ATO Leverages Cloud Technology for Business Value, Spearheads Cultural Change

In an innovative move reflecting its status as a leading digital government department, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has embraced cloud technology to revolutionise their approach to digital services, according to senior cloud program director Rhiannon Ross. Speaking at the AWS Symposium Canberra, Ross explained how the adoption of cloud services has dramatically increased IT's standing within the agency and demonstrated its capacity to boost business value

The successful integration of cloud technology has had a profound impact on the ATO, prompting significant structural, technical and cultural changes in how cloud services are managed across the organisation. The focus has shifted from holding the keys to cloud services to a more inclusive approach, allowing other stakeholders within the organisation to take responsibility for elements of the program.

As part of this transformation, the cloud services team has now been incorporated into ATO's developer experience branch, emphasising the importance of developers in driving cloud initiatives in the future. Changes are also expected in the ATO's "responsibility model" for cloud services consumption, with a focus being placed on understanding obligations and optimising costs.

While acknowledging the need for wider organisational cooperation for the program's success, Ross emphasised the importance of financial departments and asset management, outlining a broad responsibility model. Every department is required to understand their role, ensuring processes support the objectives and are backed by appropriate tools for effective monitoring and budget management.

- CyberBeat