The APS Data, Digital and Cyber Workforce Plan is a call to action to attract, develop and retain data, digital and cyber talent in a unified and strategic way across the Australian Public Service.

The governance, evaluation and reporting of this plan will prioritise pragmatism and flexibility. This will allow responsiveness to, and alignment with, the dynamic nature of the data, digital and cyber domains.

This plan is supported by an endorsed evaluation framework. This evaluation framework will measure the effectiveness and impact of the initiatives within the workforce plan’s roadmap over time. It is a living document that includes:

  • evaluation objectives and scope
  • stakeholders
  • timeframes and data sources
  • links to the workforce planning initiatives and current enablers that will contribute to desired outcomes.

Evidence that will be used to track progress against this plan include measures relating to recruitment, retention, diversity group representation, employee experience and capability.

This plan will be reviewed annually. As new priorities emerge, adjustments may be made to initiatives to ensure this plan remains contemporary.

Evaluation objectives and scope

The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) will oversee and manage progress against the plan, working closely with initiative sponsors and subject matter expert agencies. To streamline reporting, the APSC will collaborate with the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) to report to the Digital Leadership Committee as part of a standing agenda item. Progress will be regularly discussed and shared, without imposing unnecessary reporting burden(s) on agencies.

For initiatives impacting the data domain, there may be instances where the Data Deputy Secretary Governance Group is used to oversee the progress of initiatives. This flexible approach ensures initiatives are attached to suitable governance pathways, avoiding duplication and maintaining transparency and efficiency.

Evaluation results will inform decisions about prioritisation and resource allocation for workforce plan initiatives, assist in the identification of areas requiring additional focused effort and will demonstrate the value of the workforce plan to government, the minister and APS agencies.

The workforce plan acknowledges that it will take time to build upon foundations and to realise the benefits of longer-term initiatives. For this reason, the evaluation matrix outlined within this framework highlights the appropriate implementation horizon in which to commence the collection of specific evidence.

Out of scope

‘Supporting Activities and Enablers’ outlined within each of the four action areas of the workforce plan are out of scope for this evaluation framework.

Stakeholders

Monitoring and evaluation activities will be led by the APSC in collaboration with:

  • the Digital Transformation Agency, the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • the heads of the Digital and Data Professions
  • initiative sponsors and contributors
  • APS agencies, where relevant (e.g. to gather ‘soft’ intelligence).

From time to time, evaluation activities may require the involvement of a random selection of APS employees involved in the piloting of new initiatives and broader labour market/field research.

Data sources

This evaluation framework focuses predominantly on data currently captured through existing business processes. This includes human resources data provided to the APSC (APS Employment Database) by APS agencies, in addition to existing surveys such as the APS Employee Census, APS Agency Survey and the APS New Starters Survey. 
Formal data collection will be supplemented by soft intelligence gathering through the APSC and DTA’s ongoing engagement and partnership across the APS.

Download the framework

Download a copy of the evaluation framework here
 


 

Outcome sets