Deputy Chief Minister Andrew Barr MLA has launch Round 2 of the Digital Canberra Challenge and presented prizes to the winners of Round 1 of the Competition.

The Digital Canberra Challenge, an initiative of Growth, Diversification and Jobs: A Business Development Strategy for the ACT, aims to create a more effective and efficient government by working with local innovators to develop new and improved digital government services. The Program has been developed to align closely with the ACT Government’s broader Digital Canberra agenda.

The Digital Canberra Challenge features two competition rounds a year with Round 1 of the Competition launched in August 2013. Since then:

• The general public and members of the ACT Public Service have put forward a total of 21 unresolved business requirements, or challenges.
• From this pool of challenges, two were selected and ACT innovators were invited to submit proposed solutions for the two challenges.
• Eleven ACT innovators submitted their proposed solutions, and two teams were selected to develop proof-of-concept prototypes and compete for the prizes.
• Over the past three months, DigiACTive has partnered with the ACT Government Territory and Municipal Services Directorate (TAMS) to develop a proof-of-concept prototype to provide an online permit approval service that allows people to submit their applications online with guidance and checklists.
• Design Managers Australia has partnered with the ACT Government Justice and Community Service Directorate (JACS) to develop a ‘proof-of-concept’ prototype to set up an online facility which allows people to view service availability time slots and then book and pay for it.

In what was an extremely competitive Round 1, the DigiACTive team, comprising ofthree ANU undergraduates, has emerged as the inaugural winner taking home $12,500 in prize money.  Design Managers Australia, a Canberra-based specialist service design agency working with private, public, community and volunteer organisations, received $7,500 as runner-up.

The work that both companies delivered in a partnership arrangement with the ACT Directorates has been exceptional. The government recognises that the best outcome for the competition would be for the companies to continue the development work commercially with the directorates. The ACT Government will be looking at ways of progressing this.

At the award ceremony, Minister Barr also launched Round 2 of the Digital Canberra Competition. From a list of approximately 30 challenges submitted for the round by ACT public servants and others in the community, the 2 challenges chosen are:



Challenge 1: Better access to hospital info' about patient's progress; facilities and services; and
Challenge 2: Improved ACT service delivery through a streamlined personal identity system.

To find out more or to participate the challenge, visit the Digital Canberra Challenge website .