Paul Shetler, inaugural CEO of the federal government's new Digital Transformation Office, addressed over 90 UNSW Business School alumni and guests at The Commonwealth Club in Canberra. Shetler has over 20 years of experience leading complex IT and business transformation projects across the private and public sectors. Most recently Shetler was the Chief Digital Officer at the UK Ministry of Justice where he more than doubled the digital team to deliver four of the government's 25 digital exemplars.

In his address, Shetler highlighted that 1 in 8 Australians over the age of 14 engage with government services over the internet on a weekly basis but the services on offer required a lot of re-work to ensure they met the public's expectations. Shetler's key message was government needed to design digital services around user needs – not government structure.

Shetler noted that doing business with government is necessary but across all levels it is difficult and complicated, something he hopes to change in the digital space. System designers and process engineers need to retain a razor sharp view on customer service delivery, building out holistic platforms that allow users to complete transactions unaided from start to finish. In Shetler's view, by applying good design principles through rapid prototyping, responding to feedback and adapting to user needs, interaction across government can achieve the outcomes citizens seek.

Shetler ended his address by citing the huge opportunities that lie ahead and how under his leadership simplifying services will lead to digital innovation.

For more information about upcoming alumni and UNSW Business School events visit the events page.