Government leadership, especially in overseeing the strategic use of data and technology, is critical if countries are to reap the benefits of the digital revolution and improve social well-being.

The age of digital transformation has come and, as other technological revolutions before, it is profoundly changing models of production, communication, and socialisation. This revolution is however unprecedented in terms of breadth, depth and speed. The digital revolution is deploying and embedding technology into our lives at a faster and faster rate. As it does so, it affects the structures and operations of both private and public organisations.

Over the last 20 years, digital technologies have arguably become the single most transformational factor of economies and societies. The digital revolution has seen the rise of highly disruptive technologies, such as machine learning algorithms, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, the internet of things, mobile technologies and incredibly powerful network effects (Ubaldi et al., 2019[1]). As the industrial revolution did for our ability to use physical force to enhance societies’ industrial capability, the digital revolution has exponentially augmented our ability to produce, store, share and process information and data, leading to a dramatic transformation of our species’ analytical and co-ordination capabilities. By progressively embedding ICTs into the physical world, human societies are increasingly able to come up with smart solutions for today’s most pressing challenges.

This opening chapter introduces the OECD’s work in analysing and supporting the shift from analogue practices, through e-government and into digital government. It highlights the six dimensions of digital government transformation and their importance in supporting the adoption of activity through digital government strategies identified by the OECD Recommendation of the Council on Digital Government Strategies. The chapter then charts the evolution of the digital government agenda in Chile from the 2004-2006 Agenda Digital, the Estrategia Digital 2007-2012, the 2012 Agenda of State Modernisation and the Agenda Digital 2020.

Whilst digital government strategies are fundamentally important to the transformation of policymaking and service delivery, it is necessary to put in place the conditions which will support the development and implementation of such a strategy. This chapter identifies the governance arrangements for co-ordinating the vision, design and implementation for the strategy before discussing the different approaches taken by countries in respect of inclusive and responsive stakeholder engagement in developing the strategy itself. The chapter concludes with an exploration of how countries have put in place the necessary oversight and monitoring, funding mechanisms, and functional leadership to ensure that the implementation of their digital government strategies delivers on their promised ambitions.

This concluding chapter discusses six specific strategic areas, and certain trends and themes that can be found in the digital government strategies of the selected countries. The chapter starts by considering the need to start with user needs before discussing the role of data as a strategic asset and building out the necessary capabilities for delivery amongst public servants. The external contribution made by private sector suppliers to the delivery capabilities of governments is then discussed in the context of transforming procurement practices to adopt an ICT commissioning approach.The chapter identifies that the digital inclusion needs of citizens are an important strategic factor in the success of digital government strategies before finally exploring the relationship between government digital strategies and public sector innovation strategies for improving public service delivery.