- MSD’s 2024 technology strategy prioritises a unified ecosystem and proactive, personalised service delivery.
- The ministry is piloting AI innovation roles and modern reporting frameworks to boost efficiency and responsiveness.
MSD sets path for digital modernisation
The Ministry of Social Development has laid out a clear roadmap to modernise its services, anchored in its 2024 technology strategy, which prioritises digital experience, proactive service, and smarter insights. Under this strategy, the ministry is progressively transforming how people engage with its services through unified, personalised channels that span online platforms, phone, and face-to-face interactions.
A key part of this transformation is the “MSD – services for the future” programme, a multi-year effort to rework core systems to better support employment, housing and income‑support services. The plan includes migrating to cloud-based platforms, automating workflows, and integrating analytics for richer insights into client needs.
MSD is also embracing AI more safely: it is recruiting for roles such as AI Innovation Engineers, tasked with building software prototypes in sandbox environments, and Innovation Analysts who evaluate emerging technologies and design user‑centred solutions. New Enterprise Governance‑Risk‑Compliance tools will help manage risk across systems, while even building management is set to become smarter, using digital solutions to optimise facilities.
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How MSD’s digital journey fits into the social sector
MSD is not just digitising for efficiency — it’s transforming for impact. By adopting e‑invoicing, it has streamlined financial operations: 13.4 per cent of its departmental invoices are processed via e‑invoices, with 94 per cent paid within five days. This shift reduces manual work and frees up teams to focus on higher-value tasks.
In an increasingly data-driven world, the ministry is also focused on using analytics to improve its understanding of client journeys and needs. The transformation roadmap includes decommissioning legacy systems and consolidating services around a single service experience platform that supports richer, more consistent client interactions.
This is happening amidst broader challenges in public-sector technology: many government agencies in New Zealand are grappling with outdated legacy systems and the cost of digital transformation. By pushing on digital literacy, agile working and partnerships with tech suppliers, MSD is attempting to navigate this tricky terrain while maintaining service reliability.
