FOREWORD
Accelerating the Role of Data Analytics in the Public Sector
As we begin to new normalize our lives following the COVID-19 pandemic, it is incumbent on us to take stock of the lessons learned from this period of our history. Throughout the pandemic, we saw the importance of using real-time data, analytics and augmented intelligence in the public sector, and indeed these tools helped us to get through COVID-19 in so many ways. Data was critical in the pandemic, it is critical now, and will be more and more critical as we move forward. Canadian governments will need to ensure that they collect data from citizens that is current and accurate, so that the programs and services that Canadians can benefit from will serve them best.
Many government programs and services are dependant on quality data. Governments in Canada are working to improve the quality and usability of the data they have to better serve Canadians. Governments across Canada are leveraging data analytics to improve the overall quality of their programs and services, improve accessibility and timeliness in accessing them and to make them more client centric. The government's use of data during the pandemic helped it to navigate unchartered waters and to deliver accurate and timely information to its citizens at a time when Canadians needed it most. Accelerating the role of data analytics will result in a public sector that is more agile and one that has the right tools to adjust services as required.
In 2019 the Institute for Citizen-Centred Service (ICCS), on behalf of the Public Sector Service Delivery Council (PSSDC) and the Public Sector Chief Information Officer Council (PSCIOC), developed an Analytics Playbook to support and advance the use of analytics across public sector organizations. In 2021, the Playbook was refreshed to include new use cases employed across Canada and was made available in an interactive format for ease of reading. 2022 sees the addition of twelve new case studies that demonstrate the various ways in which data analytics continues to help Canadian government improve services.
The Analytics Playbook is both educational and instructive, articulating the value of analytics, identifying success factors that policy makers and leadership teams need to be thinking about advancing, and defining how organizations can get started on their analytics journey. The Analytics Playbook details notable achievements of Federal, Provincial/Territorial, and Municipal organizations with respect to the partnerships and projects that have used analytics to improve service delivery.
This year, the Joint Councils’ Analytics Playbook Working Group updated the Analytics Playbook as a digital version and incorporated the following new use cases:
Government of Ontario
Data & Analytics Practice (DAP)
The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services receives numerous requests for reports on an ad hoc basis. This initiative allows end users to generate their own reports through a Power BI app, on a common incident data set with metrics and measures that are already available. A common data set is provided to end users with all business rules and measures predefined allowing the users to pull their own relevant information and customize reports on-demand.
Service Ontario’s Resumption Data Case Study
With almost 9 million additional transactions to be processed, Service Ontario required an extensive data-driven, integrated plan and delivery to drive customers online and significantly expand capacity in its offices while managing the end-to-end experience.
Collision Analytics and Reporting System (CARS)
The purpose of this project was to deliver a data analytics solution that will provide the safety and information management and pre-contract traffic engineering sections with advanced analytics and reporting tools using current and historical collision information from a range of existing data sources to conduct collision analysis and make evidence-based safety recommendations.
Government Service Integration Cluster (GSIC)
Providing Sentiment Analysis capability as part of the Engagement Platform to support the “Ontario Eliminating License Plate Renewal Fees and Stickers Initiative”.
The Digital Information Management & Analytics (DIMA) Project
The DIMA Project implemented new business intelligence tools such as Power BI and Alteryx to allow the users to access their data directly an be able to produce their own analytics, visualizations and reports needed.
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services - Digital Communication
Improving citizen experience via digital messaging communication with caseworker to facilitate faster decision making.
COVaxon and Patient Portal
Following the authorization of the first COVID-19 vaccines by Health Canada in late 2020, Ontario has developed integrated systems to:
- Record vaccination and exemption information, and track vaccine inventory
- Enable Ontarians to book their vaccination appointments
- Enable Ontarians to download their enhanced vaccination certificate (EVC)
Government of New Brunswick
New Brunswick Economic and Wellbeing Indicator Dashboards
The project was to create a dashboard of select economic indicators in both official languages that would be undated on a timely basis, have improved visual appeal, and be easily useable on a variety of web platforms. Upon the development of this initial dashboard, user feedback resulted in the development of a well-being indicators dashboard and an economic recovery dashboard.
Government of Canada
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
Uptake of digital services analysis within a specific CRA program to ensure evidence-based program improvements
The objective of this project was to better understand the population of specific filers to gain an understanding of why they chose to use preparers to claim specific tax credits. As the CRA program implements more self-serve options, there continues to be a reliance on preparers every year for providing this tax credit specific service. Better understanding the drivers of the decision to use preparers may assist the CRA to take action to reduce reliance on claim preparers and put more money directly into the hands of Canadians.
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) - Knowledge Sharing Platform for Tax Administrations (KSPTA)
Improving data gathering and reporting by implementing Microsoft Power BI interactive data visualization software. Power BI provides statistics for the Business team on the use of KSPTA application. Power BI pulls data from the KSPTA database to produce usage reports from various areas of KSPTA. These usage reports include key information for stakeholders such as number of users in their hub, number and gender of users who have accessed their content and courses as well as users who have attended their events. Since the implementation of Power BI, the KSPTA Business team has been able to respond immediately to ad hoc requests from stakeholders ensuring the Service Level Agreement for customer service is met.
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) - Impact of Canada Emergency and Recovery Benefits on Canada Workers Benefit recipients
Provide insight into the potential impact of Canada Emergency and Recovery Benefits (CERB) on Canada Workers Benefit (CWB) recipients. This work provided insight into potential scope of unintended consequences of CERB. More importantly, it established the value of examining client characteristics and using that information to create personas unique to each service. This information has been shared within the Business Intelligence (BI) community to provide insight in new ways to disaggregate and present client demographic data.
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) - Data Analytics and Exploration Section - Server Demand (CPU) Forecasting
Server Demand (CPU) Forecasting using expected Website Traffic - A mixture of traditional statistical, time series, and machine learning models have been tested for application to this problem. Results are included in a dashboard used for briefing senior management on status of operations. Results generated from the analysis are included in a dashboard used for briefing senior management on the status of operations. If server issues are forecasted, management is alerted. CPU spikes not detected by the forecast are investigated to improve subject matter understanding.
To reap the potential benefits of data analytics in the public sector, it is essential to address concerns and educate the public about the collection and use of public data assets, including privacy, ethics, and transparency to build public trust and shift public sentiment in favour of the use of analytics to promote evidence-based decision-making. In Canada, our data exists in many silos – across levels of governments, across departments, and across programs. These silos create barriers to the effective use of data. Working collaboratively to develop a pan-Canadian analytics framework to build public trust and enable analytics is a focus of work for the Public Sector Service Delivery Council, and the Public Sector Chief Information Officer Council.
So as we look to 2023, the future of public services will need to be more data-driven with an increasing change in the government’s use of data and the value of data analytics that will elevate citizen engagement, improve end-to-end service delivery that are personal and on-demand.
The Analytics Playbook is a unique resource for all public sector organizations that will help to advance the use of analytics for the betterment of those that we truly serve.
Data Driven Intelligence Working Group Co-Chairs
Analytics Playbook Sub-Group Co-Chairs