A Changing Nation - how Scotland will thrive in a digital world: progress report 2021 – 2024

5. Next Steps – a new Strategy for Scotland

Our digital strategy has generally been refreshed every three to four years; this is in part to respond to the challenges and opportunities that new and emerging technologies bring. It also in part reflects the fact that the ever-tightening financial context and the need to deliver more with less to ensure that the next iteration of the digital strategy is achievable within current and future budgets.

As we look ahead, we know digital is a critical enabler of public service reform, with digital thinking and reform thinking closely aligned and we are committed to taking those opportunities to support efficiency, simplification, streamlining and accessibility. Public service reform aims to transform services to ensure services are efficient, high quality and effective for all and, where people are at risk of poor outcomes, services can identify this early, build relationships with citizens to understand their needs and work together to meet those needs. We recognise pressing budgetary challenges reinforce the absolute need to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

As the current Strategy was published in 2021, a new iteration is now required. The work that we have done in evaluating the progress set out in this report has contributed to that decision.

Work has now begun to develop the next iteration of the Digital Strategy following publication of this report. Our intention is to publish a new iteration in the next year.