The theme for GOVIS 2025 was Creative Digital Government. But why is it important for public servants to care about creativity?

There is a global narrative out there that the public service provides little in the way of value but is instead an expensive deadweight and encumbrance on progress. Perhaps the most colourful example of this is one recently appointed senior public official in a major democracy previously stating their wish (that certain elements are now trying to bring about) that public servants be “traumatically affected” and “not want to go to work”.

GOVIS readily accepts that the New Zealand public service contains plenty of examples of waste and intransigence (in fact, we spend an uncomfortable amount of time dissecting them). But we agree with Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche when he says that “people work hard and they are doing their best”, even while “a lot of things happen despite the system, not because people are enabled by it”. We are encouraged when he says "I want public servants to feel really good about themselves and feel valued. And I want the public sector to be a place where people want to work because they can make a difference."
 
As public servants, we tend to focus a lot on knowing stuff. We spend time growing institutional knowledge, navigating technical details, and becoming respectable experts. We also tend to be deeply invested in the work that we do and care a lot about the outcomes we are aiming for. But perhaps we also need to go one further and inject some passion and creativity into the mix, if we are to shake off the above ‘deadweight’ narrative and demonstrate to the likes of Sir Brian and government ministers that the public service can indeed make a valuable difference. At the very least we need a chance to remind ourselves of this truth, and to encourage and inspire each other.*
 
A long time ago, Aristotle described four methods of persuasion: logos - argument from reason, evidence and logic; ethos - the speaker’s authority or credibility; pathos - appealing to the values and emotions of the audience; and kairos - the wider context, timing, or opportunity. At this conference we learnt about the latest in digital government (logos) from the information, data and technology professionals who are doing the work (ethos). But that’s not all, because the full creativity and passion of the public service and its supporters was on display (pathos) – at a time when we are rapidly responding and adapting to the ever-challenging context that we find ourselves in (kairos).

Here are some highlights from Day One:

• A comprehensive overview of the NZ's vision and goals for digital government, by Paul James the Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO). If he had a magic wand and a bucket of money, he would seek to change data flows in the public service by bringing in more automation and standardising collection. Maybe he will get his wish - as the GCDO will soon be exercising a greater mandate over digital investment and procurement in the public service!

• An enthralling and discursive exploration of AI from Richard Foy where we heard about his youthful dalliance with ELIZA, and received a timely reminder about the limits to Large Language Models. Richard received the People's Choice for Best Conference Presentation, and was presented with a GOVIS Buzzie Award and medallion! 

• A powerful reminder from Murray Edridge the City Missioner at The Wellington City Mission, about why values and a moral compass matter when working the public service. Murray struck a chord (or a nerve!) by cutting to the heart of many issues that public servants grapple with around leadership and courage. People said it was "beautifully spoken about values in action" and "good to hear someone being so open and honest". Tears were shed.

• A tour de force of public service restructures in NZ (complete with some recommended changes...) by PhD candidate Annika Naschitzki, who took time out from thesis-writing to come and talk to us about her research. With some conference delegates recently having been through a restructure (and with some receiving news about the disestablishment of their roles in the week before the conference), emotions were running high and the room was laser-focussed. Annika did a great job of unpacking and contextualising a PhD-load of research in a positive and constructive way that was validating and accessible through the lens of technical debt, but didn’t stray into cynicism or fatalism. Annika received the Judge's Choice for Best Conference Presentation, and was presented with a GOVIS Buzzie Award and medallion! Her research has been profiled in the Post, and you can also read about it here on her Substack called Bowl of Fishooks.

• An eye opening overview of neurodivergence in IT by Rachael Hurren, Director Learning and Development at Inde Technology. Rachael covered a wide range of information (especially to do with ADHD and autism - what it feels like and looks like, and their neurological basis), but her challenge was clear and simple - we should all 1) consider what changes we can make in our workplaces so that everyone can do their best work, and 2) make an effort to learn how to work with those people who frustrate or confuse us!

Here are some highlights from Day Two:

• A remix of lessons for digital government from the web/dotcom era in the 1990s and 2000s, from Andy Neale, Deputy Chief Executive for Access and Digital Services, Parliamentary Counsel Office. One of these lessons was to do with procurement - where all prototypes/products delivered by the supplier are made open source. This gives suppliers an additional incentive, as they will be able to reuse the products they develop for you with their other clients. This option seems to be particularly attractive for startups, that might be less interested in profit margins and more interested in having an opportunity to create a groundbreaking new product with a reputable client. A great win-win was for the public and private sector to collaborate and innovate.

• The view from the C-Suite on creativity - where we heard from a panel consisting of Stuart Wakefield (Ministry of Education), Jan Sheppard (PHF Science), Alix Clark (New Zealand Red Cross) and Sonny Taite (Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora) and hosted by Brian Norris (Catalyst). We heard a series of inspiring examples of creativity (e.g. setting up Zero Data and finding a new purpose for it post-lockdown, building ALMA, dreaming up Benny the IT support mascot, and founding the Tupu Toa programme); as well as their tips on winning over risk-averse colleagues (stand out and lead, take shared ownership of risk, ensure IT is business-led, and communicate relentlessly).

• A window into the purpose-driven mindset of Prashant Bakshi, Deputy Chief Executive Strategic and Corporate Services at NZQA, who is always looking to understand the big picture, nudges others to connect the dots across government, has gradually and carefully strengthened an institutional collaboration "muscle" at NZQA, and is constantly inspired by the potential of our young people to achieve great things through education.

• The finale - in which the GOVIS committee and MindMeld Coaching traverse the past, crowdsource training data from conference delegates, build GOVIS AI, and unleash it on the future to save the public service in 2035! Along the way impressions are reflected upon, fond memories reimagined, sundry people thanked, science fiction franchises conflated, a time capsule sealed, trophies and medallions bestowed, and unqualified thought leadership espoused. No AIs were harmed in the making of this conference finale.

*Here we acknowledge the inspiration of the Creative Bureaucracy Festival, which has now also launched in Australia and New Zealand.