digital Readiness Activities Executive Summary
Reviewed Background Materials Completed 11 SteeringCommittee Interviews Completed 6 Interviews
with Additional City Directors
Completed 7 Department
Workshops
Completed 6 Digital Maturity
Discussions with IT Division
Completed 7 City Council
Interviews
Analyzed 122 Responses
to Employee Survey
Completed 8 Cyber Maturity
Discussions with IT Division
In order to develop this current state report, the following activities were completed. A significant focus was placed on ensuring stakeholders across the organization
had the opportunity to share their perspectives, ideas, challenges, and opportunities.
Wherever business takes you
Digital Maturity Assessment |Framework
10
1. Ad-Hoc
The organization has limited policies, standards,
practices and plans in place. These practices are ad-hoc, resulting in
several gaps.
2. Basic
The organization has minimal policies,
standards, practices and plans in place that allow it to function on a day-to-
day basis but are not sustainable.
3. Adequate
The organization has policies, standards,
practices and plans in place that support the business under stable
circumstances but are not flexible and responsive to the evolving needs of
citizens or employees.
4. Professional
The organization has policies, standards,
practices and plans in place that are proactive in ensuring current and
future needs can be met. Sustainability of technology and future
growth are prioritized by organizational leadership.
5. Leading
The organization has leading polices, standards,
practices and plans in place that allow it to actively anticipate both
challenges and key opportunities, in order to optimize performance and
enhance the overall employee and citizen
experience.
Digital Maturity Assessment | Rating Guide
Digital Maturity Assessment | Focus Areas
1.Technology Investment Framework
2.Technology Governance and Policies
3.Digital Literacy and Skills
4.Digital Citizen Experience
5.Vendor Management
6.Business Applications
7.Network and Server Infrastructure
8.Data Management
9.Business Intelligence and Analytics
10.Cyber Maturity Assessment
Executive Summary
As technology continues to advance, it is important for organizational leaders to understand how to plan and manage technology in order to meet current and future needs, enable data-driven decision making, foster accountability, manage risks, and develop and achieve strategies and goals.The use of a maturity
assessment framework ensures a comprehensive and consistent approach to understanding the current digital capacity and capability.
Wherever business takes you
Digital Maturity Assessment |Rating Overview
11
Executive Summary
Focus Area 1. Ad-Hoc 2. Basic 3. Adequate 4. Professional 5. Leading
1. Technology Investment Framework ✓
2. Technology Governance and Policies ✓
3. Digital Literacy and Skills ✓
4. Digital Citizen Experience ✓*
5. Vendor Management ✓
6. Business Applications ✓
7. Network and Server Infrastructure ✓
8. Data Management ✓
9. Business Intelligence and Analytics ✓
10. Cybersecurity Maturity**✓
Shown below is a high level rating of each focus area. It is important to note that throughout interactions with many of the City’s key stakeholders, several highlighted a desire to support the City’s growth in these areas –and increase their own capabilities when it comes to data and technology. It is also not uncommon for
municipalities at the start of their digital transformation journey to see several ratings at 1 or 2. This is often due in part to a historical trend across many municipalities that saw limited resources allocated to internal corporate service areas as well as a decentralized approach to managing technology investment and applications.
**Based on an assessment of 18 areas and not indicative of the potential risk for certain controls that might not be in place.
*Interim Assessment: Digital Citizen Experience rating will be confirmed through Public Engagement (March 2-19, 2023).
Wherever business takes you
Cyber Maturity Assessment |Rating Overview
12
CIS Control 1. Ad-Hoc 2. Basic 3. Adequate 4. Professional 5. Leading Residual Risk
1. Inventory of Enterprise Assets LOW
2. Inventory of Software Assets HIGH
3. Data Protection HIGH
4. Secure Configuration LOW
5. Account Management LOW
6. Access Control Management LOW
7. Continuous Vulnerability
Management LOW
8. Audit Log Management LOW
9. Email & Web Browser Protections LOW
10. Malware Defenses LOW
11. Data Recovery LOW
12. Network Infrastructure Management MED
13. Network Monitoring & Defense LOW
14. Security Awareness & Skills
Training LOW
15. Service Provider Management MED
16. Application Software Security N/A
17. Incident Response Management MED
18. Penetration Testing LOW
Average:LOW
The City of Pickering’s overall cyber security level is professional with an overall
medium level of residual risk. Compared to other
municipalities, the City of Pickering is ahead of others as most score between a basic-
adequate level of maturity.
The maturity scores are based on
the number of met CIS controls. An aggregated score based on
the control implementation level
is computed to generate the City of Pickering’s total current
maturity score. Risk is based on observations within the CIS
control domains and not
necessarily on the control score, as not all controls mitigate the
same risk.
The observations included in this
report outline gaps identified that
have residual risk. Details outlining the process and
strengths are not included in this report.
Executive Summary
*CIS Control 16 –N/A because the City of Pickering does not develop in-house developed, hosted, or acquired software.
Wherever business takes you 13
Digital Maturity Assessment Summary
Executive Summary
The City of Pickering has demonstrated great potential when it comes to the
overall Digital Maturity Assessment. There is a strong desire within the
organization to mature and foster a culture of collaboration, continuous
improvement, innovation, and citizen-centric service delivery.
The City’s Digital Maturity ratings are due in large part to limited resource
capacity and the decentralized approach to managing technology and data
for the organization.
The City is not alone in this situation. Historically, many public sector
organizations have limited funding for technology in favour of investing funds
into direct service areas. This has resulted a significant gap in how to meet the
demand from citizens and the community for a streamlined digital experience
as well as the ability to strategically manage and use data and information
for strategic and operational decision-making. Trends have started to show an
increase in spending on digital transformation, third party hosted applications,
cloud infrastructure, and data analytics across the public sector as organizations
embark on their journey to modernize and embrace the digital future.
Wherever business takes you
What We Heard |Current State Overview
14
Executive Summary
At the outset of each Department Workshop and at our first Steering Committee meeting, attendees were asked to contribute to two Word Clouds. The results of each session have been combined to create the following images.
Prior to completing the World Cloud activity, additional context was provided to participants to preface that the current state of digital tools and supports encompasses more than just technology software. Digital tools and supports includes the organizational culture, tools, processes, procedures, training, data and information, and other structures that enable an organization to be digital. The Word Clouds shown below are reflective of the diverse experiences and
perspectives of 66 City employees.
What three words would you use to describe the City’s current state of digital tools and supports?What three words come to mind when you think of Digital Transformation?
Wherever business takes you
People |Overview
15
Executive Summary
The following themes summarize the perspectives, ideas, challenges, and opportunities shared by City leaders and employees in interviews and workshops.
Organizational Structure and Design
Modern organizations have elevated the role of technology to the Executive level and expanded the
traditional portfolio to encompass digital services, data,
and innovation. IT’s placement in the organization should reflect the movement to a centralized model for management of technology resources.
Collaboration and Communication
There is a desire from employees across Departments for increased collaboration and communication, especially regarding technology and data. Business units and IT have the opportunity to work in partnership to
enhance operational efficiencies and direct service
delivery to the community.
User Friendly and Intuitive
User friendly and intuitive tools are needed for employees to perform their best work as well as for citizens and other stakeholders to engage effectively
through digital channels. This is a high priority area for
users as it is easier to learn to navigate and learn tools that are designed with the end-user experience in mind.
Resources and Support
The IT Division is limited in their ability to provide enhanced support to the organization due to resource
capacity constraints. Employees spoke positively of the support that is received; however, emphasized the need for additional services, expertise, and time. The expansion of the portfolio to include digital services, data and innovation will require an even greater
resourcing complement.
Change Management
Dedicated change management resources are required for all digital initiatives in order to create the momentum necessary to sustain the change. Strong change leadership and sponsorship is also needed,
including a consistent and clear vision for the future.
Training
Employees articulated the need for consistent, relevant, and accessible technology training and onboarding for all new employees. Seasonal and part-time team
members do not have the same access to training and supports as full-time employees which is a challenge for their leaders.
Wherever business takes you
Process |Overview
16
Executive Summary
The following themes summarize the perspectives, ideas, challenges, and opportunities shared by City leaders and employees in interviews and workshops.
Unclear Organizational Priorities / Vision /
Strategy
As the City embarks on the development of a new
strategic plan and supporting corporate priorities
employees will be able to work proactively to support
those priorities. Employees expressed challenges with
understanding the City’s priorities, resulting in a reactive
approach to projects and initiatives.
Disparate Technology Decision Making
The City does not currently have a formal Technology
Governance structure in the form of a corporate
committee. As a result, there is often limited
collaboration between departments and the IT Division
when it comes to making technology sourcing
decisions.
Misalignment of Roles and Skills
The City has a noticeable gap in the areas of technology procurement, business analysis, and business relationship management. These roles would directly
contribute to increased collaboration and engagement
between IT and the City’s Departments.
Manual and Duplicate Effort
There is a significant amount of manual and duplicated effort required from employees when
using the current suite of business applications and technology tools that lack integration and data sharing.
Lack of Standardization
The City is using a decentralized approach to the overall management of technology and data. This has led to a lack of standardization when it comes to business processes, procedures, expectations,
and guidelines.
Desire for Streamlining and Self-Service
Many employees indicated the desire for streamlined and self-service processes. In order to enable
streamlining, there is a need to automate and standardize processes by utilizing modern technology functionalities to reduce manual effort, duplicate data entry and mitigate the risk for human error.
Wherever business takes you
Technology |Overview
17
Executive Summary
The following themes summarize the perspectives, ideas, challenges, and opportunities shared by City leaders and employees in interviews and workshops.
Lack of Integrated Systems and Applications
Many departments indicated their support for an organization-wide consolidation of numerous
technologies with a focus on tools and functionality that that can be leveraged across the departments. As part of the consolidation of technology, there is an opportunity to enhance integrations to ensure seamless data flow to empower users to adopt and utilize
consistent tools and processes.
Data Siloes
The City has a significant amount of data that is gathered and stored; however, it is not integrated in such a way to make it easily accessible to other internal departments or integrated with other data. There is
interest to increase the City’s ability to share data and
use analytics to understand and drive decision making.
Accessible / Ability to Work Remotely
Employees are able to access the tools required to complete their jobs remotely, enabling a flexible work environment for those who are not required to be in the
office everyday.
Desire for Single Sign-On / Multiple Passwords
Many employees requested single sign on to reduce the number system log-ins and passwords. IT has
indicated new technology must be able to support this capability. Additionally, single sign on for public-facing tools is also desired to streamline the user experience.
Need Streamlined Functionality
The need for streamlined functionality and modern, integrated tools was shared by employees across Departments to support operational efficiencies and enhanced customer service delivery.
No Corporate Technology Investment Plan
The City does not currently have a technology investment framework or a mechanism for
prioritizing technology investments at the corporate level. Technology spending is not centralized.
Wherever business takes you
Executive Summary |Leading Practices, Trends, and Key Opportunities
18
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Digital Trends
19
Municipalities across Canada and the world are digitizing their business processes and interactions with citizens, as well as becoming leaders with Open Data and Smart
City initiatives through the adoption of innovative and disruptive technologies as well as the movement to more open and transparent government models. Leading trends are outlined below.
Executive Summary
Cloud Computing
Many municipalities are shifting to cloud-based systems rather than storing and
working with their data locally.
Prioritizing Data
Local government entities are collecting, storing and using more data to inform their
decision-making as well as making as much as possible available to the public in an accessible and readable format.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
From data analytics to automation, AI is an important tool municipalities use for service delivery.
Internet of Things
Cities are creating a network of digital and mechanical machines (sensors, etc.) to collect data and
enhance services.
Cybersecurity
As more data is collected and used to drive innovation, cities are putting a
focus on security.
Self-Service First
The citizen experience is becoming simpler and more streamlined with the
ability to personalize the experience
through digital channels.
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There are many ways to approach the development of a
Digital Strategy at the local government level; however,
there are also several common themes and focus areas for
digital growth and transformation.
Common themes across municipal digital strategies
include:
1.Citizen Experience and Digital Service Design
2.Digital Access, Literacy, and Inclusion
3.Data Driven Decision Making and Transparency
4.Connected and Enabling Infrastructure
5.Protecting Privacy and Security
Each of the municipalities featured in this report are at
different stages of their digital transformation journeys. As
part of this research, the municipalities were invited to
participate in a short interview to share lessons learned
and advice based on their implementation progress. The
learnings from those conversations are provided to the
right.
Municipal Scan Summary and Lessons Learned
Executive Summary
Lessons Learned and AdviceCommon Themes
Below is a summary of what was shared during interviews with municipalities
regarding the challenges and successes experienced so far in implementing their
digital strategies.
1.Strong leadership and effective governance is required to move initiatives
forward while at the same time bringing the organization together to make
decisions.
2.Do not wait until everything is “perfect” on the back end to start making
public-facing improvements that will reach your citizens.
3.Start tracking metrics including public use of digital services immediately to
showcase momentum and also increase learning of what is working and what is
not.
4.Be willing to say no to items or requests that are not a priority for the
organization as a whole.
5.This is a journey that looks at more than just your suite of technology
solutions and tools –it is a culture shift and likely one that does not have a
set end date.
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Key Opportunities
21
Based on the Current State findings, the following key opportunities have been identified that will be explored as the next stages of the Digital Strategy development continue. A key factor in leveraging the following opportunities is effective resource management and investment to successfully implement and sustain transformation
initiatives.
Executive Summary
Digital Governance and Leadership
The framework and tools that guide the City’s digital future and
experience, ensuring programs and services are effective in meeting
the needs of all internal and external stakeholders.
Data and Information Accessibility
Effective management and analysis of current and future municipal
data to increase transparency and establish a culture of data driven
decision making.
Citizen Platforms and Experience
Digital technologies and initiatives that enable the City to provide
citizens and other external stakeholders with high quality digital
services and engaging interaction.
Business Applications
Effective sourcing, selection, and management of the City’s
applications with necessary functionalities and capabilities to enable
employees to serve citizens seamlessly.
Technology Risk Management
A formal corporate-wide mechanism to understand, articulate,
mitigate, and track technology risk at both a strategic and
operational level.
Enabling Technology
Utilizing digital technologies to enable the municipality to improve
and innovate their current and future infrastructure and assets.
Digital Literacy
Enhancing the knowledge, skills and capabilities of employees,
citizens, and other external stakeholders to access, manage,
integrate, analyze and evaluate information, grow knowledge and
skills, and create and communicate with others.
1. Project Overview andAlignment
Wherever business takes you
The City of Pickering is embarking on a transformation journey to become a
municipal leader in citizen-centred digital services. Through the development of
a Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy, the City will set the foundation for
future service delivery by establishing an organization-wide commitment and
clear accountability and actions.
23Wherever business takes you
Digital Readiness and Strategy
It is important to note that a Digital Strategy encompasses more than the traditional role of Information Technology within an organization.
A Digital Strategy guides an organization’s business and digital transformation through the integration of digital technology into all areas of a
business, fundamentally changing how organizations operate and deliver value to citizens and other stakeholders. It is about using technology to
make processes more efficient, improving the customer experience, and identifying new ways to deliver services.
Wherever business takes you
Project Scope
24
Project Overview and Alignment
The City of Pickering strives to be a municipal
leader in delivering citizen-centred digital
services.In pursuit of this goal, the City is
seeking to identify technology solutions and
digitization projects while maximizing value
from current and planned technology
investments.
The City has identified some key technology
priorities to enable its digital transformation.
These include:
•The design and implementation of a new
corporate website
•Implementation of an eCommerce
platform to integrate with the corporate
website, as well as its other platforms such
as SAP
•Potential implementation of a Citizen Portal
with self-service capabilities
The purpose of this project is to complete a Digital Readiness Assessment and develop a Digital
Strategy which will provide short-and long-term recommendations, including a clearly defined set
of projects and actions related to technology architecture, selection and implementation of
technology solutions, digital governance, and technology investment that will enable the City to
achieve its business objective of becoming a leader in citizen-centred digital services.
The Readiness Assessment will identify opportunities to improve citizen service outcomes and
digital goals while highlighting potential cost-savings and efficiencies.
The Strategy will include a year-by-year implementation plan and budget for technology
investments based on comprehensive stakeholder engagement, leading practices, and industry
trends. This includes evaluating the City’s current state against broader industry technology and
digital trends in other levels of government, in other countries, and in other sectors.
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Project Methodology | People, Process, Technology Framework
People
•Citizen Experience
•Employee Experience and
Culture
•Employee Training and
Communications
•Change Management and
Organizational Readiness
Process
•Business Processes
•Roles and Responsibilities
•Reporting
•Policies, Procedures, Standards
and Directives
•Management and Governance
Technology
•Existing Systems, Applications and
Technical Tools
•Functionality and Integration
•Data Governance and Records
Management
•Business Intelligence and Data
Analytics
•Security and Privacy
Technology
People Process
Digital Transformation
Project Overview and Alignment
MNP’s People, Process and Technology Framework
brings together the three foundational elements of
successful technology strategy and planning –People,
Process, and Technology. Applying this framework
ensures that a comprehensive understanding of the
current state is established and any future
recommendations are holistic and pragmatic.
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Project Methodology | Foundational Technology Principles
Project Overview and Alignment
MNP’s Foundational Technology Principles were developed based on MNP’s research and experience into how organizations can successfully leverage modern
technology to enable organizational outcomes. These principles are integral to driving a people-focused technology strategy and encompass everything from
policies, processes, tools and platforms to accurate and reliable records and data management practices. They also reinforce the importance of understanding
partnership models for modern technology and prioritizing the user experience –from both a citizen and employee perspective. Underpinning each of these focus
areas is Privacy and Security as it is of the utmost importance for this to be a constant consideration in today’s world.
05
Usable Information
Ensure the accuracy and reliability of
data and records management in
order to support a strong culture of
data-driven decision making,
transparency and reporting.
02
Process Innovation
Embrace leading process
improvement strategies along with
innovative technologies to enable
process efficiency and service
excellence.
01
Modern Technology
Adopt innovative and effective
policies, tools, platforms, and
applications that support efficient and
effective business processes and
collaboration.
03
Partner Collaboration
Create and maintain trusted
partnerships with external
stakeholders, leveraging technology
to further enhance the organization’s
vision, mission, values and goals.
04
User Experience
Provide a stakeholder experience that
is user friendly, mobile (when
applicable), and intuitive to drive
organization and community-wide
adoption of technology.
Privacy and Security is a foundational component of each of these principles.
Wherever business takes you
As the City of Pickering embarks on this digital transformation journey, it is important for the
development of the Digital Strategy to be holistic and meaningful. As such, the project
approach and activities have been structured to enable the project team to gather data,
information, perspectives and ideas from internal and external stakeholders that will drive
the creation of the Digital Strategy.
The entire project encompasses four stages, shown on the right. The Current State report
incorporates all learnings from Stage 2, including findings from internal stakeholders, as well as
conducting a Digital Maturity and Cyber Maturity Threat Assessment.
The next stage of the project will include external stakeholder engagement, including citizens,
youth, seniors, business community members and the City’s advisory committees. The
information gathered through internal and external engagement will inform the opportunities
for improvement to digitally transform the City and enable long-term strategic and operational
success.
27
Project Activities and TimelineProject Overview and Alignment
Stage 1 3–4
WEEKS
Kick Off and Engagement Strategy
Stage 3 10–12
WEEKS
Digital Strategy and Report
Stage 4 4–5
WEEKS
Final Report and Presentation
Stage 2 12–14
WEEKS
Digital Readiness
Wherever business takes you 28
Digital Readiness Activities Project Overview and Alignment
In order to develop this current state report, the following activities were completed. A significant focus was placed on ensuring stakeholders across the organization
had the opportunity to share their perspectives, ideas, challenges, and opportunities.
Reviewed Background Materials Completed 11 SteeringCommittee Interviews Completed 6 Interviews
with Additional City Directors
Completed 7 Department
Workshops
Completed 6 Digital Maturity
Discussions with IT Division
Completed 7 City Council
Interviews
Analyzed 122 Responses
to Employee Survey
Completed 8 Cyber Maturity
Discussions with IT Division
Wherever business takes you
City of Pickering Overview
29292929292929Wherever business takes you
Project Overview and Alignment
The City of Pickering is a vibrant city with a diverse community and a promising future of urban growth. The community is
experiencing significant economic and residential growth that is expected to continue over the next several years.
The City is located east of Toronto and is part of the Durham region with an estimated population of 105,407 (2022), which is anticipated to double in the coming years. The City is located on Lake Ontario and has a local waterfront area and trails. Pickering has all of the amenities and services that a big city has to offer. It is
a destination spot for visitors year round -with many experiences to enjoy from arts, culture and entertainment to waterfront activities, hiking and cycling.
The City is working towards being a digital leader with a focus on leveraging technology, data, and innovation to enable citizens, businesses and tourism to thrive. In order for to keep up with the rapid growth, the City of Pickering prioritize the use digital tools to enhance and streamline internal processes and deliver
meaningful, transparent, and efficient services to the public.
Part of the
Durham Region
Lake Ontario
Waterfront
Expecting
significant growth
Population of
105,407
Wherever business takes you
City Council Alignment
30303030303030Wherever business takes you
Project Overview and Alignment
As part of engagement with key stakeholders, MNP interviewed City Council members to understand their perspectives on the City’s strategic direction and key
priorities. The key themes outlined on this page encompass the ideas, opportunities, and challenges that City Council members shared as a result of their vision for Pickering combined with what they have heard from residents.
City Council members recognized the tremendous growth the City is facing and acknowledged that digital can be leveraged to ensure the needs and
expectations of the community are met. In addition, many members spoke about utilizing digital to enable connections and engagement between the City and community, as well as connections between community members.
A key part of digital is the experience of its users. Council members identified the importance of ensuring technology is user-friendly and accessible for both internal and external stakeholders. As well, leveraging data and information to drive effective decision making for the City to continuously improve.
Pickering Growth and
Development
Community Connections and
Engagement
User Friendly, Accessible Digital
Experience
Data Driven Decision Making
2. Change Drivers
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Modern Municipalities
32
Change Drivers
Expectations of municipalities around the world have changed. They are faced
with operating in a period of rapid change, and citizens today want a more
open, integrated, digital and interactive experience with their municipality.
Many municipalities have recognized the challenges that exist with traditional
disparate service structures and organizational siloes. As a result, they are
shifting towards a citizen-centric service delivery model that applies an
integrated and iterative approach to delivering services to the community.
These local governments are actively working to streamline the service
experience –by reducing or removing organizational siloes from the view of
the citizen and creating an experience that is holistic and standard for all
municipal programs and services.
Municipalities across the world have adopted digitization efforts in attempts to
provide high quality services to stakeholders through diverse platforms. In
addition,the COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations to quickly embrace
technology and shift services and operations to a digital environment.More
and more, citizens want to access relevant and timely information through
transparent and convenient digital means. As a result,exceptional services that
are centralized, accessible and available through digital channels is emerging
as a top priority for local government organizations.
Wherever business takes you
Citizen Expectations
33
Change Drivers
As digital tools continue their seamless integration into everyday life, it is not surprising that expectations have increased from citizens and other users of
technology. An important component for service delivery at the municipal level, is the ability for citizens to access services through a multitude of channels –and increasingly digital. As citizen expectations for digitalization grow, governments at all levels within Canada are shifting to embrace online channels to improve
interactions with the public and establish streamlined, standardized service expectations in alignment with service in-person and by phone in order to achieve the following:
Flexibility
Citizens are interested in accessing services
when and how it is convenient for them.
This often includes outside of “regular
business hours” and from mobile devices
such as smartphones and tablets.
Availability
Citizens expect information to be readily
available in an easy to navigate online platform,
including information that is properly
categorized and searchable.
Responsive
Citizens expect transparent and responsive
services from all levels of government. This
includes developing feedback mechanisms and
ongoing continuous improvement initiatives to
adapt, shift and improve service delivery.
Visibility
Citizens expect to be informed with proactive
notifications and status updates. This can
include anything from online visibility into the
status of a service request to the scheduling of
spring street sweeping.
During the next stage of this project, public engagement will explore these topics and more with citizens in the City of Pickering.
Wherever business takes you
Municipal Digital Transformation
34
Change Drivers
Digital Transformation is a key strategic initiative that municipalities undertake in order to modernize their technology and meet the needs and expectations of their employees and those they serve. It is
about improving both the employee and community experience through the use of modern tools.
Digital transformation focuses on leveraging modern technology to standardize, streamline, and
automate processes in order to deliver greater value to citizens and community stakeholders. It results in employees being able to focus their time and energy on higher value activities rather than manual tasks which in turn results in greater service delivery and opportunities for expansion and growth. It also
enables municipalities to reimagine how their services are delivered and meet the changing needs and expectations of the community they serve.
Digital transformation is also a cultural shift for many municipalities –one that encourages employees to continually challenge the status quo while striving for excellence in community service delivery. This sometimes means challenging long-standing business processes in favour of new practices that are still
being defined. Innovative thinking becomes incredibly important as there is a need to remain flexible and agile throughout the transformation. Employees must embrace the discomfort of learning new ways of
delivering services.
Digital transformations are meant to set municipalities up for long term success. If implemented properly, modern technology tools are adaptable and flexible, allowing for continual growth over many years.
Organizations invest in digital transformation initiatives that work to set them up for many years of organizational growth and change. Digital transformations aim to improve stakeholder experience,
standardize operational processes, and increase employee productivity through the utilization of modern technology designed not only for today, but for the future.
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Legacy Technology Tools
35
Change Drivers
Modern technologies have become core to fulfilling the needs of citizens, employees, stakeholders, and leadership within an organization.
Transitioning from legacy tools to modern solutions supports sustainable growth and organizational resilience, and should be a key component of a City’s technology investment plan. Maintaining legacy or end of support technology increases the likelihood and potential impact of the risks identified below.
1. Potential Cyber and Security Breaches
Without standardized, secure and supported
technology infrastructure and policies, organizations are at significant risk of security and privacy breaches, loss of vital information, and cyber attacks.
2. Inconsistent Data Between Systems
Inconsistent data can slow down and disrupt daily
operations. It can also lead to discrepancies of vital organizational data and information. Accurate and consistent data is paramount to organizational reporting and success.
3. Escalating System Costs
Supporting legacy systems often comes with
increasing costs, especially as programs grow and systems require further customization. Modernizing technology can help to manage costs while providing opportunities for the organization to grow.
4. Significant Inefficiencies in Processes
Older tools are often limited in their ability to streamline and automate processes resulting in inefficiencies that can significantly hold back organizations from meeting the need and expectations of citizens and stakeholders.
Modernization will help to improve organizational processes and overall client and employee satisfaction.
5. Loss of Reputation
Maintaining a strong reputation in the community can
be challenging with legacy technology. It poses
significant risks to privacy and security breaches which
can significantly impact reputation. It also does not have
the functionality to meet the evolving needs and
expectations of diverse users.
6. Increased Turnover / Inability to Attract Talent
A modern technology environment enables employees
to complete their work efficiently and with the right
tools. Without these tools, staff can feel unsupported
and it can lead to increased turnover as well as
challenges with recruiting and retaining new talent.
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Operational Efficiency through Technology Innovation
With technology constantly changing, ensuring organizational success through the proper tools and
support has become a top priority for Canadian municipalities. Now is the best time to leverage digital
technologies to best meet the City’s needs and help reach it’s business goals.
Canadian municipalities are leveraging the capabilities of modern tools to automate administrative
functions, streamline operations,and achieve process efficiencies. Research has shown that there
are numerous advantages to investing in modern tools, such as streamlined reporting and
compliance,increased visibility into allocation and spending of funds and resources, and accurate
information for decision-makers and leadership.
The investment in Digital Transformation will ensure the City can be successful, both now and in the
future by:
•Prioritizing standardization: Cross-departmental standardized practices to ensure consistency
and lessen training requirements.
•Increasing efficiencies: Cumbersome, manual processes can be alleviated by system efficiencies
and integrations that automate, digitize, and allow information to flow seamlessly throughout the
organization.
•Managing data: Integrated, modern tools provide greater visibility into organization, citizen,
stakeholder, and business data and information.
•Meaningful reporting: There is a greater demand from leadership citizens for transparent data
and clear outcomes which can be easily accessed and consolidated with effective reporting
tools.
36
Change Drivers
In order to be a service delivery
leader in today’s digital world,
municipalities must be willing to
adopt emerging technologies and
leverage the tools available to
streamline and optimize
administrative activities while at the
same time prioritizing innovation in
order to meet the evolving needs
and expectations of diverse
stakeholders.
Wherever business takes you
Technology Investments for the Future
Technology is an investment organizations make to ensure that their future
operations will be successfully supported by skills, systems, tools, and processes
that will enable the organization to grow and evolve, while continuing to meet or
exceed client and community expectations.
There are several factors to consider in order to ensure the City is set up to receive
the most benefit from technology investments, including cultural and strategic fit,
scalability, client and stakeholder impact, total cost of ownership, and digital and
physical security.
In addition, technology systems have evolved significantly in recent years.
The concept of “future-proofing” involves anticipating
and investing for the future in order to ensure the
organization is able to respond with agility to
challenges and opportunities. It involves investing in
systems and tools that will not require significant
updates as technology advances.
37
Change Drivers
With the fast-paced evolution of technology and user expectations, it becomes harder and harder for municipalities to keep up with development on their own. As a result, they are investing in strategic technology partnerships with vendors who understand their business goals and are in a position to
enable them long-term through digital solutions.
Establishing a technology investment approach and plan that prioritizes finding and managing strategic partnerships, will ensure the City is able to
respond with agility to challenges and opportunities.
3. Current State Observations and Impacts
Wherever business takes you 39
Overview
This section details the findings from internal engagement activities and a review of documentation shared by the City of Pickering. It is organized into the following two subsections.
1.Digital Maturity Assessment
The Digital Maturity Assessment incorporates learnings from interviews and discussions primarily with the City’s IT Division in order
to understand how technology resources are planned and used in support of the organization’s business objectives and operations as well as the efforts in place to protect the organization from cybersecurity threats.
Included in this subsection is also a summary of the City’s business applications and how they exist within the City’s technology environment.
2.People, Process, Technology Findings
The People, Process, Technology Findings are a summary of what was learned from interviews and workshops with City leaders
and employees as well as the results of the organization-wide Digital Strategy survey. This subsection ensures perspectives from across the organization are understood and shared.
Current State Observations and Impacts
Wherever business takes you
Current State Observations and Impacts |Digital Maturity Assessment
40
Wherever business takes you
Digital Maturity Assessment |Framework
41
1. Ad-Hoc
The organization has limited policies, standards,
practices and plans in place. These practices are ad-hoc, resulting in
several gaps.
2. Basic
The organization has minimal policies,
standards, practices and plans in place that allow it to function on a day-to-
day basis but are not sustainable.
3. Adequate
The organization has policies, standards,
practices and plans in place that support the business under stable
circumstances but are not flexible and responsive to the evolving needs of
citizens or employees.
4. Professional
The organization has policies, standards,
practices and plans in place that are proactive in ensuring current and
future needs can be met. Sustainability of technology and future
growth are prioritized by organizational leadership.
5. Leading
The organization has leading polices, standards,
practices and plans in place that allow it to actively anticipate both
challenges and key opportunities, in order to optimize performance and
enhance the overall employee and citizen
experience.
Digital Maturity Assessment | Rating Guide
Digital Maturity Assessment | Focus Areas
1.Technology Investment Framework
2.Technology Governance and Policies
3.Digital Literacy and Skills
4.Digital Citizen Experience
5.Vendor Management
6.Business Applications
7.Network and Server Infrastructure
8.Data Management
9.Business Intelligence and Analytics
10.Cyber Maturity Assessment
Current State Observations and Impacts
As technology continues to advance, it is important for organizational leaders to understand how to plan and manage technology in order to meet current and future needs, enable data-driven decision making, foster accountability, manage risks, and develop and achieve strategies and goals.The use of a maturity
assessment framework ensures a comprehensive and consistent approach to understanding the current capacity and capability of technology management within an organization.
The following pages will outline current state observations within each of the Digital Maturity Assessment focus areas.
Wherever business takes you
Digital Maturity Assessment |Rating Overview
42
Current State Observations and Impacts
Focus Area 1. Ad-Hoc 2. Basic 3. Adequate 4. Professional 5. Leading
1. Technology Investment Framework ✓
2. Technology Governance and Policies ✓
3. Digital Literacy and Skills ✓
4. Digital Citizen Experience ✓*
5. Vendor Management ✓
6. Business Applications ✓
7. Network and Server Infrastructure ✓
8. Data Management ✓
9. Business Intelligence and Analytics ✓
10. Cybersecurity Maturity**✓
Shown below is a high level rating of each focus area. It is important to note that throughout interactions with many of the City’s key stakeholders, several highlighted a desire to support the City’s growth in these areas –and increase their own capabilities when it comes to data and technology. It is also not uncommon for
municipalities at the start of their digital transformation journey to see several ratings at 1 or 2. This is often due in part to a historical trend across many municipalities that saw limited resources allocated to internal corporate service areas as well as a decentralized approach to managing technology investment and applications.
The following pages detail observations and impacts related to each focus area.
**Based on an assessment of 18 areas and not indicative of the potential risk for certain controls that might not be in place. More details are provided later in this section.
*Interim Assessment: Digital Citizen Experience rating will be confirmed through Public Engagement (March 2-19, 2023).
Wherever business takes you
Technology Investment Framework
A Technology Investment Framework ensures organizations are well-positioned and informed to make strategic and operational technology investment decisions from both a capital and operating perspective. The investment framework should be constructed based on organizational priorities and goals in order to establish alignment between technology and the organization’s overall strategy and business plans.
Observations
•The City does not currently have a technology investment framework or a mechanism for prioritizing technology investments at the corporate
level.
•Technology spending is not centralized for the City.
Impacts
•The annual technology budget within the IT Division allows primarily for the maintenance of the status quo with minimal opportunity to advance
strategic initiatives, such as the projects identified in the 2016 Technology Review and Roadmap.
•Technology is often procured based on individual Department needs with limited input and involvement from the IT Division resulting in disparate systems within departments rather than the opportunity to
leverage existing tools to their full functionality and maximize efficiencies with the technology spend.
Digital Maturity Assessment |Technology Investment Framework
43
Current State Observations and Impacts
Wherever business takes you
Digital Maturity Assessment |Technology Governance and Policies
44
Technology Governance and Policies
Technology Governance, including supporting Policies, enable organizations to manage their technology risks effectively and ensure that the activities associated with technology and data are aligned with their overall business objectives. As organizations grow, maintaining policies and standards (i.e. acceptable use, access control and management, security and privacy, asset management, etc.) is essential to maintaining a safe and well-maintained technology environment.
Observations
•The City has identified the need to create a Strategic Plan in order
to establish a clear set of corporate priorities to guide organization-wide decision-making and direction.
•The City does not currently have a formal Technology Governance structure in the form of a corporate committee. There is often
limited collaboration between departments and the IT Division
when it comes to making technology sourcing decisions.
•There is currently no centralized Project Management Office or
dedicated project management resources to set a standard approach to managing technology projects across the
organization. Subject matter experts or functional leaders are
typically responsible for filling the project manager role for technology projects.
•Departments will often lead technology projects and the IT Division’s involvement will vary but is often limited.
•Technology policies are in place and updated as needed.
Impacts
•Employees expressed challenges with understanding the City’s priorities and
often having to be reactive rather than proactive in planning and delivery of projects and initiatives.
•Without a Technology Governance structure that is supported by the City’s leadership, there will be limited capacity to advance a Digital Strategy as shown
by the limited advancements made since the 2016 Technology Review and Roadmap. These initiatives require corporate oversight and the allocation of dedicated resources.
•Technology decisions are made based on individual Department needs rather than a corporate understanding of what is needed to advance the organization
as a whole.
•Employees expressed a need for increased collaboration when it comes to making technology decisions as they often feel they do not have the required
skills or knowledge from a technical perspective.
•In general, the City’s technology policies that are in place appear to be
understood and adhered to by the organization.
Current State Observations and Impacts
Wherever business takes you
Digital Literacy and Skills
Digital literacy plays a critical role in a organization’s ability to effectively leverage modern technology, and has many vital impacts on the employee experience. Building a strong foundation of digital literacy amongst team members prepares organizations to take full advantage of their existing technology investments, while also setting teams up for long-term success.
Observations
•In general, employees expressed an understanding the value technology and
data when it comes to operational efficiencies and enhanced service delivery.
•Employees understand the limitations that exist when technology tools are not integrated and data is not accessible across the organization.
•Employees generally feel confident in using the tools they have to complete their job activities.
•Employees expressed challenges with the lack of communication and change
management when it comes to technology projects and updates.
•Employees articulated the need for consistent, relevant, and accessible
technology training and onboarding for all new employees.
•Seasonal and part-time team members do not have the same access to training
and supports as full-time employees.
Impacts
•There is a strong desire from employees for a collaborative, integrated approach to managing technology and data for the organization that will lead to greater efficiencies and their time to
be spent on higher value activities.
•There is a need for the City to allocate resources to consistently
lead technology change management, training, and communications in order to ensure the successful adoption of digital tools and practices.
Digital Maturity Assessment |Digital Literacy and Skills
45
I understand the value technology, data
and innovation can bring to the City.
I am confident in my skills when it comes
to using technology at the City.
I am comfortable learning how to use
new technology.
76%85%98%
Employee Self Assessment completed during Department Workshops
Current State Observations and Impacts
Wherever business takes you
Digital Citizen Experience
The citizen digital experience is critical to the success of the delivery of modern municipal services. As technology continues to advance, citizen expectations evolve and organizations must leverage enhanced functionalities and capabilities to ensure citizen-facing platforms and tools enable an accessible, engaging,
meaningful and personalized digital experience.
Observations
•The current City website is difficult to navigate and not user-friendly or
intuitive.
•The City’s website is not designed to meet the needs of all stakeholders,
including from an economic development and engineering planning
perspective. The information required by these stakeholders is specific and not easily contained within a large corporate website.
•The ability for citizens to make payments to the City is not consolidated through one platform or consistently available for all services.
•Citizens are required to created multiple logins across the diverse citizen-
facing platforms* provided by the City.
•The City has developed a new tool that is soon to be released to the
community for the purposes of streamlining and digitizing the development permitting process.
Impacts
•Employees and City Council members spend time and effort responding
to inquiries when citizens are not easily able to find the information on the City’s website.
•Citizens are required to interact with individual Departments through their diverse digital offerings rather than interacting with the City as one entity.
•The City’s Engineering Standards are not available on the website as they do not meet accessibility standards. This leads to external
stakeholders relying on out-of-date standards and submitting requests
that need to be redone to meet the new standards.
•Economic development currently put together information for business
stakeholders rather than relying on what is available on the website.
Digital Maturity Assessment |Digital Citizen Experience
46
Interim Assessment: Digital Citizen Experience rating will be confirmed through Public Engagement (March 2-19, 2023).
Current State Observations and Impacts
The City’s complement of citizen-facing platforms are outlined on the next page.
Wherever business takes you 47
Digital Citizen Experience |External Facing Digital Platforms
The following tools provided by the City of Pickering are available to the public.
Current State Observations and Impacts
LetsTalkPickering.ca is an online
engagement tool utilized to gather
citizen feedback on various projects
and initiatives.
The Pingstreet app provides City
information and tools on the go. The
app leverages existing data
maintained on the website for quick
access to popular content and the
ability to receive push notifications.
The City of Pickering website is a
platform community members,
employees and other stakeholders can
use to find information pertaining to
various City programs, services and
general information. The website also
houses various e-services. Some e-
services require the citizen to visit
another website (i.e. ActiveNet).
Wherever business takes you 48
Digital Citizen Experience |External Facing Digital Platforms (continued)
The following additional tools provided by the City of Pickering are available to the public.
Current State Observations and Impacts
Wherever business takes you
Vendor Management
Technology relationships are integral to the success of any organization. It is important to ensure strong oversight and management of technology vendors in order to ensure service standards are being achieved and the organization is effectively supported and positioned for long-term success and growth. Effective
vendor management encompasses evaluating third-party providers, supervising day-to-day interactions and managing long-term relationships.
Observations
•There is limited resource capacity within the IT Division to support the
sourcing, selection, and contracting of the business technology needs for each Department.
•Departments often purchase and maintain their own IT software and assets, including the procurement of technologies without consultation
of IT.
•There is no technology procurement specialist that can support the organization in ensuring vendors and solutions adhere to the City’s
technology requirements, such as single sign on and multi-factor authentication.
Additional findings related to Service Provider Management are included as part of the Cyber Assessment.
Impacts
•As Departments often manage their own technology, vendor
management and relationships are not centralized within the organization. This lack of centralization for vendor and contract
management can lead to inconsistent expectations of vendors, the City not truly understanding if the full expectations of the contract are being
met, and the inability to negotiate cost savings or additional support.
•Technology procurement is a significant undertaking and requires a clear demonstration of the business functionality and technical
requirements to the marketplace. For many organizations, this requires additional resourcing in the form of two roles: Business Analysts and
Business Relationship Managers. These two roles form the bridge between the business area and their functional requirements as well as the City’s overarching technical requirements.
Digital Maturity Assessment |Vendor Management
49
Current State Observations and Impacts
Wherever business takes you
Business Applications
Business applications include any software or set of computer programs used by an organization to perform various business functions. Business applications
should be designed and chosen in order to meet the organization’s immediate operational needs and also plan for future growth and sustainability. They should
extend to enabling both corporate services (i.e. finance and human resources) as well as service delivery to citizens.
Enterprise Architecture
•There is currently no standard architecture policy
which ensures that new applications or systems are evaluated against a set of holistic criteria;
however, the IT Division has defined basic architecture requirements for security that
technologies and tools must meet.
•Security requirements are clearly defined, however there are no mandatory requirements
for other areas (i.e. integration compatibility with major tools such as SAP, Microsoft 365,
AMANDA, etc.).
•Business areas within the City drive the process of requesting new applications, often without
consulting IT for the standard architecture requirements.
Solution Selection
•Departments drive the process for identifying the
business need for a new application or system but there is no documented methodology /
approval process (i.e. business case) or criteria
for selecting a new system.
Application Portfolio Management
•There are a significant number of applications for
the size of the City. The visibility of the IT Division into all departmental applications is limited.
•There is limited resource capacity for business
application owners and IT to perform basic application portfolio management activities (i.e.
strategic project management based on priority, documenting risks and issues, and application
lifecycle management).
•Business areas do not have a standard process for collecting feedback on the performance and
functionality of enterprise applications. It can be difficult to assess if applications are currently
meeting the needs of stakeholders.
Application Maintenance
•Typically, business owners have the authority to migrate or move an application; however,
business application owner responsibilities for
application lifecycle management are not clearly
defined at the City.
•The responsibility for monitoring application versions and feature updates rests with the
business application owner. There is no proactive planning of which systems should be upgraded
and when.
Integrations
•There is minimal automatic and real-time integration configured between applications.
•The majority of communication between applications consists of a manual export/import process (human assisted) or an automatic
export/import process which occurs on a pre-determined refresh cycle, typically 24 hours.
Additional findings related to Inventory & Control of Software Assets are included as part of the Cyber
Assessment.
Digital Maturity Assessment |Business Applications
50
Current State Observations and Impacts
Observations
Wherever business takes you
Digital Maturity Assessment |Business Applications (continued)
51
Enterprise Architecture
•Without proactive collaboration and communication between Departments and the IT Division, applications may not meet the technical requirements of
the organization.
•Applications and systems which do not support out of the box integration
with key applications (i.e. SAP, Amanda, PRISM, Microsoft 365) may be introduced to the City. Custom integration development can be prohibitively
expensive and requires significant resources / effort to implement and
maintain.
Solution Selection
•Without a solution selection framework or defined process, applications and
systems that do not meet business functional and technical requirements may
be procured.
Application Portfolio Management
•Application performance, scalability, and security will be affected without a
clearly defined application portfolio management strategy.
•Business areas may be impacted by applications which are not updated or maintained according to application management standards.
•Application sprawl can occur, resulting in multiple applications which
accomplish the same function and duplication across the City along with increased costs.
Application Maintenance
•Application stability and functionality will be affected without a consistent and
regularly occurring application maintenance cycle.
Integrations
•Without automated and real-time integrations between critical systems,
services and processes may be impacted due to delays in the transfer of data
and siloed data without a single source of truth, resulting in operational inefficiencies and additional manual effort required from employees.
Current State Observations and Impacts
The next few pages outline the various technology systems, software and tools utilized throughout the City. All technology architecture information is based on
documentation review and discussions with internal stakeholders.
Impacts
Wherever business takes you 52
The following pages outline the various technology systems, software and tools utilized throughout the City. All technology architecture information is based on document review and internal discussions with stakeholders.
Business Applications |Systems Overview
Architecture Diagram
The diagram outlines the current integrations and data imports of the City’s major
business applications.
MNP has categorized the data flow by the following elements:
•True Integration: Seamless, real time data flow between systems that are connected. True integration is in real time with no effort required by
employees. True integration is typically well supported and built into the solution by the vendor.
•Automatic Data Import: Data and information is automatically exported and imported between systems at a specific, predetermined time (i.e. daily data imports).
•Manual Data Import: An employee manually exports and imports data between systems, including but not limited to, manual data entry, spreadsheet
imports, etc.
Business Application Profile
A list of various business applications used by the City, with details
regarding purpose, business owner, internal/external facing, hosting and number of users.
Hosting Diagram
A visual diagram that outlines the various business applications by
on-premise or cloud hosting.
Current State Observations and Impacts
Wherever business takes you
Legend:
53
Shown below is a systems architecture diagram that illustrates high level integrations and data flows.
Technology |Architecture Diagram
Automatic data import Manual data import
SAP
Core Financial Activities
Amanda
Permitting System
PRISM
Online Permitting Platform**
TXM Tax Manager
Property Taxes
LetsTalkPickering
Online Engagement Platform
SuccessFactorsHRIS
ADP
Payroll
EzLabor Manager
(ADP)Time Entry
Parklane
Health and Safety
Laserfiche
Records Management
Open Data Portal
Online Data Sharing
BlueBeam
Document Mark Up
ACTIVEnet
Recreation Program and Facility Management
GHD Digital
Online Citizen Payments*
Non-Integrated Systems
Lansweeper
IT Ticketing System
RTA
Inventory Management
* Citizen payments are not centralized within GHD Digital. (i.e. ACTIVEnet has its own payment system).**PRISM is not yet live to the public.
FMW
Budgeting
True Integration
Microsoft Office
Productivity and
Communication
Intranet
Internal Portal
Current State Observations and Impacts
Focus 511
GPS Snowplow Tracking
Wherever business takes you 54
Shown below is a systems architecture diagram that illustrates how applications and systems are accessed by City employees. The hosting structure of some business applications are still being confirmed (ADP, Microsoft Office, Open Data Portal).
Technology |Hosting Diagram
Remote Access via Citrix Cloud ApplicationsOn-premise ApplicationsCitrix
SAP
Core Financial Activities
AmandaPermitting System
PRISMOnline Permitting Platform**
TXM Tax ManagerProperty Taxes
SuccessFactors
HRIS
Parklane
Health and Safety
LaserficheRecords Management
BlueBeam
Document Mark Up
ACTIVEnet
Recreation Program and Facility Management
GHD Digital
Online Citizen Payments*
Lansweeper
IT Ticketing System
RTA
Inventory Management
FMW
Budgeting
Intranet
Internal Portal
Citizen Facing Systems* Citizen payments are not centralized within GHD Digital. (i.e. ACTIVEnet has its own payment system).**PRISM is not yet live to the public.
City employee
Current State Observations and Impacts
EzLabor (ADP)
Time Entry
LetsTalkPickeringOnline Engagement Platform
MeltWater
Online Media Monitoring
Wherever business takes you 55
Application Purpose Business Owner Internal or External Facing Hosting
ACTIVEnet Recreation Program and Facility Management Community Services Internal and External Cloud
ADP Payroll Finance Internal To be confirmed
Amanda Permitting System City Development Internal On Prem
BlueBeam Document Mark Up City Development (Building Services)Internal and External Hybrid
Citrix Application Access IT Internal To be confirmed
CoenCorp Fuel Management Operations (Work Centre)Internal On Prem
Esri GIS Open Data / GIS City Development Internal and External Hybrid
EzLaborManager (ADP)Time Entry Finance (Payroll)Internal Cloud
FMW Budgeting Finance Internal On Prem
Focus 511 GPS Snowplow Tracking Operations Internal and External To be confirmed
GHD Digital*City Website (i:Create) and Online Citizen Payments (FormBuilder)Office of the CAO Internal and External Cloud
gtechna Parking Tickets Clerks Internal and External Hybrid
Intranet Internal Portal IT Internal On Prem
Kantech Card Access System IT Internal To be confirmed
Business Applications |Profile (1/2)
The following table provides an overview of the current business applications. Please note, there are a number of areas identified as “to be confirmed” due to
the disparate management of these applications across the organization.
Current State Observations and Impacts
*Citizen payments are not centralized within GHD Digital. (i.e. ACTIVEnet has its own payment system)
Wherever business takes you 56
Application Purpose Business Owner Internal or External Facing Hosting
Lansweeper IT Ticketing IT Internal On Prem
Laserfiche Records Management Clerks Internal and External On Prem
LetsTalkPickering Online Engagement Platform Office of the CAO External Cloud
Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, etc.)Productivity and Communication IT Internal To be confirmed
MeltWater Online Media Monitoring Office of the CAO Internal and External Cloud
Open Data Portal Online Data Sharing To be confirmed External To be confirmed
Parklane Health and Safety Human Resources Internal On Prem
PRISM*Digital Permitting Platform City Development External On Prem
RTA Inventory Management Operations Internal On Prem
SAP Core Financial System Finance Internal Cloud
Success Factors HRIS Human Resources Internal Cloud
TXM Tax Manager Property Taxes Finance Internal On Prem
The following table provides an overview of the current business applications. Please note, there are a number of areas identified as “to be confirmed” due to
the disparate management of these applications across the organization.
Current State Observations and Impacts
*PRISM is not yet live to the public.
Business Applications |Profile (2/2)
Wherever business takes you
Network and Server Infrastructure
Reliable network and server infrastructure are vital to organizations in today’s world, enabling productivity and effective and quality service delivery to citizens. As organizations seek to modernize their network and server infrastructure, a hybrid cloud adoption approach provides greater flexibility in what technologies can be utilized
to support business objectives. Hybrid models strive to evaluate both on-premises and cloud solutions, with a focus on maximizing the return on investment to the
organization.
Service Management
•The majority of all technology-related requests flow through the Lansweeper ticketing application. There is currently a small team which monitors the support ticket queue.
•Guidelines between what constitutes a project versus a change control are dependent on priority and availability of resources. Change control orders are
submitted and completed through a Power Automate form.
•When an initiative or projects starts, SME’s are typically the project manager and implementer.
•OpManager is utilized to monitor the connectivity status of network, storage, and server devices. Alerts are generated and sent to the Network team.
•Account provisioning and de-provisioning processes are not automated.
Enterprise Architecture Standards
•Currently, there is no high level architecture planning document. Requests for computing, network, or storage resources are submitted through over time,
often with the specifications required. The network and server infrastructure team applies their best judgement when determining specifications for resources which are provisioned for business groups.
•The City has adopted a hybrid cloud approach where cloud-based systems are
evaluated when selecting a new application or system. On-premises solutions are not exclusively preferred, however cloud-based systems must provide a tangible ROI, meet budgetary constraints, and align with the City’s
cybersecurity requirements.
•The IT Division is currently reviewing ways to leverage their existing Office 365
licensing in order to move on-premises files to SharePoint and OneDrive.
Infrastructure and Platform Management
•The City has all computing, network, and storage resources centralized into an on-premises hosting model. The main office site houses the datacenter, with
three other sites acting as disaster recovery locations.
•Refresh cycles for infrastructure, platforms, software and hardware are not formally defined. However, refreshes typically occur on a 5-7 year cycle, with a
preference for purchasing assets versus leasing.
•There are roughly 25 sites which are connected utilizing a secure VPLS
connection or site to site VPN where required.
Observations are continued on the next page
Digital Maturity Assessment |Network and Server Infrastructure
57
Current State Observations and Impacts
Observations
Wherever business takes you
Configuration Management
•A configuration management policy is not currently defined. The IT Division
focuses on firmware and system updates for the systems which are deemed to be a high risk.
•The Network Security Administrator within the IT Division is responsible for
patching requirements and communicating patching strategies to the information technology server and storage team,who then perform the
server and network updates.
•The Network and Infrastructure Team within the IT Division maintains some level of standardization across operating systems, network hardware, storage
systems, and virtualization technologies.
Availability and Capacity Planning
•Computing, network, and storage capacity are monitored. Formal capacity
planning procedures on a scheduled basis are not currently completed due to lack of internal team capacity.
•The IT Division has defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Monitoring
occurs using reporting tools within the Lansweeper ticketing system. Efforts are made to monitor requests and ensure system uptime is within the bounds
of SLAs. Due to the team size and complexity of the applications, there can be bottlenecks with completing requests or incidents in a timely matter.Additional findings related to Network and Server Infrastructure are included as
part of the Cyber Assessment.
Digital Maturity Assessment |Network and Server Infrastructure
(continued)
58
Current State Observations and Impacts
Observations (continued)
Service Management
•Account provisioning and deprovisioning processes are completed manually
and can be time consuming and error-prone.
•Project performance may be affected as a result of insufficient oversight,
direction, resources and/or subject matter expertise.
Enterprise Architecture Standards
•Without enterprise architecture standards defined, the performance, scalability, and security of systems may be adversely affected.
•Hardware and/or software may be procured and introduced that do not meet
the city’s security, functional, or integration requirements.
Infrastructure and Platform Management
•Utilizing a hybrid cloud scenario to host computing, network, or storage
workloads may increase service performance and availability for certain use
cases.
•Business groups may encounter delays in requests if additional on-premises infrastructure is required to meet the business request. In contrast, cloud-
based infrastructure can be scaled up or down and rapidly deployed.
Configuration Management
•Maintaining a repository of standard templates and specifications for network and server infrastructure requests will reduce the time to complete the
request.
Availability and Capacity Planning
•Performance and stability of systems can be impacted if there is no consistent capacity planning process.
•Monitoring and review of SLA metrics enables leadership to determine the need for additional team capacity or system enhancements.
Impacts
Wherever business takes you
Digital Maturity Assessment |Data Management
59
Data Management
Robust data management practices are an integral component of an open and transparent local government organization. Additionally, backup systems are essential in ensuring data protection, scalability, and performance. Backup systems utilize on-premises and cloud-based technologies to ensure backup data is
transmitted to a secure location. In the event data must be recovered, backup systems are used to retrieve files or to restore an entire application or service based
on the severity of the incident.
Observations
•There is no formal Data Governance structure at the City that outlines the policies, standards, processes,
controls, roles, and responsibilities for data stewardship to ensure quality, integrity, completeness and security
of current and future City data.
•Records management policies and procedures are defined by City Clerks. The standard operating procedure is
defined but has not been updated in the past 10-15 years. Documentation and file structure standards are maintained by Department administrative assistants.
•Departments are the designated owner of their data, outside of information stored within Laserfiche (records management); however, data owner responsibilities are not clearly defined.
•Requests for internal access to City or Department data are made to the IT Helpdesk or directly to the
Department who maintains the data. Requests that flow through the IT Helpdesk are reviewed and completed based on priority, permission level and manager approval.
•Citizens have access to the City’s Map Portal and Open Data Portal. They are also able to directly access Laserfiche (with limited permissions) in the event they require records from the City. Any external information requests for data are managed by City Clerks. City Clerks must identify the relevant department to extract
relevant data or information. Employees may not know who to engage in order to obtain data and information they need.
•Veeam backup technology ensures daily backups are completed. Data is stored on-premises and off-site in a secure cloud-based storage location. Additional findings related to Data Protection are included as part of the Cyber Assessment.
Impacts
•There is a loss of efficiency and
organizational effectiveness when data locations and structures are not standardized.
•There is a lack of visibility into City and Department data owners when
it is not clearly defined or integrated.
•While the City has an Open Data
portal, there is not a dedicated focus on increasing the amount of
publicly accessible data for the community.
•The risk of data loss, performance,
and scalability increases when there is not unified data management
strategy across all City Departments.
Current State Observations and Impacts
Wherever business takes you
Digital Maturity Assessment |Business Intelligence and Analytics
60
Business Intelligence and Analytics
Business intelligence and analytics encompasses the applications, infrastructure, tools and practices that enable access to and analysis of information to improve and optimize decisions and performance.
ObservationsBusiness Intelligence
•The City does not have a Business Intelligence and Analytics Strategy or other documentation to support the organization. There is no communication organization-wide that identifies and illustrates
the importance of data analytics.
•Business intelligence and analytics skills are not well understood or developed across the organization. The concept and application of data driven decision making is occurring ad-hoc within some
Departments.
Analytics Tools and Dashboards
•The City does not currently utilize a standard analytics solution for aggregating data from disparate systems. Industry standard tools (i.e. PowerBI, Tableau, or Looker) are not formally in production;
however, there are several users currently experimenting with PowerBI. There is no formalized initiative to utilize this tool across city departments.
•There is currently no formal business intelligence architecture or utilization of data warehousing, ETL tools, or end-user reporting tools.
•Departmental KPIs and other metrics are difficult to identify and monitor.
•Identifying and gathering data from disparate systems can be difficult and time consuming.
•The implementation of PRISM will allow greater visibility into permitting data and information.
Impacts
•There is not an organization-wide
understanding or technical ability to leverage data and information for analysis
and drive a culture of data driven decision making.
•There is a lack of visibility into organization
and departmental data as a result of disparate and siloed data and information.
Current State Observations and Impacts
Wherever business takes you
Cyber Maturity Assessment |Rating Overview
61
CIS Control 1. Ad-Hoc 2. Basic 3. Adequate 4. Professional 5. Leading Residual Risk
1. Inventory of Enterprise Assets LOW
2. Inventory of Software Assets HIGH
3. Data Protection HIGH
4. Secure Configuration LOW
5. Account Management LOW
6. Access Control Management LOW
7. Continuous Vulnerability
Management LOW
8. Audit Log Management LOW
9. Email & Web Browser Protections LOW
10. Malware Defenses LOW
11. Data Recovery LOW
12. Network Infrastructure Management MED
13. Network Monitoring & Defense LOW
14. Security Awareness & Skills
Training LOW
15. Service Provider Management MED
16. Application Software Security N/A
17. Incident Response Management MED
18. Penetration Testing LOW
Average:LOW
The City of Pickering’s overall
cyber security level is professional with an overall
medium level of residual risk. Compared to other municipalities, the City of
Pickering is ahead of others as most score between a basic-
adequate level of maturity.
The maturity scores are based on the number of met CIS controls.
An aggregated score based on the control implementation level
is computed to generate the City of Pickering’s total current maturity score. Risk is based on
observations within the CIS control domains and not
necessarily on the control score, as not all controls mitigate the same risk.
The observations included on the following pages outline gaps
identified that have residual risk. Details outlining the process and strengths are not included in this
report.
Current State Observations and Impacts
*CIS Control 16 –N/A because the City of Pickering does not develop in-house developed, hosted, or acquired software.
Wherever business takes you
Inventory and Control of Software Assets
A complete software and application inventory is essential to preventing cybersecurity incidents. Threat actors continuously scan enterprises for vulnerable
versions of software that can be exploited and used in ransomware attacks. By comprehensively understanding software assets, the enterprise can determine if they are at risk or if there are potential licensing or policy issues with the applications being used by the organization.
1. Data management policies and practices have not been fully implemented
•A detailed inventory of all licenced and authorized software and applications is not maintained.
•The software inventory is not actively reviewed on a bi-annual or annual basis to ensure approved software is supported and operating at the
current patch level or n-1.
•Unauthorized software or applications that present a risk to the enterprise are not being removed/blocked, or an approved exception
documented.
•Automated software inventory tools have not been fully implemented
to identify risky software, out-of-date versions, or software not licenced
for use or supported.
Impacts
•Without a complete inventory of software assets, an enterprise cannot
determine if they have vulnerable software in operation or if there are potential licensing violations.
•Default software or modules bundled with typical business applications can create a potential security risk.
•Unauthorized software may not be proactively identified to ensure the
application does not pose a potential security or privacy risk.
•Potential for the growth of shadow IT from side-loaded applications,
modules, and extensions that do not require admin privileges for installation.
Cyber Maturity Assessment |Inventory & Control of Software Assets
62
Current State Observations and Impacts
(CIS Controls 2)
Overall Residual Risk
High
Wherever business takes you
Data Protection
The adoption of work-from-home policies, cloud applications, and the use of mobile end-user devices has decentralized the sensitive data that an organization
holds. Often this data is related to financial, intellectual property, customer, and personal data. Data protection has become an increasingly important to ensure the appropriate use and management of data through its entire lifecycle.
2. Strong information classification standards and practices have not been fully implemented.
•A data management process that includes practices for classifying and identifying sensitive data has not been implemented.
•Data protection standards have not been established to ensure data sensitivity, owner, retention limits, and disposal requirements.
•The enterprise has not adopted secure disposal policies and practices.
•Sensitive data at rest and in transit is not consistently using secure encryption ciphers and technologies.
•A data loss prevention solution has not been implemented to identify sensitive data stored, processed, or transmitted through enterprise
assets.
•Logging and monitoring processes for access to sensitive data, including modification and disposal, have not been implemented.
Impacts
•Increased risk of unauthorized data disclosure or loss that may result in
a privacy breach.
•Regulatory and reputational losses if sensitive or critical data is
disclosed on a public forum or the dark web.
•Lack of awareness of sensitive data leaving the environment because
the enterprise is not monitoring data flows.
•Physical data theft on portable end-user devices, including laptops, smartphones and portable drives holding sensitive data.
•Loss of control of sensitive or business-critical data that may result from ransomware or other malicious threat that targets insecure data
repositories.
Cyber Maturity Assessment |Data Protection
63
Current State Observations and Impacts
(CIS Controls 3)
Overall Residual Risk
High
Wherever business takes you
Service Provider Management
Many organizations increasingly rely on third-party vendors and service providers to provide business-critical IT functions for the enterprise. Often the
organization is directly connected to the third-party infrastructure or cloud application which may result in breaches at the third-party affecting business
operations. Developing a process to evaluate service providers who hold sensitive data, or are responsible for critical business applications, will ensure these providers are protecting those assets and data appropriately.
3. Risks for third-party service providers are not considered or addressed consistently throughout the organization.
•A cloud service provider policy has been established, including criteria for classifying service providers.
•Procurement oversees purchases exceeding $1,000 or RFP/Tender. However, cybersecurity requirements are not considered during procurement.
•The current process for onboarding and maintaining an inventory of service providers to
ensure minimum standards for reliability and protection of sensitive data is ad-hoc.
•It is common for applications and services to be implemented by individual departments
without considering cybersecurity requirements, assessing service providers, or considering the reliability or cybersecurity requirements during procurement and onboarding.
•An important note is that the management of some third-party service providers is taking
place outside of the IT Division. The Finance Department oversees SAP which has addressed some of the key requirements for service provider management, such as security
requirements in contracts and review of the SAP service provider risk profile. Reviews of SOC2 reports for financial systems (SAP) are part of the auditing process being performed
by Deloitte.
Impacts
•A breach or compromise of a third-party application
or infrastructure may impact the organization’s critical business processes.
•Indirect impact on the organization due to a service provider breach affecting IT applications, systems, or
data.
•Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data processed or stored on third-party applications or systems that
are not protected with strong encryption.
•Reputational loss or regulatory impacts from data
security and privacy breaches as a result of the third-party service provider incidents.
Cyber Maturity Assessment |Service Provider Management
64
Current State Observations and Impacts
(CIS Controls 15)
Overall Residual Risk
Medium
Wherever business takes you
Logging, Monitoring and Incident Response
Log collection, monitoring, and incident response is critical for an enterprise’s ability to detect malicious activity quickly. Often audit records are the only evidence
of a successful breach, yet many organizations overlook the importance of monitoring and incident response to contain and mitigate the effects of a successful attack.
5. A formal incident response plan has not been documented or implemented.
•An incident response plan that defines minimum security incident thresholds, workflow, key performance indicators, and reporting has not
been fully implemented.
•Incident response tabletop exercises with key personnel and the
leadership team to test communications channels, decision-making,
and workflows are not being performed.
•Log collection, retention, and monitoring standards have not been
documented or maintained to facilitate a forensic investigation in case of a breach.
•Command line audit logs are not being collected and retained in a
Security Information Event Monitoring (SIEM) system.
•Audit logs are not being retained for the minimum recommended 90
days for immediate review, and 1 year is available from the archive to facilitate forensic investigations.
Impacts
•Without a well-thought-out incident response plan and regular (annual)
tabletops exercises may leave the organization unprepared to respond effectively to a major cybersecurity incident.
•A forensic investigation may not be able to determine the root cause or the scope of a cybersecurity incident if the minimum log collection,
monitoring, and retention standards have not been implemented.
•Potential for malicious insider threat to perform privileged and not be detected without collecting and retaining command line audit logs.
Cyber Maturity Assessment |Incident Response Management
65
Current State Observations and Impacts
(CIS Controls 8, 13, 17)Note: Overall maturity of this control is considered “High” as many of the safeguards associated with this control have been implemented.
Overall Residual Risk
Medium
Wherever business takes you
Network Infrastructure Management
A secure network infrastructure is essential for defending and mitigating the impacts of cybersecurity attacks. Having a comprehensive network security
architecture, implementing secure configurations, patching, network segmentation, and continuously monitoring firewalls and security systems all work together to improve resilience to cybersecurity incidents.
6. Network infrastructure security should be improved with greater network segmentation and centralized management tools.
•A manual process for determining when network infrastructure updates and patches are available.
•Legacy devices (switches) are no longer supported by the vendor with current security patches and firmware updates.
•A high-level security architecture that shows security systems, approved
ports/protocols, segmentation, remote access, wireless, and cloud integrations has not been developed or documented.
•A centralized network Authentication, Authorization, and Auditing (AAA) capability has not been implemented.
•Network segmentation with stateful packet inspection between all
trusted, un-trusted, and public networks has not been fully implemented.
•Dedicated computing resources (physical or logical separation) for performing all administrative tasks or access has not been
implemented.
Impacts
•Network device configurations may become less secure as users
demand exceptions for specific business needs.
•Legacy devices that the vendor does not support may be missing
critical security patches, leaving them vulnerable to compromise.
•The security architecture may not address all the threats and risks
associated with the evolving needs of the business. For example, the
rapid adoption of work-from-home, and cloud applications has increased the risk to many organizations.
•Manual and distributed network management and system administration tools and practices, may not provide the level of
assurance that is required to protect the enterprise.
•Use of shared resources for performing administrative tasks, may leave them vulnerable to insider or man in the middle attacks.
Cyber Maturity Assessment |Network Infrastructure Management
66
Current State Observations and Impacts
(CIS Controls 12)
Overall Residual Risk
Medium
Wherever business takes you
Inventory and Control of Software Assets
Managing enterprise assets and access to sensitive data is critical for a mature cybersecurity program. Developing consistent access rights for each role and
assigning roles to users and ensuring a consistent process has been implemented for provisioning, accessing granting, and de-provisioning access is a best practice for cybersecurity.
4. The access granting, revocation, and decommissioning process for enterprise assets has yet to be fully implemented.
•A formal process has not been established for provisioning and granting access to enterprise assets for new hires, existing employees
and contractors, or role changes within the organization.
•A formal process has not been implemented for revoking access to
enterprise assets through disabling accounts immediately upon
termination, rights revocation, or user role change. Disabling accounts, instead of deleting accounts, may be necessary to preserve audit trails.
Impacts
•Potential for user access to enterprise assets or data not required for
their role.
•Immature process that grants users broad access to data or lingering
access as users change roles within the organization over time.
•Increased risk from some user activities, especially when accessing
sensitive data or applications from untrusted networks.
•Potential for unauthorized access or disclosure of sensitive data.
Cyber Maturity Assessment |Access Control Management
67
Current State Observations and Impacts
(CIS Controls 6)Note: Overall maturity of this control is considered “High” as many of the safeguards associated with this control have been implemented.
Overall Residual Risk
LOW
Wherever business takes you 68
Digital Maturity Assessment Summary
Current State Observations and Impacts
The City of Pickering has demonstrated great potential when it comes to the
overall Digital Maturity Assessment. There is a strong desire within the
organization to mature and foster a culture of collaboration, continuous
improvement, innovation, and citizen-centric service delivery.
The City’s Digital Maturity ratings are due in large part to limited resource
capacity and the decentralized approach to managing technology and data
for the organization.
The City is not alone in this situation. Historically, many public sector
organizations have limited funding for technology in favour of investing funds
into direct service areas. This has resulted a significant gap in how to meet the
demand from citizens and the community for a streamlined digital experience
as well as the ability to strategically manage and use data and information
for strategic and operational decision-making. Trends have started to show an
increase in spending on digital transformation, third party hosted applications,
cloud infrastructure, and data analytics across the public sector as organizations
embark on their journey to modernize and embrace the digital future.
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Current State Observations and Impacts |People, Process, Technology
69
Wherever business takes you
What We Heard |Current State Overview
70
Current State Observations and Impacts
At the outset of each Department Workshop and at our first Steering Committee meeting, attendees were asked to contribute to two Word Clouds. The results of each session have been combined to create the following. During the word cloud creation activity, additional context was provided to preface that the current state of
digital tools and supports encompasses more than just technology software. Digital tools and supports includes the organizational tools, processes, procedures, training, and structures that enable digital tools to be successful. The word cloud shown below are reflective of reflective of employees experiences and knowledge with all components that related to digital tools.
What three words would you use to describe the City’s
current state of digital tools and supports?
What three words come to mind when you think of
Digital Transformation?
Wherever business takes you
People |Overview
71
Current State Observations and Impacts
The following themes summarize the perspectives, ideas, challenges, and opportunities shared by City leaders and employees in interviews and workshops.
Organizational Structure and Design
Modern organizations have elevated the role of technology to the Executive level and expanded the
traditional portfolio to encompass digital services, data,
and innovation. IT’s placement in the organization should reflect the movement to a centralized model for management of technology resources.
Collaboration and Communication
There is a desire from employees across Departments for increased collaboration and communication, especially regarding technology and data. Business units and IT have the opportunity to work in partnership to
enhance operational efficiencies and direct service
delivery to the community.
User Friendly and Intuitive
User friendly and intuitive tools are needed for employees to perform their best work as well as for citizens and other stakeholders to engage effectively
through digital channels. This is a high priority area for
users as it is easier to learn to navigate and learn tools that are designed with the end-user experience in mind.
Change Management
Dedicated change management resources are required for all digital initiatives in order to create the momentum necessary to sustain the change. Strong change leadership and sponsorship is also needed,
including a consistent and clear vision for the future.
Training
Employees articulated the need for consistent, relevant, and accessible technology training and onboarding for all new employees. Seasonal and part-time team
members do not have the same access to training and supports as full-time employees which is a challenge for their leaders.
Resources and Support
The IT Division is limited in their ability to provide enhanced support to the organization due to resource
capacity constraints. Employees spoke positively of the support that is received; however, emphasized the need for additional services, expertise, and time. The expansion of the portfolio to include digital services, data and innovation will require an even greater
resourcing complement.
Wherever business takes you
People |Survey Responses
72
Current State Observations and Impacts
3%6%
30%
45%43%49%
25%
I understand how to use the technology systems and tools that are
required for my job.
I have received adequate training and support to use these technology
systems and tools.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
1%1%7%
18%23%
40%
52%48%53%
30%29%
I am comfortable learning how to use and apply new technology
systems and tools in my job.
I know where to access relevant technology support and resources at
the City
I find it easy to get help when something is not working with the City's
technology.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
“We need enhanced training for new technology (relevant content, different types to match learning styles, various methods such as written documentation). Training should
be developed with recognition that not all staff have the same level of familiarity with technology or jargon.”
“We need to have the resources to support and business owner resources (leaders) to ensure we move forward with
changes.”
“We need buy-in and united messaging from senior management and staff.”
The following information was taken from the results of the Employee Survey. There were 122 responses and information was gathered both quantitively and qualitatively. All survey results can be found in the appendix.
Wherever business takes you
People |Survey Responses
73
Current State Observations and Impacts
I think that engaging all staff for
feedback on how the City moves
forward with digital initiatives is a great start as great ideas can come from all levels.
Thank you for the
opportunity to participate.
I feel by starting this conversation the City is on the right path and getting input from staff should
show what we truly need to make
this a successful transition into the
modern era.
I'm pleased that there is an
awareness that the Digital
Strategy is needed and look
forward to moving forward.
Thanks for taking our input!
Many employees expressed appreciation for the opportunity to provide feedback. The following quotes were taken from the Employee Survey results.
“
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Process |Overview
74
Current State Observations and Impacts
The following themes summarize the perspectives, ideas, challenges, and opportunities shared by City leaders and employees in interviews and workshops.
Unclear Organizational Priorities / Vision /
Strategy
As the City embarks on the development of a new
strategic plan and supporting corporate priorities
employees will be able to work proactively to support
those priorities. Employees expressed challenges with
understanding the City’s priorities, resulting in a reactive
approach to projects and initiatives.
Disparate Technology Decision Making
The City does not currently have a formal Technology
Governance structure in the form of a corporate
committee. As a result, there is often limited
collaboration between departments and the IT Division
when it comes to making technology sourcing
decisions.
Misalignment of Roles and Skills
The City has a noticeable gap in the areas of technology procurement, business analysis, and business relationship management. These roles would directly
contribute to increased collaboration and engagement
between IT and the City’s Departments.
Manual and Duplicate Effort
There is a significant amount of manual and duplicated effort required from employees when
using the current suite of business applications and technology tools that lack integration and data sharing.
Lack of Standardization
The City is using a decentralized approach to the overall management of technology and data. This has led to a lack of standardization when it comes to business processes, procedures, expectations,
and guidelines.
Desire for Streamlining and Self-Service
Many employees indicated the desire for streamlined and self-service processes. In order to enable
streamlining, there is a need to automate and standardize processes by utilizing modern technology functionalities to reduce manual effort, duplicate data entry and mitigate the risk for human error.
Wherever business takes you
Process |Survey Responses
75
Current State Observations and Impacts
4%9%6%
21%
32%
20%
49%44%44%
26%
15%
31%
I can easily access the information, including data and/or reports,
required to complete my job activities.
I find processes are streamlined and automated because of the
technology systems and tools being used at the City.
I often have to perform additional tasks and manual activities to
ensure tools, systems, and/or processes work effectively.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
The following information was taken from the results of the Employee Survey. There were 122 responses and information was gathered both quantitively and qualitatively. All survey results can be found in the appendix.
“An online portal for citizens to view their information and conduct services (i.e. payments) would reduce amount of work for employees.”
“There is a backlog of systems that could be automated, streamlined or process improvement.”
“There is a lack of access to organizational data and information sharing (siloed within
departments).”
“There is a lack of clarity regarding processes and procedures (especially SAP, Finance).”
“Currently, policies and processes are not streamlined throughout the organization,
resulting in duplication of effort. The current processes are outdated and paper based (need to be adapted to digital).”
“We should reduce paper based processes by implementing digital processes, reduce siloed systems and improve organization-wide integration.”
Wherever business takes you
Technology |Overview
76
Current State Observations and Impacts
Lack of Integrated Systems and Applications
Many departments indicated their support for an organization-wide consolidation of numerous
technologies with a focus on tools and functionality that that can be leveraged across the departments. As part of the consolidation of technology, there is an opportunity to enhance integrations to ensure seamless data flow to empower users to adopt and utilize
consistent tools and processes.
Data Siloes
The City has a significant amount of data that is gathered and stored; however, it is not integrated in such a way to make it easily accessible to other internal departments or integrated with other data. There is
interest to increase the City’s ability to share data and
use analytics to understand and drive decision making.
Accessible / Ability to Work Remotely
Employees are able to access the tools required to complete their jobs remotely, enabling a flexible work environment for those who are not required to be in the
office everyday.
Desire for Single Sign-On / Multiple Passwords
Many employees requested single sign on to reduce the number system log-ins and passwords. IT has
indicated new technology must be able to support this capability. Additionally, single sign on for public-facing tools is also desired to streamline the user experience.
Need Streamlined Functionality
The need for streamlined functionality and modern, integrated tools was shared by employees across Departments to support operational efficiencies and enhanced customer service delivery.
No Corporate Technology Investment Plan
The City does not currently have a technology investment framework or a mechanism for
prioritizing technology investments at the corporate level. Technology spending is not centralized.
The following themes summarize the perspectives, ideas, challenges, and opportunities shared by City leaders and employees in interviews and workshops.
Wherever business takes you
Technology |Survey Responses
77
Current State Observations and Impacts
7%7%9%
29%29%
35%39%
51%
41%
26%
14%14%
I am required to enter the same data multiple times in multiple systems
or documents.
I feel the City's current systems, tools, processes and accompanying
support meet my professional needs and enable me to complete my
job efficiently.
I feel the City's current systems, tools, processes and accompanying
support enable efficient and effective service delivery to the public.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
The following information was taken from the results of the Employee Survey. There were 122 responses and information was gathered both quantitively and qualitatively. All survey results can be found in the appendix.
“There is an inconsistency of inputting the right data into the right tools, due to lack of integration or lack of licenses.”
“There is an inconsistent use of technology by all staff.”
“We have numerous logins for various software / systems.”
“We need an understanding how systems work together (integration of
software and databases).”
“Our technology is not always user-friendly and the systems don’t have all the right functionalities.”
‘We could find one or two systems that could serve multiple purposes.”
“The website is outdated and difficult to navigate. We could Upgrade and modernize website so employees and citizens can navigate more efficiently and increase user-friendliness.”
“We could use data visualization tools to display information to be reviewed at a glance and data
analytics for decision making.”
4. Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Wherever business takes you 79
Overview
This section details the research conducted into Leading Practices and Industry Trends for local government digital transformation,
innovation, and strategy. It is organized into the following two subsections.
1.Digital Trends and Case Studies
Included in this subsection is a summary of digital trends in municipal government followed by a series of 12 case studies ofmunicipal innovations across the globe.
2.Municipal Digital Strategies
This subsection provides an overview of 12 municipal digital strategies and their focus areas from eight municipalities in Canada and four located in other countries. An overview of the common themes and lessons learned during implementation is also included.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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Leading Practices and Industry Scan |Digital Trends and Case Studies
80
Wherever business takes you
Digital Trends
81
Municipalities across Canada and the world are digitizing their business processes and interactions with citizens, as well as becoming leaders with Open Data and Smart
City initiatives through the adoption of innovative and disruptive technologies as well as the movement to more open and transparent government models. Leading trends are outlined below and explored on the following pages through a series of Case Study examples.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Cloud Computing
Many municipalities are shifting to cloud-based systems rather than storing and
working with their data locally.
Prioritizing Data
Local government entities are collecting, storing and using more data to inform their
decision-making as well as making as much as possible available to the public in an accessible and readable format.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
From data analytics to automation, AI is an important tool municipalities use for service delivery.
Internet of Things
Cities are creating a network of digital and mechanical machines (sensors, etc.) to collect data and
enhance services.
Cybersecurity
As more data is collected and used to drive innovation, cities are putting a
focus on security.
Self-Service First
The citizen experience is becoming simpler and more streamlined with the
ability to personalize the experience
through digital channels.
Wherever business takes you
Case Studies
82
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Harnessing City Data -Singapore
Singapore has been using both government data and private-sector data to enhance city services and increase economic value. Along with smart technology,
such as motion and sound sensors, the citywide data platform supports better planning and decision-making in many of the city's initiatives. Other innovative
cities are also creating citywide data platforms, combining data from a variety of sources, and applying AI and data analytics tools to the data sets to gain valuable insights about the needs of their citizens.
Santa Monica’s Wellbeing Project –California, USASanta Monica's Wellbeing Project helps the municipality to better understand
the community's needs through data collection and analysis. The project tracks citizens' wellness by gathering data from the city, a resident survey and social
media. Findings from this "Wellbeing Index" are incorporated into future
planning and budget allocation to support citizen wellbeing.
Examples of innovative uses of technology and data by municipalities around the world.
Wherever business takes you
Case Studies
83
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Hush City Mobile Lab –Berlin, Germany
Traffic and other sources of noise have been identified as stressors that can affect a community's wellbeing. Together with Hush City Mobile Lab, the
municipality of Berlin developed a free mobile app that helps citizens find quiet areas in their community.The Hush City app identifies quiet spots in
each neighborhood, crowdsources them and categorizes them based on several characteristics, such as sound level, visual quality and accessibility.
The Pittsburgh Data Trust –Pennsylvania, USA
The Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center (WPRDC) is a non-profit data
trust supported by a partnership between the city of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh, and Allegheny County.The city and county invested in the infrastructure to build the data trust and move the data between the city,
county, and trust. This is now the ultimate data resource for those in Western Pennsylvania.
Examples of innovative uses of technology and data by municipalities around the world.
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Case Studies
84
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Water-Conscious Urban Development –Fukuoka, JapanThe city of Fukuoka developed a system that uses special sensors
to simultaneously monitor and control the water flow and pressure that is supplied to each area of the city. This system can increase and decrease the
water pressure in specific areas, monitor and control the water leakage, and the data collected from the system can be analyzed and used to forecast how much
water each area requires. Overall, this system is crucial for maintaining
optimal water distribution throughout the city.
CareTech –Fukuoka, JapanFukuoka has collaborated with the local community and IoT networks to monitor
and protect the elderly and people who suffer from dementia. A system called "Care-Tech"solutions has been integrating and assisting door-to-door visits, daily
check-ups, calls and texts. It also enables the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to search for seniors who get lost, as well as various IoT-based monitoring solutions to ensure the wellbeing of the city's most
vulnerable.
Examples of innovative uses of technology and data by municipalities around the world.
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Case Studies
85
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Examples of innovative uses of technology and data by municipalities around the world.
Dubai Happiness Meter –Dubai, UAE
The Happiness Meter is one of Dubai's first strategic 'smart city' initiatives and the world’s first, city-wide software that captures citizens'
feelings towards everyday experiences. It measures peoples' sentiments across the entire city, with both private sector and government entities hosting Happiness Meter touchpoints. This initiative supports Dubai's
overarching goal of being "the happiest city on earth".
SmartOslo –Oslo, Norway
To help face challenges in areas such as climate, health, digitization
and mobility, the City of Oslo has created the SmartOslo initiative.
Through collaboration with businesses, applicants will help support faster development and adaptation of smart, user-friendly and
sustainable services. The program will help promote customer-driven innovation, better inclusion of business, job creation, and more.
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Case Studies
86
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Examples of innovative uses of technology and data by municipalities around the world.
Digital Equity –Calgary, AB
Learning, supports and services are becoming increasingly digital in
Calgary and across the world. As a result, the digital divide within and
between communities has also increased, as many people still do not have the technology access, tools, or skills they need to work, study or connect
online.The City of Calgary aims to reduce this digital divide by implementing a Digital Equity Strategy.
Smart Seoul –Seoul, South Korea
Smart Seoul puts a focus on the city's relationship with citizens and works
to improve the community's quality of life. Smart Seoul uses a functional
ICT framework to build on the city’s previous initiatives of u-Seoul, which focused on issues such as efficient service provision, infrastructure and
network maintenance. Through the application of IoT and digital access, the Smart Seoul initiative goes above and beyond the capabilities of u-
Seoul.
Wherever business takes you
Leading Practices and Industry Scan |Municipal Digital Strategies
87
Wherever business takes you 88
As the City of Pickering undertakes this foundational work to
developing its first Digital Strategy, it is important to
consider potential learnings from other municipalities who
have already begun their digital transformation journeys.
The municipalities for this Market Scan were selected using
the following rationale:
•They are in the process of implementing a digital
strategy;
•Their digital strategy has a public-facing component;
•They range in population size up to 1 million.
The following pages provide an overview of each
municipality and its digital strategy. Not every city follows
the same format for how their digital strategy is created and
implemented. Although the strategies are catered to suit
each city’s environment, they all help to provide insight into
the current leading practices for municipal digital
transformation. At the end of this section is a summary of
the common themes found across all the strategies as well
as any lessons learned shared directly from these cities, who
were all invited to participate in a short interview to support
this research.
Municipal Digital Strategies
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Canadian Municipalities
International Municipalities
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City of Richmond, BC
89
Digital Strategy:2022 Update
209,937
Population
Vision
“To optimize and integrate business processes which leverage technology innovation to deliver exceptional services.”
Key strategic priorities for the
City of Richmond:
Extending the reach of City online services
•Improve convenience and business processes.
Expanding the connected City architecture
•Increase fibre optics, broadband,
and Wi-Fi availability.
Expanding mobility for staff
•Extend the mobility of our staff to further help them do their jobs in a more effective and
efficient way.
Integrating and interconnecting
City infrastructure
•Create a Digital Nervous Ecosystem (DNE) and integrate
various systems with it.
Promoting open and transparent
government
•Make it easier than ever for the public to provide input to
government and feel more connected and engaged.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
~42 staff resources in Technology
Wherever business takes you
City of Richmond, BC
90
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Markham, ON
91
Digital Markham Strategy
Vision
“The City of Markham is a platform for digital innovation and collaboration between citizens,
business, and government that contributes to
the overall quality of life in the city. “
338,503
Population
Key Strategic Priorities for the City of Markham:
Engaging and Serving the Community
•Includes increasing integrated digital services on the web and mobile,
expanding community engagement on digital platforms, improving digital literacy, and growing Markham’s leadership in digital democracy.
The Digital Differentiator for Business
•Establish a showcase digital community through strategic partnerships and new standards for the smart city, reduce friction for business, and
attract and retain businesses and talent that align with Markham brand.
The Digital Workplace
•Increase organizational digital maturity, establish a digital operating model, enhance data-driven decision making and increase resiliency of digital infrastructure.
The City as a Platform
•Develop a “living lab” in Markham for rapid prototyping of new
initiatives, increase awareness of a new, unique digital Markham brand, leverage ICT cluster to establish Markham as a showcase digital community, and increase transparency and access to open data.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
~50 staff resources in
Technology
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City of Markham, ON
92
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Logan, AUS
93
Digital Strategy
Vision
“Council will leverage digital services to make a positive and sustainable difference in the
community.”
350,740
Population
Mission“Council will deliver digital services that enhance customer
service outcomes, improve operational efficiency and demonstrate leadership within the Local Government sector.”
Key strategic priorities for the City of Logan:
Information that supports Customer-Centric Solutions
•A focus on the accuracy, management, security and accessibility of
Corporate Data will support the enablement of new online customer service channels, optimization of business operations,
systems integration and open data initiatives.
Business Efficiency
•Business processes will be digitized and optimized using lean
techniques.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Strategic Alignment
The development of a Digital Strategy is a priority focus of the Corporate Plan 2017-2022, supporting the Priority: Next Generation
Governance. The Digital Strategy is also an enabler for our City Futures Strategy, Corporate
Innovation Strategy, Customer Experience Strategy and People Plan.
Wherever business takes you
City of Logan, AUS
94
Guiding Principles:
1.Our customer service outcomes are enabled by
digital services
2.Our digital services increase efficiency
3.Our information is treated as a strategic asset
4.Our business productivity will improve through collaboration
5.Our culture of innovation is enabled by our digital services
Objectives:
1.Digital services are flexible, responsive and enable great customer service
2.Information is accessible, managed and secured
3.Digital services are integrated and managed to optimise the value of our investments
4.Digital services support innovative ways of
working
5.Governance enables transparency of the
digital transformation process
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Hamilton, ON
95
Digital Strategy
569,353
Population
Vision
“Enable the seamless delivery of customer-centered digital
services for our residents, businesses, partners and employees, and continue to enhance confidence in the City
and its services.”
Strategic Alignment
The Digital Strategy was
designed to align with and
support the entire organization,
notably the IT, Customer Service
and Web Strategies.
Guiding Principles
1.Customer-centered Design
2.Collaborative and Connected
3.Transparent and Accountable
4.Continuous
Improvement
Key strategic priorities for the City of Hamilton:
Digital Foundations
Developing core processes that outline how the City
uses digital technology to deliver value to users.
Digital Workplace
Ensuring staff have the technology, skills and support
to effectively deliver City services.
Digital Delivery
Improving service delivery experience through digital
technology.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
~125 staff resources in
Technology
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Digital Strategy on a Page
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
City of Hamilton, ON
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City of Surrey, BC
97
Smart Surrey Strategy
568,322
Population
Strategic Alignment
The Smart Surrey Strategy
supports the principles of
Surrey’s two guiding documents: its Official
Community Plan and its Sustainability Charter.
Key strategic priorities for the City of Surrey:
Social Engagement and Connectivity
•A socially engaged and connected community is one where residents actively participate in decision making and the City of Surrey is both transparent and accountable.
Economic Growth
•The local economy in a smart city is prosperous and resilient. It achieves a one-to-one ratio of jobs-to-resident work force and a balanced tax base. New jobs are created in
knowledge-based and high-growth industries by local entrepreneurs. The City has a world-class network of partners to enable growth.
Service Delivery Innovation
•Service delivery in a smart city is easy, convenient, and efficient for residents to do business with the City. Residents have multiple methods to do business, either digitally or
in person. The City’s service delivery is customer-focused, efficient, and cost effective.
Smart City Infrastructure
•Smart City Infrastructure consists of optimized methods of construction, operation, and
maintenance. The City uses leading-edge technology and new approaches to find efficiencies, coordinate activities, and collect data to do more with less.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
~130 staff resources in Technology
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City of Surrey, BC
98
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Beaumont
99
Digital Master Plan
20,888
Population
Administrative Outcomes
•Increase our shared understanding of what Digital means for the City and the community.
•Grow our skills and capacity for leveraging technology and data to manage programs and services.
•Foster accountability and momentum for identifying and prioritizing future digital initiatives that will continue to
make Beaumont a Digital Leader.
Community Outcomes
•Increase trust and openness with citizens, businesses and
other community stakeholders through new meaningful ways to stay connected.
•Increase digital literacy and skills through awareness-
building and education, leading to more relevant digital connections.
•Share input, ideas and feedback to inform the future direction of the City’s digital initiatives
Strategic Alignment
The initiatives identified in this Digital Master Plan directly contribute to the following
Aspirations and Objectives as identified in the Council
Strategic Plan 2022-2026: Building Our Tomorrow, Today.
Leveraging technology, data, and innovation to enhance internal operations and citizen services.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Wherever business takes you
City of Beaumont
100
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Thunder Bay, ON
101
Corporate Digital Strategy
Vision“A collaborative approach to delivering customer-centred, digitally-powered City services.”
108,843
Population
Key strategic priorities for the
City of Thunder Bay:
Digital Workplace
•Connecting all staff, using
technology to make staff working lives simpler and easier.
Digitalized Business Processes
•Replacing paper-based, manual processes with automated,
digital, real-time, workflow-based processes.
Digital Infrastructure
•Ensuring we have the connectivity, Cloud capabilities
and cybersecurity to support the
City and our community.
GIS Data and Analytics
•Managing data well and using it
to drive our practices and decision-making.
Digital Services
•Providing great, self-serve, digital experiences to customers
over visits or calls to City Hall.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Digital Strategy Brochure
~32 staff resources in Technology
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City of Thunder Bay, ON
102
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Bristol, UK
103
Digital Strategy 2022-2027
472,400
Population
Strategic Alignment
This Digital Strategy is part of a
wider framework that supports the delivery of our overarching
Corporate Strategy 2022-27. It shares important links with our
Data, Insight and Information
Strategy, Connecting Bristol Strategy, our emerging Channel
Shift Strategy and our approaches to citizen services and rationalising
our corporate property estate.
Key strategic priorities for the City of Bristol:
Easy, engaging and inclusive
•Provide easier digital access council services and encourage people to use it. Take a user-centered approach to design and
maximize accessibility. Take action to improve digital inclusion.
Simple, stable, and secure
•Work in a prioritized and systematic way to simplify and modify our digital estate to make it as secure, resilient, and reliable as practical.
Well-used and used-well
•Support colleagues to make the best, fullest use of tools and
technologies available to them, developing high levels of digitally skilled collaboration. Provide robust data and insights to ethically improve effectiveness and efficiency.
Ready to partner, willing to share, and able to innovate
•Adopt the right technologies, systems, processes, culture, and
governance to provide a safe and productive environment for wider collaboration and problem-solving using technology.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Bristol, UK
104
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Cork, IE
105
Digital Strategy
Vision“To make Cork the Connected City –Innovative,
Inclusive, and Inspiring.”
222,333
Population
Key strategic priorities for the City of Cork:
Citizen Participation
•Improve information sharing, promote the participation of citizens in decision-making and support community development.
Support Services
•Facilitate digital transformation across Cork.
Digital Skills
•Enhance digital skills and understanding for people and businesses.
Open Data
•Facilitate greater access to data to better inform decisions, improve transparency, and support innovation.
Infrastructure
•Enable digitalisation and improve connectivity.
Governance and Leadership
•Explore the governance of the digital strategy and the coordination of a wider smart agenda.
Climate Action
•Help people and organisations to address climate action and achieve climate sustainability goals and responsibilities.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Cork, IE
106
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Westminster, UK
107
Customer Experience & Digital Strategy
Vision“Transform the way our customers interact with the council making it easy for them to find the information
and services they need to improve their lives.”
204,236
Population
The following are the key strategic priorities for the City of Westminster:
Customer
•We will make sure that your needs are always at the heart of any service we provide.
Council
•We will regularly review our services ourselves, using data and information to understand what improvements
we can make to ensure we’re always providing you with the best possible experience.
Place
•We will use digital technologies to work efficiently together with our local public and voluntary sector partners
and share data where appropriate to make sure we can provide the best possible experience to customers.
Technology
•This involves a commitment to developing services that meet the needs of citizens, protecting citizens’ privacy and security and striving to deliver better value for money.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Wherever business takes you
City of Westminster, UK
108
Principles:
1.Always put the customer at the heart of everything we do
2.Make our digital channels so good that you prefer to use them
3.Continuously seek feedback and evidence to improve how we do things
4.Create a culture that listens to what you want, and takes the time to understand what you need
5.Continue to recognise that some customers need support to contact us
digitally, and maintain alternative ways of contacting us for our most vulnerable customers
6.Support our staff to provide the best possible experience to you, and invest in their training and understanding of digital and good customer service
7.Invest in the right technology to meet our ambitions.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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City of Madison, USA
109
Information Technology Strategic Plan 2021-2023
Vision
“Our Madison –Inclusive, Innovative, & Thriving
Through Technology”
269,196
Population
MissionConnect employees and the public to City services and
information through people-focused technology solutions.
Key strategic priorities for the City of Madison:
Customer Service
•Providing more holistic services through the improvement
of project intake and management processes and the standardization of service delivery across IT.
Digital Inclusion
•Create more opportunities for residents to access City services and engage in City government through
technology.
Digital Workplace
•Create a framework for continual improvement of processes,
tools, and operational efficiencies to meet employees’ needs and the City’s goals.
Employee Engagement
•Support women, people of color, and other marginalized
employees in the workplace.
Infrastructure & Operations
•Provide a reliable, secure and responsive technology
environment.
Security
•Proactively protect the City’s resources from evolving cybersecurity threats by centering the work on security.
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
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There are many ways to approach the development of a
Digital Strategy at the local government level; however, as
demonstrated on the previous pages, there are also several
common themes and focus areas for digital growth and
transformation.
Common themes across municipal digital strategies
include:
1.Citizen Experience and Digital Service Design
2.Digital Access, Literacy, and Inclusion
3.Data Driven Decision Making and Transparency
4.Connected and Enabling Infrastructure
5.Protecting Privacy and Security
Each of the municipalities featured in this report are at
different stages of their digital transformation journeys. As
part of this research, the municipalities were invited to
participate in a short interview to share lessons learned
and advice based on their implementation progress. The
learnings from those conversations are provided to the
right.
Municipal Scan Summary and Lessons Learned
Leading Practices and Industry Scan
Lessons Learned and AdviceCommon Themes
Below is a summary of what was shared during interviews with municipalities
regarding the challenges and successes experienced so far in implementing their
digital strategies.
1.Strong leadership and effective governance is required to move initiatives
forward while at the same time bringing the organization together to make
decisions.
2.Do not wait until everything is “perfect” on the back end to start making
public-facing improvements that will reach your citizens.
3.Start tracking metrics including public use of digital services immediately to
showcase momentum and also increase learning of what is working and what is
not.
4.Be willing to say no to items or requests that are not a priority for the
organization as a whole.
5.This is a journey that looks at more than just your suite of technology
solutions and tools –it is a culture shift and likely one that does not have a
set end date.
5. Key Opportunities
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Looking Ahead
112
Based on the Current State findings, the following key opportunities have been identified that will be explored as the next stages of the Digital Strategy development
continue. A key factor in leveraging the following opportunities is effective resource management and investment to successfully implement and sustain transformation initiatives.
Key Opportunities
Digital Governance and Leadership
The framework and tools that guide the City’s digital future and
experience, ensuring programs and services are effective in meeting
the needs of all internal and external stakeholders.
Data and Information Accessibility
Effective management and analysis of current and future municipal
data to increase transparency and establish a culture of data driven
decision making.
Citizen Platforms and Experience
Digital technologies and initiatives that enable the City to provide
citizens and other external stakeholders with high quality digital
services and engaging interaction.
Business Applications
Effective sourcing, selection, and management of the City’s
applications with necessary functionalities and capabilities to enable
employees to serve citizens seamlessly.
Technology Risk Management
A formal corporate-wide mechanism to understand, articulate,
mitigate, and track technology risk at both a strategic and
operational level.
Enabling Technology
Utilizing digital technologies to enable the municipality to improve
and innovate their current and future infrastructure and assets.
Digital Literacy
Enhancing the knowledge, skills and capabilities of employees,
citizens, and other external stakeholders to access, manage,
integrate, analyze and evaluate information, grow knowledge and
skills, and create and communicate with others.
6. Appendix
•Digital Strategy Employee Survey Results
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How long have you worked at the City of Pickering?
Survey Demographics
Employee Survey Findings
Please indicate which department your position resides
in.
What technology systems or tools do
you use to perform daily tasks?
(Check all that apply)
Total Responses: 122 participants
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Survey Results
Employee Survey Findings
Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements about your experience working with the City’s technology systems, tools, and processes.
3%1%1%6%
30%
7%
18%23%
45%43%40%
52%48%49%
25%
53%
30%29%
I understand how to use the technology
systems and tools that are required for my
job.
I have received adequate training and
support to use these technology systems
and tools.
I am comfortable learning how to use and
apply new technology systems and tools in
my job.
I know where to access relevant
technology support and resources at the
City
I find it easy to get help when something is
not working with the City's technology.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
7%7%9%
29%29%
35%39%
51%
41%
26%
14%14%
I am required to enter the same
data multiple times in multiple
systems or documents.
I feel the City's current systems,
tools, processes and accompanying
support meet my professional needs
and enable me to complete my job
efficiently.
I feel the City's current systems,
tools, processes and accompanying
support enable efficient and
effective service delivery to the
public.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
4%9%6%
21%
32%
20%
49%44%44%
26%
15%
31%
I can easily access the information,
including data and/or reports,
required to complete my job
activities.
I find processes are streamlined and
automated because of the
technology systems and tools being
used at the City.
I often have to perform additional
tasks and manual activities to
ensure tools, systems, and/or
processes work effectively.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
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Survey Results
Employee Survey Findings
What are the biggest challenges you face with the City’s existing technology tools, systems, and/or processes?
•An online portal for citizens to view their information and conduct services (i.e. payments) would reduce amount of work for employees.
•Backlog of systems that could be automated, streamlined or process improvement.
•Budgeting, financial reporting and SAP are not integrated or up-to-date.
•Electronic payment systems are not in place.
•Firewalls sometimes block the wrong information.
•Inconsistency of inputting the right data into the right tools.
•Inconsistent use of technology by all staff.
•Inputting information multiple times due to lack of integration or lack of
licenses.
•Knowing where to find the right tools.
•Lack of access to organizational data and information sharing (siloed within departments).
•Lack of clarity regarding processes and procedures (especially SAP, Finance).
•Lack of collaboration with departments, especially around partnerships with IT.
•Lack of effective training (relevant, business terms, documentation, etc).
•Lack of interconnectivity and access throughout the City.
•Lack of management support.
•Lack of staff resources. Each department needs superusers.
•Manual tracking as a result of lack of reporting capabilities.
•Need organization-wide software selection rather than siloed decision
making.
•Not having the right access or training.
•Numerous logins for various software / systems.
•Opportunity to invest in other technologies (i.e. applicant tracking system, learning management system, etc.).
•Organization-wide understanding of business needs.
•Outdated information (i.e. organization structure, policies, etc.).
•Policies and processes are not streamlined throughout the organization.
•Processes are not efficiently streamlined resulting in duplication of effort.
•Processes are outdated and paper based (need to be adapted to digital).
•Rollout and changes to software without effective communication or training.
•SAP processes are cumbersome, not user-friendly and result in delay of
obtaining required services.
•SAP support can be challenging.
•Technology is not always user-friendly.
•Technology systems and functionality is outdated (i.e. Microsoft Office).
•Technology systems don’t have all the right functionalities.
•The website is outdated and difficult to navigate.
•There is not one system that has all the necessary functionality.
•Unavailability of IT support in the evenings and weekends.
•Understanding how systems work together (integration of software and databases).
•When systems are down, work is unable to be completed.
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Survey Results
Employee Survey Findings
Do you have any ideas or suggestions about how to improve the City’s use of technology, data, and/or innovation?
•Adequate training for new technology (relevant, training types, visual and written documentation).
•Align Digital Strategy to other city initiatives (i.e. GIS Corporate Strategy, IT Strategy).
•Buy-in and united messaging from senior management and staff.
•Cost-benefit analysis to weight savings vs impact to operations (i.e. SAP implementation).
•Dedicated IT project management staff to prioritize and manage digital innovation and modernization projects.
•Establish clear accountability for training and implementation.
•Establish technology division that supports transformation needs with top of class expertise of modern applications.
•Find one or two systems that could serve multiple purposes.
•Implement a self service employee system that allows visibility into vacation and lieu time.
•Improve coordination, streamline processes and improve information sharing organization-wide.
•Increase staffing and capacity with the right expertise.
•Increase the capacity of IT so that they can be more proactive as opposed to
barely keeping up with demand.
•Individuals promoted to management positions should be required to have a full understanding of technology used in their department.
•Integrate systems to limit data entry.
•Make it simple to use and understand.
•New technology systems (internal messaging, task management, document management, Shopify).
•Online citizen portal for City services (recreation, taxes, fees, etc.).
•Organization-wide collaboration for technology procurement.
•Policies, procedures and training tools must be developed prior to
implementation (including department user feedback).
•Power users in each department.
•Reduce paper based processes and implement digital processes.
•Reduce siloed systems and improve organization-wide integration.
•Reinstatement of the IT interdepartmental oversight committee.
•Single source of information for data entry and automatically updates other systems.
•Smart City digital kiosks.
•Staff with dedicated role of managing and teaching technology, data and processes.
•Streamline processes and implement smart city solutions (i.e. sensors).
•Streamlined system or app for community engagement.
•Support and enforce data maintenance with documentation and procedures to ensure data in information systems is current and correct.
•Upgrade and modernize website so employees and citizens can navigate
more efficiently and increase user-friendliness.
•Use data analytics for decision making.
•Use data visualization tools to display information to be reviewed at a glance.
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Survey Results
Employee Survey Findings
Please share any examples you have seen of how other organizations (public or private sector at a local, national or global level) are using technology, data,
and/or innovation to enhance services.
•Ability to access project files on mobile devices.
•Almost all forms of public and private sector services have transitioned to
either a hybrid system or a fully electronic format.
•Committee of Adjustment (COA) Research Request (City of Toronto)
•Dashboards and data visualization tools.
•Educating staff with further school or knowledge to do job to the fullest.
•Enhanced learning and development within an organization.
•Leading organizations pivot quickly to solve major problems in their operations and they hire the right people and consultants to do the job.
•Learning lab for employee training.
•Online citizen portal (i.e. City of Toronto).
•Other municipalities are utilizing smart technologies (Smart City) to monitor
service delivery, inform reporting and decision making, and share information with the public (i.e. public wifi, garbage can sensors)
•Other organizations invest in the IT team (i.e. having specialized purchasing
section for technology, modernizing the purchasing procedure).
•Other organizations used COVID as an opportunity to move to fully digital,
including all payments, integrating financial system, and moving data storage to cloud.
•Palming access systems.
•Province of Ontario allows all staff to directly enter their in the office status, reserve work stations, and notify of absences/vacations.
•Recreation member identification (photo on member profiles).
•Single repository for address/building data that can be shared and accessed
by various departments within the city (need other software to bolt onto Amanda).
•Technology and software: Smartsheet software (Slack, Asana); asset
management software, customer relationship management, automated time entry/payroll; program booking (Pluto); tickets and events (Audience view);
interactive training (Kahoot); software inventory (TechSoup); Shopify.
•Utilizing technology, data and innovation to promote economic development,
improve environmental sustainability and strengthening citizen engagement.
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Survey Results
Employee Survey Findings
What should the City prioritize when it comes to digital and innovation opportunities?
•Automated workflows.
•Balance between customer-facing improvements and internal efficiency
improvements.
•Better technology improves efficiency, reduces burnout, improves retention,and improves attraction.
•Budget for what is needed rather than the most affordable.
•Citizen engagement and service modernization.
•Citizen online payments, especially property taxes.
•Digital accessibility of existing city services, including more information.
•Digital video seems to the most effective communication tool in present day.
•Engage staff to determine what they need and what the gaps are.
•Ensure that they hire people in all positions, from bottom to top of the
organization, who understand that technology can streamline and improveprocesses (capable and willing to use existing and learn new technologieseffectively and efficiently. Out of date thinking does not lead to innovative
solutions).
•Expanding the IT team to reflect the project workloads and support
workloads the city requires to function; projects drag on for months becausesupport demands immediate attention.
•Focus on existing issues before implementing new technology.
•Have the resources to support and business owner resources (leaders) toensure to move forward with changes.
•Hire staff with the required expertise to support the corporation before,during, and after any transition. We are out-sourcing solutions because we
do not have sufficient staff to manage internally.
•Identify opportunities for cross department users.
•Look at the organizational structure to see if there are betterapproaches/best practices to deliver digital services and processes in thecorporation.
•More intuitive design and easier connectivity.
•Need realistic implementation plan for Digital Strategy backed by financial
commitment from Council.
•Need to expand IT and integrate technology as it’s the future.
•Options for interactive display of information and auto-generated reports.
•Paperless, streamlined workplace and processes.
•Prioritize using technology to assist with day to day tasks.
•Privacy and security of sensitive information.
•Providing a comprehensive digital experience with a personal touch from thestaff working.
•Publicly available data and information.
•Refresh the website for easier for public to use.
•Security and safety of staff and members of their facility with the use oftechnology.
•Self service online public facing portals (sign up, submit documents, make
requests, pay fees, apply online, etc.).
•Support the hiring of dedicated technical staff who can recommend and
support digital solutions that meet the needs of each department (i.e. expertswho can purchase the technology we need).
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Survey Results
Employee Survey Findings
What do you need in order to be supported and engaged as the City develops and implements the Digital Strategy?
•A promise from top management that things will change. Change management needs to be supported. We cannot continue into the future
using outdated technology.
•Adequate licenses for users within the departments.
•Better physical technology (computers, laptops).
•Better understanding of how all department use technology and where they put information that other depts need... generally how to reduce duplication
and create databases that are easy to use and helpful.
•Clarity of intent, delivery times and impact on our existing operations.
•Collaboration with end users and business areas (fully understand the end
user needs and how it will affect both the staff and public user experience).
•Consideration for geographic information system (GIS) technology and
alignment with the City's GIS Strategic Plan.
•Consistent communication about the Digital Strategy and how it is progressing.
•Dedicated staff to help implement system changes and integrations.
•Digital access to folders and files.
•Enhanced training (realize and understand that not all staff have the same level of familiarity with technology, different learning styles or technological
jargon).
•Ideally, more staff as IT is becoming more and more involved in every department and is critical to all parts of the City.
•Increased IT support (both more personnel as well as greater resources -
hardware. Identify staff WITHIN each Department whose role is to manage and teach data input and records management).
•Information on the direction the City is going, the technology being considered and the impact to the residents and City staff of the Strategy.
•Learning how employees can contribute to the City's advancement strategy in
their roles would be beneficial.
•Managers who will implement the changes and work to improve rather than
working the same as in the past.
•The other department teams to be able to support the various teams they deal with on a day to day basis.
•Transparency and buy-in to the Digital Strategy. Knowing why decisions are made and how/which technology is being chosen over another. Ensuring the
right teams are participating and having their voices heard when it comes to decisions and testing, sourcing, etc.
•We need a direction. What is the long term plan for the City?
•We need more technology staff and a digital transformation plan with achievable goals and objectives.
Wherever business takes you 121
Survey Results
Employee Survey Findings
Are there any other thoughts, ideas, or considerations you would like to share?
•Budgets and administration should aggressively support continuous staff training and development opportunities such that new ideas continuously
percolate throughout the organization.
•Engaging all staff for feedback on how the City moves forward with digital initiatives is a great start.
•Flexibility and a 24/7 in-house help desk would be key components to ease technological change.
•Have input from all departments and all facilities to ensure that any new systems work for each department and facility.
•I feel by starting this conversation the City is on the right path and getting
input from staff should show what we truly need to make this a successful transition into the modern era.
•I.T. is also sorely understaffed. While they have been able to provide excellent service during COVID, I fear they may become burned out trying to maintain that level of service as we enter year 4 of the pandemic and the new hybrid
remote/in-office work environment.
•I'm pleased that there is an awareness that the Digital Strategy is needed and
look forward to moving forward.
•Information Technology is the backbone of all organizations that store data
and use computer systems. It should be resourced and prioritized accordingly.
•It seems like responsibility for technical solutions has been decentralized. Departments or staff are making their own decision about what to purchase
and implement based on their own perceived needs.
•More follow-up training available for users.
•Online portal would make a world of difference.
•Programs should be used with all of their ability.
•The city and IT have done a great job implementing hybrid system that improves work efficiency. This helps reduce stress, increase positivity and
provide a better work environment. Thank you for all the work everyone has done so far.
•The corporate website needs consistent look and content and easier to maneuver.
•The message on changes must come from the "top" and there must be ample
support and resources (financial, staff, etc) to make the changes.
•There needs to be accountability when technology causes chaos such as the
SAP transition (SAP is really a very difficult system to use. Should be revisited as it adds hours of work and limits productivity.).
•Turn to online payments (under a certain amount limit) and fillable forms as a
normal.
•We have a great team, and we can do great things. We need to provide
residents with better access to information and services online so they can self-serve at the time most suited to them. We need open lines of
communication inside and out.
Legislative Services Division Clerk’s Office Directive Memorandum
September 28, 2022
To: Marisa Carpino Chief Administrative Officer
From: Susan Cassel City Clerk
Subject: Direction as per Minutes of the Meeting of City Council held on
September 20, 2022
Chief Administrative Officer, Report CAO 14-22 Consulting Services for the Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy
Council Decision Resolution #982/22
Please take any action deemed necessary.
Susan Cassel
Copy: Director, Finance & Treasurer Division Head, Public Affairs & Corporate Communication
1.That the proposal submitted by MNP Digital Inc. dated April 13, 2022 in response toRFP 2022-2, regarding the selection of a consultant to provide a Corporate Digital
Readiness Assessment and Strategy, be accepted in principle, with the final terms
and conditions of the contract to be satisfactory to the Chief Administrative Officerand Director, Finance & Treasurer;
2.That Council authorize the Director, Finance & Treasurer to finance the gross project
cost of $179,670 (HST included) and the net project cost of $161,798 (net of HST), as
approved in the 2022 Current Budget; and,
3.That the appropriate City of Pickering officials be authorized to enter into anyagreements to give effect hereto, and take the necessary actions as indicated in this
report.
Attachment #3 to CAO 01-24