FAQ
Publicis Sapient provides research, insights, and advisory support on the digital transformation of government services in Australia. Its Digital Citizen research and related public sector content focus on how governments can improve citizen experiences through more connected, accessible, and personalized digital services.
What does Publicis Sapient do for the Australian public sector?
Publicis Sapient supports digital government transformation in Australia through research, insights, and advisory capabilities. Its public sector content describes work across strategy, product, experience, engineering, and data and AI. Publicis Sapient also positions itself as a partner to federal and state agencies looking to improve service delivery, citizen experience, and operational effectiveness.
What is the Digital Citizen Report?
The Digital Citizen Report is Publicis Sapient’s annual research into how Australians use and experience digital government services. It is based on surveys of more than 5,000 Australians across demographic groups and examines usage, satisfaction, trust, accessibility, and barriers to adoption. Publicis Sapient describes it as one of the largest private surveys on digital government services in Australia.
Who is the Digital Citizen research for?
The Digital Citizen research is designed for Australian public sector leaders and teams responsible for digital service design, delivery, and improvement. It is relevant to agencies that want to understand citizen expectations, adoption trends, life-event service usage, trust, and inclusion challenges. Publicis Sapient also offers report downloads and deep-dive sessions for teams that want more detailed analysis.
How strong is demand for digital government services in Australia?
Demand for digital government services is very strong. Publicis Sapient’s research says 92% of respondents would use additional digital government services if they were made available. The source content also says citizens generally prefer online interactions because of speed, simplicity, convenience, and ease of use.
How widely are digital government services used in Australia?
Digital government services are widely used across Australia, although adoption levels vary by year. Earlier Publicis Sapient research says 88% of respondents were using government digital services, while 2024 reporting says 85% used an online government service in the past 12 months. Across the source material, the consistent message is that digital services have become a normal part of life for many Australians.
Why did digital government adoption accelerate?
Digital government adoption accelerated because COVID-19 increased the everyday use of digital public services. During the pandemic, governments relied heavily on apps for check-ins, tracking, and crisis response, making digital interaction more familiar. Publicis Sapient says this created an opportunity to extend digital engagement into a broader range of government services and experiences.
What are the main opportunities Publicis Sapient identifies for improving digital government services?
Publicis Sapient identifies three major opportunity areas: life-event-based services, more personalized experiences, and digital mental health support. Its research says governments can improve citizen outcomes by designing services around important moments such as births, deaths, marriages, moving house, and job changes. The content also points to demand for more relevant digital experiences and higher interest in digital mental health access.
What does life-event-centric digital government mean?
Life-event-centric digital government means organizing services around the moments when citizens most need support rather than around agency silos. Examples in the source material include starting a family, changing jobs, moving house, and end-of-life planning. The goal is to bring related services together in a more connected, streamlined, and easier-to-navigate experience.
Why are life-event digital services important?
Life-event digital services are important because many Australians engage with government most urgently during major life changes. Publicis Sapient’s research says around 60% of Australians experienced a significant life event in a year, and these moments often require support from multiple agencies. The source content argues that digitizing, streamlining, and personalizing these journeys can improve trust, satisfaction, and service usefulness.
What gaps still exist in life-event digital services?
The biggest gaps are awareness and uptake. Publicis Sapient’s research says 32% of people were unaware of or unable to find relevant services during life events, and later findings say 49% of people who experienced a life event in the last 12 months did not use an available online service. The source material also notes that 36% did not even think of using online services after a life event.
How should governments improve awareness of life-event services?
Governments should improve awareness through more proactive and targeted communication. The source material mentions pre-emptive service notifications, personalized messaging, and engaging citizens through the right channels at the right moments. Publicis Sapient also emphasizes listening closely to citizen pain points and making services easier to find, understand, and use.
What role does personalization play in digital government services?
Personalization is presented as a major next step in digital government. Publicis Sapient’s research says 83% of Australians are comfortable with government apps remembering and recommending services based on previous interactions, and 78% are comfortable with personalized services based on employment status or income. The content frames personalization as a way to improve convenience, save time, and make services more relevant.
How does Publicis Sapient say governments should use data and AI without losing trust?
Governments should use data and AI in ways that create a clear value exchange and give citizens control. Publicis Sapient says trust is strengthened when people understand what data is being shared, why it is being used, and how they can adjust access or turn it off completely. The source material also stresses the need for governance, transparency, and responsible use of AI.
Are Australians open to AI in government services?
Yes, Australians appear open to AI in government services, but they also expect oversight. Publicis Sapient’s 2024 research says 55% of Australians would support the use of AI to improve government services, and earlier research says many are comfortable with new technologies if they improve convenience or save time. At the same time, the source content says risk perceptions are high and citizens expect governance and transparency around AI regulation.
What does the research say about digital mental health services?
The research says digital mental health is a growing opportunity area for governments. Publicis Sapient reports that 57% of the population has sought help for mental health issues, and 72% of those with a mental health condition say an online consultation would make them more likely to reach out. The source material also says co-designing services for different groups will be important to success.
What barriers are slowing digital adoption for some Australians?
The main barriers are accessibility, affordability, awareness, trust, and ease of use. Publicis Sapient’s sources say lower-income households, unemployed Australians, older citizens, those without university education, and some regional or vulnerable communities are less likely to engage fully with digital government services. Other barriers mentioned include difficulty finding information, difficulty understanding services, repeating information, and trouble tracking progress.
How is the cost-of-living crisis affecting digital government adoption?
The cost-of-living crisis is making digital adoption harder for financially stressed households. Publicis Sapient’s 2024 findings say the number of Australians describing their financial situation as precarious increased by 85% compared with 2022, and lower-income households were more likely to struggle to find, use, or understand online government services. The source material links financial stress with lower digital participation and weaker digital outcomes.
What does Publicis Sapient say governments should do about the digital divide?
Publicis Sapient says governments should address the digital divide through inclusion, accessibility, infrastructure, and support. Its content mentions expanding digital inclusion programs, improving technical skills, addressing high costs, and improving unreliable network or mobile coverage in some areas. The source material also recommends human-centric design and targeted support so vulnerable groups are not left behind.
What technology and organizational capabilities are needed for connected public services?
Connected public services require both enabling technology and cross-government coordination. Publicis Sapient highlights CRM platforms, consent and customer record management, and content and experience management platforms to support a single view of the citizen and personalization at scale. It also points to flexible service delivery models, whole-of-government orchestration, and creative cross-agency collaboration as foundational enablers.
What kinds of public sector work does Publicis Sapient say it supports?
Publicis Sapient says it supports public sector transformation across areas such as justice, education, human services, customer service, and regional community services. The source material describes work spanning strategy and consulting, human-centered design, operating model transformation, technology enablement, change management, engineering, and data and AI. Publicis Sapient also says its Australian teams support both federal and state government agencies.
What is the Citizen Insights Hub?
The Citizen Insights Hub is an online Publicis Sapient resource for the Australian public sector. It brings together Digital Citizen research findings, reports, related articles, and updates on digital government service trends and citizen sentiment. The source material presents it as a place to explore findings in more depth and return for new updates.
How can public sector teams engage with Publicis Sapient on this topic?
Public sector teams can engage with Publicis Sapient by downloading the Digital Citizen Report, using the Citizen Insights Hub, and booking a deep-dive session with its experts. The source materials repeatedly invite readers to connect for custom views of the data and deeper discussion of the findings. Publicis Sapient presents these options as ways to explore opportunities, trends, and service improvement priorities in more detail.