Information Technology and Digital Service Delivery
Digital service foundations
Information technology covers hardware, software, networks, databases and security; digital service delivery applies them to public services. The exam tests whether you can connect technical choices to service quality, risk and accountability.
- CIA triad: confidentiality (authorised access), integrity (accuracy and completeness), availability (timely access).
- Authentication verifies identity; authorisation grants permissions; role-based access limits data by job need.
- Digital service principles: user needs, inclusion, interoperability, data protection, transparency and business continuity.
- Backups support recovery; they are not the same as an archive or a retention schedule.
- Digitisation converts paper to digital; digitalisation redesigns processes around digital channels.
Worked example: An online licence service fails because a database update overwrites applicant records. The likely issue is integrity, not confidentiality. Controls include input validation, transaction logs, versioning, role-based edit rights and tested rollback. If the service is unavailable, that is an availability failure; a backup alone does not prevent the original corruption.
Traps
Calling any paper-to-PDF project 'digital transformation'; confusing backup with disaster recovery; ignoring accessibility; treating security as only a firewall issue; collecting personal data without a lawful purpose.