Maximising value: Implementing cost-effective digital solutions in Government

Introduction: Doing more with less — without compromising outcomes

In today’s public sector, the challenge isn’t just digital transformation. It’s doing it well under intense financial scrutiny. Budget constraints are now the rule, not the exception. And yet, the pressure to modernise services — to be more efficient, accessible, and secure — keeps growing.

I’ve worked across several government digital projects where the need to deliver impact on a tight budget wasn’t a constraint — it was the brief. These projects showed me that cost-effective doesn’t have to mean cutting corners. It can mean being sharper in how we think, design, and deliver.

Too often, “cost-saving” is treated as something that happens after a project is scoped or during procurement. But real value comes from embedding cost-conscious thinking into every part of delivery — from discovery to live service.

This article shares practical reflections from the field on how we’ve helped public sector teams maximise value without compromising on quality, user experience, or sustainability.

Reframing value: It’s not just about cost

One of the first traps teams fall into is equating “cost-effective” with “cheap.” But the most expensive systems I’ve seen weren’t the ones with the highest price tag — they were the ones nobody used, or that needed constant patching and support.

When I join a project as a business analyst or service designer, one of my first aims is to help the team define what “value” really means in context. That might include:

• Reducing effort for frontline staff

• Increasing uptake of a digital option

• Cutting the cost of failure demand

• Improving data quality for better decision-making

Once we know what value looks like, we can start asking better questions. Should we be building at all? Could we reuse something that already exists? Could we simplify the process instead of digitising complexity?

On one programme, we avoided the need for a bespoke case management tool by mapping the actual needs of users and identifying an off-the-shelf platform already licensed internally. The savings weren’t just financial — we cut 3 months off the delivery timeline and reduced training needs by half.

Starting lean: The power of tightly scoped discovery

Discovery phases in government can sometimes feel performative. Too long, too vague, too removed from delivery. But with tight budgets, we can’t afford that.

What we’ve found effective is a lean, focused discovery that answers three core questions:

1. What problem are we really trying to solve?

2. Who is impacted and how?

3. What’s already out there?

In one engagement, we ran a two-week discovery for a local authority digital team that had been asked to replace a paper-based assessment process. Rather than defaulting to a digital form, we mapped the full end-to-end journey and spotted a pattern: most of the data was already captured elsewhere in the organisation. We co-designed a solution that pulled from existing systems and cut out redundant steps — no new build required.

Discovery, done well, doesn’t just frame the problem. It prevents unnecessary spend, clarifies scope, and lays the groundwork for sustainable delivery. It’s a cost-saving phase when approached with discipline.

Design for what matters: Avoiding “Shiny Object” syndrome

There’s often a pull towards the new — new platforms, new tools, new features. But in government, the most meaningful impact often comes from getting the basics right.

I once worked with a team that was convinced the solution to poor service uptake was a chatbot. When we reviewed the user feedback, it turned out that most people weren’t even making it through the existing online form. The issue wasn’t lack of automation — it was poor information design and unclear language.

We restructured the form content, tested the new journey with real users, and saw completion rates improve by 40%. No chatbot needed.

This is where a service designer or analyst adds real value — not by saying no to ideas, but by helping teams test their assumptions and redirect focus where it counts. Especially when resources are limited, every hour spent on development should be justified by a clear user or business need.

Use the tools you already pay for

One of the most immediate ways to deliver cost-effective solutions is to make better use of existing capabilities. Government departments often already hold licenses for tools that are underused or misunderstood.

On a central government project, we worked closely with internal IT and procurement to understand what tools were available in the existing tech stack. It turned out we could prototype and pilot the new service using Microsoft Power Platform tools — no new procurement, no long lead times.

Not only did this approach save money, it built internal confidence and capability. By the time the service was handed over, the team was already familiar with the environment and could iterate without relying on external suppliers.

Cost-effectiveness isn’t just about reducing day-one spend — it’s about reducing future dependency.

Partnering smarter: Teams, not just suppliers

Delivering within budget doesn’t mean doing it all yourself. But it does mean choosing partners who understand the context — and who are aligned with the outcomes you care about.

We’ve seen the difference it makes when consultancies embed within teams, transfer knowledge, and build with long-term sustainability in mind. In contrast, I’ve joined projects where suppliers had delivered to spec, but left behind systems no one knew how to support.

A cost-effective partnership is one that reduces future costs, too — operational, training, support, and emotional overhead. That’s why we focus on working shoulder-to-shoulder with public sector teams, not just delivering to them. We build in ways that your internal teams can understand, own, and grow from.

It’s also why roles like the business analyst and service designer are so crucial — they act as the connective tissue, keeping user needs, delivery constraints, and organisational realities aligned throughout.

Final thoughts: Cost-effective doesn’t mean compromising

The most impactful services I’ve been part of didn’t have the biggest budgets — they had the clearest focus. They invested time upfront to understand the real problem. They questioned assumptions. They reused where it made sense and built only what was essential.

Cost-effective digital delivery in government isn’t about making do — it’s about making smart, deliberate choices from the start.

If you’re a leader facing budget pressure, ask yourself:

Are we being asked to spend less — or being invited to spend smarter?

There’s a difference. And in our experience, public sector teams are more than capable of the latter — with the right support.