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Modern ways of working

Organisations have to adapt and create digital transformation to better deliver services and products in a rapidly changing environment. We have produced guides to introduce you to some modern ways of working.

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The need for modern ways of working

The Australian Government, like others around the world, must continue to change the way it works and accelerate its digital transformation. People expect access to services on any device, at any time, anywhere. At the same time, governments are being asked to do more with less, prioritise investments and continually measure the benefits of what they do.

Digital transformation challenges not only how we lead our teams, but how we think about our work and our own leadership. This change isn’t easy. We are being told to lead teams to ‘work agile’, be ‘user-centred’ and to ‘deliver iteratively’. But what does this actually mean?

Transforming the way we work is as much about mindset as it is about tools, techniques and technology. We need a common language and shared understanding of digital transformation to make the change easier.

Digital transformation is about delivering improvements to policy, process and technology to better meet user needs.

It uses evidence-based decision-making and technology to improve the experiences of people using both front- and back-end systems. It’s a new way of working that encourages organisations to constantly improve and adapt to people’s expectations in a fast-changing world.

Through digital transformation, organisations reform how they operate and how they deliver value to their users. It creates efficiencies and can lead to cost savings, as focus is placed on designing and building the right solution.

About our guides

These short guides describe basic concepts and ideas to help you start modern ways of working in your organisation.

Find out more about each methodology below.

Modern ways of working - Agile

Learn the fundamentals of agile and how teams can deliver value faster through iteration, continuous learning and user-focused outcomes, while understanding when and how agile differs from traditional project management approaches.

Modern ways of working - Human-centred design

Human-centred design (HCD) is an approach to solving problems that revolves around people and their needs.

Modern ways of working - Multidisciplinary teams

Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) have all of the skills required to deliver and improve products and services.

Modern ways of working - Products and services

Digital transformation involves changing the way we deliver our work. It’s a shift in focus from ‘projects and programs’ to ‘products and services’.

Modern ways of working - Retrospectives

This guide shows how to get started with a retrospective (retro) meeting.

Modern ways of working - Stand-ups

Learn how effective stand-ups can improve team focus, collaboration and accountability, with practical guidance on running short, engaging meetings that surface priorities, track progress and remove roadblocks.
Topics
Data
Service design
Digital
Categories
Implementation & Services
Digital Profession
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Last updated
25 September 2026

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Modern ways of working - Agile
Modern ways of working - Human-centred design
Modern ways of working - Multidisciplinary teams
Modern ways of working - Products and services
Modern ways of working - Retrospectives
Modern ways of working - Stand-ups

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