Summary of recent Service Advisory Committee meetings

Location: Virtual

Enabling service quality through employee engagement, inclusion, and change management

Objective: To obtain Service Advisory Committee advice on workforce realities that could affect service quality and client experience as Service Canada continues its transformation

Artificial intelligence (AI) adoption

• There are challenges related to using AI in organizations
• Strong leadership, clear training and ongoing support are seen as important
• Some employees are still unsure about how AI may affect their work. Providing real examples and use cases can help them understand the application of AI

Change management and workforce readiness

• Good change management is important for successful AI adoption
• Building trust and listening to employee concerns are key
• Regular feedback, such as surveys, can help improve how changes are managed
• Change often takes longer than expected and needs ongoing effort

Governance and responsible use

• Clear rules and safeguards are needed as AI tools continue to grow
• It is important to use AI in a responsible way
• A balance is needed between trying new ideas and having proper oversight

Service delivery and user experience

• A people-centred approach to service delivery is important
• Both employee and client experiences must be considered
• Improving online services should not reduce access to in-person services
• Feedback from employees and clients helps improve services
• Training and services should consider regional and language needs

Location: Virtual

Becoming a Data-Driven Organization

Objective: To discuss how the Department can become a more mature data-driven organization to improve decision-making and reporting

Artificial Intelligence (AI) needs strong leadership and support for change

• Using AI is not just about technology. It is also about leadership and managing change
• Progress is stronger when senior leaders use AI and show others how to use it
• Hands-on learning and testing help staff feel more comfortable with AI
• Giving employees access to AI tools helps them see the value of AI and use it in their daily work

Strong data skills are needed as AI grows

• Data and AI are connected, but they are not the same. AI depends on good-quality data
• Poor or incomplete data can create risks
• Data should have clear definitions and shared measures. Information must come from a reliable source
• Some staff are still developing AI skills, such as understanding data and using it with confidence
• AI also brings cybersecurity risks, especially when using large amounts of unorganized data

Inclusion, access, and reducing harm are key

• Digital and AI services must be available to all people in Canada, including those in Indigenous, rural, remote, and vulnerable communities
• Limited internet access is still a major barrier in some regions
• There is a risk of bias, exclusion, and mistrust if fairness, consent, and openness are not addressed
• Reducing harm should be a priority, especially for people who have faced barriers or trauma when accessing government services
• Inclusive collaboration is needed to ensure that communities are not left behind in digital changes

Location: Virtual

Presentation on the application for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) and deep dive session to seek feedback on the application

Objective: To discuss the accessibility of the CDB application. Discussion included the online portal, written communications, and the automated voice system

Key themes from the discussion

• The importance of understanding your audience and how they complete the benefit application process
• It is important to think about and remove barriers that might make it harder for some people to complete the application. This applies especially for people from different cultures or backgrounds
• Artificial Intelligence and automation can be used to help make the process easier for clients
• All writing should be clear, simple, and easy to understand. This helps support people who may have trouble using certain types of technology or people who may not trust the government or feel ashamed to apply
• The importance of keeping track of feedback regarding the CDB and watching for possible fraud
• The CDB application is praised for its accessible designed. The lessons learned from this process could be applied to other government services

Location: In-Person, Gatineau, Quebec

Objective: Discussing how leveraging technology and networks to empower organization and employees to better serve clients

Morning session: Internal adaptation and adoption to new and emerging technologies

• To discuss how the Department can internally adapt and adopt to new and emerging technologies
• It is important to build a culture of adaptability and ensure that no employees are left behind in the Department's movement towards integrating new technologies into program design and delivery
• There is value in being able to quickly take advantage of connectivity and cross-cutting opportunities
• A Departmental infrastructure centred on the adoption of technology should be created, so that employees have access to hardware, tools, and resources throughout the transformation process

Other key themes

• Investing in technological integration across government levels and service channels: This will make it easier for clients to access services across different levels of government using similar tools. To support this, the creation of a Canada Technology Office is suggested to allow more federal government leadership with these changes
• Providing support for frontline staff through proper communication, and technical training. The importance of finding and supporting strong leaders is emphasized, as well as hiring flexible and positive workers, and getting employees involved as partners when adopting new technology
• Encouraging the use and understanding of new technologies. This could include creating digital services to meet the specific needs of different groups of people or be done by using technology to remove barriers, focusing on open standards and creating plans for the responsible and accessible use of technology

Afternoon Session: Leveraging data and networks to ensure client satisfaction

• To discuss the departmental data foundations and how the Department could focus more on the 360-degree client lens
• Using existing data to its full capacity. Despite competing objectives and constraints, the Department should use existing data and mathematical models to better identify and test potential areas for improvement
• Federal government's role in supporting and safeguarding data. It is important to support individuals in owning their own data as well as safeguard data for those who have limited connectivity or digital literacy
• Collecting data using qualitative and quantitative approaches. There is a need to proactively improve survey methodologies to obtain meaningful feedback. There is also value in considering small datasets as well as establishing feedback loops for continuous improvement
• Federal government's role in the use and socialization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the broader community. It is important to consider cultural context while training employees on the use of AI as well as in building data and AI models
• Service Canada centres could be used to provide training and support on AI to the public. This approach may allow community members to engage with AI that aligns better with their learning styles and cultural context

Location: Virtual

Facilitating cross-sector collaboration to better engage clients

Objective: Seek Service Advisory Committee (SAC) members' advice on best practices and lessons learned regarding utilising cross-sector collaboration to link or share information, resources, activities for the purpose of jointly achieving outcomes that could not be achieved by the singular actions of an organization or sector

Communication

• It is important to have consistent, regular, and transparent communication to improve service delivery and demonstrate commitment to clients. Even if the information being communicated is not ideal, sharing it will show that service providers are committed to good service delivery
• The Department should use modern communication tools, such as social media and influencers, to build trust, and target specific client groups. Using these tools will help the Department not only reach more people with information about services offerings, but it will also help influencing how the public views the government overall

Exceptions

• It is important to collect data and look more closely at where client needs do not fit within existing rules or other ways of serving clients to better respond to these situations
• The Department should address the root cause of these problems and to provide clients with information on how these issues are being resolved

Client journey analysis

• Data can be used to determine all the stages of a client's journey. Being able to understand a client's background and future needs will help the Department improve services. For example, tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality, can be used to guide clients and build trust
• There is value in overcoming data silos across organizations as well as maintaining the data diversity and protecting Indigenous data sovereignty
• Grassroot partnerships are important in providing service delivery

Build strong partnerships

• It is important that all partners are aware of their roles and responsibilities. The following qualities are key in developing successful partnerships:
  • being adaptable and open to new developments and ideas
  • contributing to a "culture" of collaboration and co-development of decision points
  • understanding organization specific processes and decision-making speeds

Location: Virtual

Client experience

Objective: Provide an overview of the current Client Experience initiatives underway and seek best practices and lessons learned from Service Advisory Committee members regarding client experience on the different channels of service (in-person, online, and over the phone)

Utilizing data and performance management

• There is a need to gather data on groups struggling to access programs and services, as well as those unlikely to fully move to the use of digital self-service. This information will help the Department take steps to address these individuals' concerns and create the necessary tools and resources to better support clients
• Being able to gather information on how and why clients choose to start their journey around a service - either online, in-person or over the phone - will provide more information on where clients face challenges in their journey
• Vulnerable groups, who already struggle to access services, might be overlooked when measuring the results collected on how services are delivered to clients. For members, it is important that performance measurement - which is a way of identifying if a service is useful or meeting certain milestones - must include methods that capture data about different vulnerable populations, making the collected data completer and more robust

Ensuring accessibility for all

• There is a need to tailor support strategies by client population, including recognizing the importance of in-person support for clients without internet access, digital tools or with low levels of digital literacy
• An individual's sense of trust in government will impact how they connect with services and that clients with lower trust in Government are likely to use in-person services rather than other options such as online or the telephone

Directing focus and solutions to consider

• Numerous steps and range of actors in the service delivery cycle - from development of news ways to deliver services to finalizing and putting a service in place - can complicate the task of making improvements
• A focused approach where client service improvements would be guided by an overarching goal and all actors would focus their efforts on working together to tackle one or two solutions at a time should be developed
• There are various tools that are available that can improve the online client experience, including accessibility features for seniors and those with disabilities. Clients should also be provided with a visual map that shows where they are situated on their service delivery journey, and forms should be easier for clients to find
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be used to support clients and call centre staff. For example, AI can be used to help identify clients showing signs of distress so that they can be directed to individuals that are professionally trained in providing crisis response

Location: Virtual

Use of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital service delivery

Objective: Seek Service Advisory Committee (SAC) members' advice on the following elements:

• how to leverage AI for improving service delivery (either through direct service delivery to clients or enabling processing efficiencies) in a constantly changing and evolving technology environment
• risks of using generative AI for government service delivery

Key issues surrounding the accessibility of AI tools

• There are barriers in using AI for service delivery, such as a lack of technological infrastructure in remote communities as well as clients lacking digital tools and/or skills
• Community organizations should be consulted on how to support individuals with disabilities to ensure that new AI tools are accessible for all Canadians

Building trust and providing adequate education resources regarding AI

• Trust in AI can be built by partnering with public broadcasters and community organizations to provide accurate AI information and educational resources
• It is important to build employee knowledge about AI, develop their trust in using it according to Government of Canada guidelines as well as educating staff on some of its drawbacks, such as data biases

Reliability, performance management and feedback mechanisms

• There is a need to maintain service quality and reliability while introducing new tools to support clients during the transition period
• It is important to measure performance as well as a way for clients to provide feedback on AI service delivery, with employees reviewing and assessing each submission

Location: Virtual

Future of Service Canada (Part 2)

Objective: Engage Service Advisory Committee (SAC) members on recent organizational changes and actions taken by Service Canada and provide SAC members with examples of specific service delivery initiatives based on their advice and other service developments.

Partnerships with other federal departments, provinces, territories, the private sector and community organizations

• Lack of trust is one of the main barriers in accessing government services
• Collaboration and partnerships with trusted community organizations are essential to help build that trust. However, it must be recognized that community organizations have limited resources to conduct outreach and referrals to government programs, services and benefits
• Look for opportunities to connect with clients at local fairs or events, including mobile service clinics in remote areas, to promote services, while continuing to build relationships and trust with communities

Removing barriers and biases to provide more inclusive and equitable access

• It is important to have meetings and discussions with clients, especially vulnerable individuals and/or those who are harder to reach, in order to understand their journey and barriers when interacting with government services
• Service delivery interfaces and promotional materials need to be presented in plain and concise language and in a user-friendly format
• Information should also be available in non-official languages, including Indigenous languages

Digital-first and human-centred service channels

• The implementation of a digital-first approach should prioritize clients' needs and not the technology
• When discussing the principle of "digital-first" in service delivery transformation projects, special attention should be paid to the language used. For example, "digital-first" means that all services will be available in a digital format, not that they will only be available online
• It is important to recognize that not every Canadian has access or knowledge of how to use digital resources. For instance, in some remote and rural communities, access to a reliable internet connection is difficult and costly. In-person services must remain available

Trust and communications with the public

• Due to the appointment of the new Chief Client Experience Officer within Service Canada, the Department should consider having performance indicators and service standards to paint a clear picture of what success looks like
• Service Canada should build tools to allow clients to provide feedback at different touchpoints of their service journeys. This could include looking into the possibility of implementing a direct channel of communication with marginalized and underserved populations
• Service Canada should empower its employees to resolve client service issues in a timely and efficient manner

Seeking efficiencies through automation, artificial intelligence and technology

• Technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), is quickly evolving, and it is important to ensure that employees have the right skills to implement and work with AI to improve service delivery
• Service Canada should explore possibilities of collaboration with the private sector when implementing new technology or AI
• Mechanisms that can be used to monitor, evaluate, and audit should be in place to mitigate issues related to automation and AI. This could include agents who are ready to respond to issues faced by clients or correct errors caused by technology
• When AI is being used for Service Delivery, it should be used to automate repetitive and administrative tasks and avoid using it for decision making