The design of effective public digital organisations 💪

The design of effective public digital organisations 💪

Society needs effective public organisations, and no organisation can be called effective unless it can also be called digitally effective. In today's digital age, it is crucial for public works to be transparent and accountable for their performance. In fact, public works should be equally, if not more, accountable than private ones.

To achieve digital effectiveness, public organisations can learn from the practices of strong tech-product companies. These companies understand the importance of consistent product innovation in order to create new value for their customers and for their business. They don't just tweak and optimize existing products, but rather, they develop each product to reach its full potential.

Successful digital products are almost always built by long-lived multi-disciplinary teams that have broad power to shape their own work. These teams are empowered product teams, and they play a crucial role in translating organisational strategy into something that multiple product teams can efficiently execute on. Product management is responsible for ensuring that the strategy is effectively communicated and implemented.

However, it is not just the product teams that play a role in digital effectiveness. The entire executive team needs to be designed consciously to support empowered product teams. An executive team that is aligned with the goals of empowered product teams is more likely to be successful than one that is designed around other goals.

Taking inspiration from Steve Jobs, who believed that conventional management stifled innovation, public organisations can benefit from reevaluating their management structure. Jobs, in his first year returning as CEO of Apple, made significant changes to the company's structure. He laid off the general managers of all the business units, put the entire company under one profit and loss statement, and combined the functional departments of the business units into one functional organization. This move allowed for better collaboration and innovation within the company.

In addition to adopting the practices of tech-product companies and reevaluating management structures, public organisations can also benefit from understanding the SECI Model of Knowledge Dimensions. Developed by Ikujiro Nonaka, this model outlines the process of knowledge creation within organizations.

The SECI Model assumes that knowledge is created through a conversion between tacit and explicit knowledge. Socialization is the process of converting tacit knowledge to tacit knowledge. This is often done through practice, guidance, and observation, with knowledge being obtained through dialogue.

Externalization is the next step, where tacit knowledge is codified and specified in words. This allows for easy sharing among members of the organization. Combination is the process of systematizing concepts into a knowledge system. Existing sources such as books, documents, and memos are used and combined to create new knowledge.

Finally, internalization occurs when individuals read and write about their experiences. This process is further enhanced when organizations share explicit documents, allowing employees to learn through reading and eventually through doing.

By understanding the SECI Model and implementing its principles, public organisations can foster a culture of knowledge creation and sharing. This can lead to greater innovation and digital effectiveness within the organization.

In conclusion, the design of effective public digital organisations requires transparency, accountability, and a focus on digital innovation. By adopting the practices of strong tech-product companies, reevaluating management structures, and implementing the principles of the SECI Model, public organisations can create an environment that fosters digital effectiveness. Here are three actionable pieces of advice for public organisations:

1. Foster a culture of transparency and accountability. Public works should be held to a higher standard of performance than private ones. By being transparent about their goals, strategies, and outcomes, public organisations can build trust with their stakeholders and ensure that they are delivering value.

2. Empower product teams and align the executive team with their goals. Long-lived, multi-disciplinary teams have been proven to be successful in building digital products. By giving these teams the autonomy and power to shape their own work, public organisations can increase their chances of digital effectiveness.

3. Embrace the SECI Model of Knowledge Dimensions. By understanding how knowledge is created and shared within organizations, public organisations can foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning. Encourage socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization to promote knowledge creation and sharing.

By implementing these actionable advice, public organisations can design and build effective digital solutions that meet the needs of their stakeholders and drive positive change in society.