Framework 23Q3 Proposed Outline

Overview

In the five years since the the SDG Digital Investment Framework was originally written the landscape has changed significantly and many of the proposed ideas are now implemented. In thinking about how to update Framework as part of the 23Q3 publication I found it helpful to try and identify the broad goal of the original Framework document and then imagine what the goal should be now. The primary goal for the original document which I identified was “A Call to Action”, describing what we needed to improve and a method to do so; the work of creating the GovStack Initiative, assembling the Building Block Working Groups, and the creation of the GovStack Use Cases and Specification all comes from that call to action. Now the goal of this document should shift to “A Call to Adoption” so that countries, donors, application providers, and communities of practice can learn why and how to implement digital systems (not just individual services) via the GovStack Approach. As such, we should replace theoretical content with actual GovStack content, tie together the various GovStack components, and prioritize concrete examples (even if they are fictitious) for implementing real-world digital systems.

Outline

Current (Call to Action)	Proposed (Call to Adoption)	Comments

Current (Call to Action)	Proposed (Call to Adoption)	Comments
Part 1: Introduction to the SDG Digital Investment Framework	Part 1: Introduction to the SDG Digital Investment Framework	Update content in Part 1 to incorporate new terminology/acronyms and GovStack progress
1.1 A Whole-of-Government Approach to digital investments to achieve the SDGs	1.1 A Whole-of-Government Approach to digital investments to achieve the SDGs	Connect this WoG Approach to GovStack, perhaps even label it as the GovStack Approach
1.2 What is the SDG Digital Investment Framework?	1.2 What is the SDG Digital Investment Framework?	potential context/reference
	1.3 What is Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)? (this is opportunity to reference the various DPI calls to action that have been published lately and reframing/showing that DPI, for GovStack, are otherwise known as ‘Foundational Building Blocks’	Incorporate current thinking around DPI DPI provides the foundation for the whole-of-government approach What is DPI, how does it factor in the digital system implementation? Provide context around both Public and Infrastructure parts of DPI
1.3 Benefits of the SDG Digital Investment Framework	1.4 Benefits of the SDG Digital Investment Framework	Does the SDG DIF remain a separate thing from GovStack? Can we talk about the two synonymously? If so, we should re-label (and focus) this section on GovStack. If not, we should add in GovStack as an implementation (expression?) of the framework.
Part 2: SDG Digital Investment Framework	Part 2: SDG Digital Investment Framework	Can this be renamed to the “GovStack Framework”?
2.1 Overview	2.1 Overview	Expand to include guidance on how to utilize GovStack documentation and tie together the various components into a single, high-level view. The perspective should span: Use Cases Building Blocks Service Blocks (maybe) Sandbox Testing/Compliance System Implementation
2.2 SDG Targets	2.2 SDG Targets	Is this still needed?
2.3 Use Cases	2.3 Use Cases	Updated to reflect GovStack Use Cases for the 23Q3 publication
2.4 WorkFlows	2.5 Service Blocks (if implemented)	The GovStack community needs to determine if/how to incorporate the ideas of Capabilities/Service Blocks. Based on initial discussions, they extend the concept of Workflows and sit in-between Use Cases and Building Block Specifications
2.5 ICT Building Blocks	2.4 Building Blocks	Updated to reflect GovStack Building Blocks for the 23Q3 publication
2.6 Applying the framework to digital investment and architecture planning		This should be a main focus of the document (adoption) and will be moved into a dedicated part, Part 3:GovStack Approach for System Implementation
	Part 3: GovStack Approach for System Implementation	I propose that we move away from focusing on Digital Service design and instead focus on Digital Systems which comprise multiple services. This will highlight the value of the Whole of Government approach using DPI and associated Building Blocks.
	3.1 GovStack Implementation Resources	Highlight various types of implementation resources including ITU Country Engagement Playbook, Dial Sierra Leone Engagement, and some kind of Digital System Implementation process (Collaborative Implementation Process?)
	3.2 Technical Maturity Matrix	Diagram the various types of users (countries) based on their technical maturity. This can be used to note differences in the concrete implementation example in 3.3.
	3.3 Concrete Implementation Example	Walk through an implementation process which incorporates DPI, Building Blocks, multiple Use Cases (new and existing), into a single deployed digital system. Note differences between the various user types noted in 3.2. Provides an example for an actual whole-of-government approach to digital system implementation rather than individual services which are more difficult to align to the approach.
Conclusion	Conclusion	Highlight the progress which has been made, how to engage, and where we want to go in the future
SDG Digital Investment Framework Catalogue	Part 4: Digital Impact Exchange	Should be considered Part 4? Currently it’s just stuck on the end, sort of as an appendix but not mentioned as such.
1. Catalogue overview	4.1 Exchange Overview	Provide overall perspective on the exchange and how it can be leveraged via the marketplace, country instances, etc
2. Use Case models		Not needed, link to GovStack in overview
3. Workflows catalogue		Not needed, link to GovStack in overview
4. ICT Building Blocks catalogue		Not needed, link to GovStack in overview
	4.2 Managing the RFP Process	Will this be ready for the 23Q3 publication deadline (Sept-2023)? Would this be a good way to highlight both an excellent use case and some of the new additions (vendors, proposals, the marketplace, etc) to the exchange.
	4.3 Country-Specific Exchange Instances	Will this be ready for the 23Q3 publication deadline (Sept-2023)? Is there value in highlighting this within this document?
5. SDGs, targets and indicators		Is this needed in this document given that the whole document builds on top of the SDGs? If so, is there a better way to connect the SDGs to what has been done in GovStack?