OUR ACHIEVEMENTS
We have delivered a steady stream of digital strategy work including consultancy work for the European Commission, digital strategies for the Irish government and a digital economy strategy for the city of Brisbane
BRISBANE DIGITAL STRATEGY
The creation of a digital strategy and the appointment of a Chief Digital Officer – Brisbane was only the second city in the world to do so – were recommendations made by the Lord Mayor’s Economic Development Steering Committee in its November 2011 report “Brisbane’s Unique Window of Opportunity”. This secured a place for digital in Brisbane’s Economic Development Plan 2012-2031 and led to Brisbane becoming the first city in the world to publish a digital economy strategy.
The strategy aims to position Brisbane favourably in the global digital economy, estimated by McKinsey in its report “The Internet Matters” to be worth $20 trillion globally. With Brisbane’s 120,000 SME’s generating more than half of the city’s $135 billion economy but with only 30 per cent of them being actively engaged in the digital economy, according to the Brisbane Digital Audit, increasing their digital capability is the top priority.
The need to strengthen Brisbane’s start-up ecosystem in relation to other cities in Australia and provide the right environment in which to start and sustain new digital businesses is also a focus for action. The strategy’s 5-year target is to double the number of businesses selling online and support 250 digital start-ups, some with global potential.
Digital Brisbane has become an important trusted source that enables SME’s to familiarise themselves with digital technology, learn how it adds value to their business and equips them to engage confidently with suppliers. It has had 9,000 face-to-face engagements and 20,000 online interactions during its first year, exceeding expectations and reflecting the strong desire among businesses to engage in the digital economy.
An innovative approach to encouraging skills development and entrepreneurialism spans the 7-17 generation through Coderdojo Brisbane, the 18-30 generation through the Lord Mayor’s Budding Entrepreneurs program and the start-up generation (30 and above) through the Visiting Entrepreneurs program. These take place in relatively low numbers but have a significant impact on the communities that the strategy targeting.
The investigation phase started with the Brisbane Digital Audit which used a digital capability framework to create a snapshot of the city’s digital landscape and generate valuable outputs which informed and shaped the development of the Digital Brisbane strategy. The strategy states that a one per cent lift in Brisbane’s digital readiness score will translate to a 35 per cent improvement in annual productivity growth and an AUD$560 million lift in gross regional product.
Metrics will be developed which all Brisbane’s digital economy to be measured and the impact of the strategy itself to be calculated.
Online self-assessment tools will be made available so that SME’s can measure their own digital capability and match this with advice on how to improve it. The PwC Chair in Digital Economy has been created to provide for the study of digital economics, enable digital businesses, lead digital innovation and collaboration and produce digital research output.
ULTIMATE DIGITAL PROPOSITION
The Ultimate Digital Proposition (UDP) is a concept prepared for the Queensland Government. It portrays a destination such as a city as an integrated digital productivity hub, one with a thriving digital economy where digital businesses can start and thrive, intellectual property is developed and products are brought to market. As a result, the city develops an international reputation, not only as a place where people want to live and work, but as a centre for global digital leadership, attracting talent and investment from all over the world.
Governments recognise that the digital economy is now too big to ignore and that digital technologies are critical enablers of innovation and productivity. It will create new employment opportunities and whole new industries by lowering costs and other barriers to entry, and removing geographical limitations. This will especially benefit cities by connecting them directly to global markets.
To achieve these ambitions, cities must aim to become digital productivity hubs in their own right, leveraging cloud infrastructure, world class digital events, research skills, community engagement, access to export markets and high quality digital production. They must also become renowned as a hot-bed for startups and as a magnet for inward investment.
The UDP is multifaceted as its captures the essence of domestic digital economy activity within the city while at the same time developing its global reputation as a place where “cool digital stuff happens, and you should be part of it.”
Cities can do a number of things to create their UDP. A digital achievement audit or competition would highlight the collective digital excellence of its companies, universities, start-ups, local authorities and not-for-profits. It should also identify and recognise the efforts and achievements of its digital champions. It also needs to convert the following core objectives into KPI’s that it has the capability to deliver:
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Providing the capacity for high-speed, high-volume digital transactions.
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Transforming existing businesses and building new ones that are born online.
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Positioning the city as a digital hub for investment and innovation.
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Creating enhanced quality of life through the delivery of public digital services.
All digital initiatives currently being managed independently in a typical city may continue to be managed independently, but should be showcased together in support of the city’s holistic digital vision. Wherever possible deliverables of a digital nature should be announceables of the city's digital strategy.
City digital strategies are becoming increasingly enshrined in economic development plans. In this way the development of the Ultimate Digital Proposition can maintain more of a customer-focused, commercial perspective and be more relevant to the economic development of the city.