AI Readiness Assessment for Data-driven Public Service Projects: Change Management and Human Elements of Procurement

Abstract

As technology moves forward at a breakneck pace, governments are attempting to adopt technologies in their services that are complex and have unknown ramifications, like artificial intelligence (AI). Academic research and literature regarding change management and digital transformation discusses the necessity to have agreement within an organization on the technology project that the organization is considering adopting. One method of ensuring agreement within the socio-technical system is to conduct the appropriate planning prior to procurement. This also helps to avoid starting a project without having the required technological or human capabilities within the organization. Although the motives of private and public sector organizations are different when initiating projects, the human element of data-driven projects is still key to success. With the use of AI maturity models, feasibility studies and readiness assessment methods during the planning phase, public sector organizations exploring deployment of AI solutions in their public services could be able to avoid major pitfalls of projects that do not succeed. This paper’s contribution in to investigate and analyze existing methods of feasibility studies and readiness assessments through literature and document review to see how they may be applied to evaluating AI-related projects within the context of public service delivery. With the proper AI feasibility study and readiness assessment methods in place during the planning phase, public sector organizations exploring deployment of AI solutions in their public services will be able to avoid major pitfalls of piloting projects that do not succeed. This paper’s contribution in to investigate and analyze existing methods of feasibility studies and readiness assessments through academic literature and professional document review to see how they may be applied to evaluating AI-related projects within the context of public service delivery.

Keywords: AI, readiness assessment, feasibility study, maturity model, human element, change management, digital transformation

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1003894