NDIA Accountability Project

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Communications and Engagement Plan - Standard

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Communications and Engagement Plan -

Standard

The contents of this document are OFFICIAL.

Copilot for Microsoft 365 (Enterprise) Artificial Intelligence trial

General information

Key contacts

Area Contact
Business area Paul redacted: s47F - personal privacy - Director, Enterprise Architect and Governance Branch, Office of the Chief Information Officer
Strategic Communications Vicki redacted: s47F - personal privacy - Senior Communications Officer, Internal Communications Branch

Approvals

Date Version Approved by
18/01/24 0.3 Virginie redacted: s47F - personal privacy - Assistant Director, Internal Communications Branch
25/01/24 0.4 Paul redacted: s47F - personal privacy - Director, OCIO
29/01/24 0.5 Joseph redacted: s47F - personal privacy - Project Manager, OCIO
29/01/24 0.6 Chris redacted: s47F - personal privacy - Acting Director, Internal Communications Branch
04/02/2024 0.7 Adam Hurrell, Branch Manager, Enterprise Architecture and Governance
20/02/24 0.9.1 Richard Briedis - Branch Manager, Internal Communications
22/02/24 0.10 Ajay Satyan - Chief Information Officer
DD/MM/YY 0.11 Samuel Porter - Chief Operating Officer
DD/MM/YY 1.0
(Final)		 Shannon Rees, General Manager, Strategic Communications

Project summary

  • The NDIA is participating in the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) led trial of Copilot for Microsoft 365 Enterprise (Copilot), being deployed across 30 federal government departments and agencies. The DTA trial is expected to run from February to June 2024 and is sponsored by the Prime Minister.

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  • Microsoft will provide digital training, onboarding and assistance for the Copilot trial. Training will also be provided by NDIA’s internal ICT teams. A knowledge test provided by DTA will be available in LEAP for trial staff to complete.
  • Copilot uses a large language learning model of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to efficiently convert information into draft emails, briefs and other documents. Common administrative tasks are expected to become quicker. The trial is only open to NDIA staff (APS and Labour Hire), not partners.
  • During the Copilot trial, 300 licences will be allocated to:
    • Senior Executive Service (SES) staff — to help manage high level administrative tasks.
    • SES support staff — to test productivity gains and support SES.
    • Employee Disability Network (EDN) members — to test accessibility and usability with existing Assistive Technology.
    • OCIO project team — support and further discovery.
  • Expected benefits from the trial include improved productivity, enhanced decision making and improved accessibility for EDN members.
  • Governance arrangements - the OCIO division has established a working group to consider all aspects of the Microsoft Copilot trial. This complements the DTA Project Control Board for Microsoft Copilot that reports into the DTA AI taskforce.

Project and communication milestones

Date Project and communication milestones
January 2024 * 300 Copilot licenses available for NDIA to deploy.
* NDIA staff selected to participate in trial.
* Placeholder intranet page published.
* Early adopter cohort (47 NDIA staff selected by CIO) begin Copilot trial — 22 January.
February 2024 * Ajay Satyan (CIO) will be presenting to SLT at end of February about the trial.
March 2024 * Go-live:
* Microsoft training workshops and presentations.
* Community of Practice Teams channel.
* Super-users/tech champions.
* Intranet and Huddle notices published.
* Copilot trial featured in CEO weekly update.
* Milestone stories for intranet published.
* Survey of trial staff for evaluation.
April 2024 * Decision by NDIA to extend Copilot trial.
May 2024 * Expected evaluation of Copilot trial by DTA.

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  • If NDIA decides not to extend use of Copilot, trial ends – 30 June 2024.
  • Removal of existing licenses and return to BAU.

Goals and objectives

Business objectives

  • To meet the project objectives, as outlined by the DTA.
  • To effectively engage with and encourage active participation of Copilot by trial staff.
  • Capture useful information through various feedback mechanisms.
  • To build the knowledge, capabilities and skill base of trial staff with Copilot, in line with the NDIA’s continuous improvement approach.
  • To raise and build awareness and knowledge of Copilot across all NDIA staff, in readiness for wider implementation of the application in the future.
  • To raise awareness of Copilot as one of the use cases of safe and responsible use of AI in the workplace to improve administrative efficiencies.

Communications and engagement objectives

Objective How will it be measured?
To build awareness and foster the desire for change to using Copilot for all NDIA staff. Engagement statistics for Intranet and Huddle notices and milestone stories.
To build knowledge about Copilot and increase confidence in technical abilities for trial staff. Statistics from Copilot intranet page.

Attendance and engagement in training/workshops.

Survey feedback.

Community of practice feedback.
Influence buy-in with trial staff to ensure active participation and successful engagement. Attendance and engagement at presentations, leadership forums and community of practice discussions.

Click through to links in CEO newsletter.

Current and future state

  • Current state
    • The NDIA is participating in the whole of government trial of Copilot. The trial is one way the Australian Government, in partnership with Microsoft, is exploring the safe and responsible use of AI in the public service.
    • The introduction of Copilot will help trial staff to more efficiently complete administration tasks. This means they will have more time to focus on valuable work that aligns with NDIA’s strategic goals.
    • Copilot is designed to enhance productivity and efficiency by automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, Copilot allows employees to focus on higher-value work that requires

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human skills such as creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Copilot is a tool to support and empower employees, not to replace them.

  • Future state
    • The trial demonstrated improved work practices and productivity gains through the use of Copilot.
    • The training and knowledge sharing across internal and external forums has led to improved ICT skills and a greater understanding of AI and Microsoft technology.
    • redacted EDN members participating in the trial provide valuable insights about accessibility opportunities and challenges when using Copilot. The EDN trial staff have focused on accessibility for this whole of government project.

Audience analysis and risk

The Australian Government is investing in tools and capabilities for future opportunities. The Government has demonstrated a clear direction, with the recent announcement of a partnership with Microsoft to trial Copilot. The importance of this trial is emphasised by the Prime Minister’s sponsorship. Australia will be one of the first governments in the world to use a generative AI service.

By participating in the trial, the NDIA will expand its leadership in the disability sector, to build skills and capabilities within the organisation. The NDIA’s participation in the trial is consistent with the Australian Government’s AI Taskforce guidance for the public service on the use of generative AI.

The NDIA’s internal environment remains very dynamic and in constant flux, because:

  • Systems and ways of working are being reviewed, with a focus on co-design
  • Operational changes introduced, including PACE and the Performance Management Framework
  • Recommendations from the NDIS Review and Disability Royal Commission yet to be implemented
  • High levels of organisational change leading to change fatigue and resistance to change.

There are risks attached to taking a passive approach towards engagement of trial staff using Copilot. A more active approach will identify if there are enough productivity gains or improvements to accessibility to support ongoing investment in Copilot after the trial. This is particularly important with the NDIA’s focus on Scheme sustainability and the current media environment.

Analysis

  • SES staff
    • NDIA involvement in the trial was agreed by Samuel Porter (COO), with Ajay Satyan (CIO) coordinating. SES will be leading the trial and were identified by CIO as an appropriate group to alleviate their time-poor status because of high levels of administrative duties. There was no direct consultation with SES leaders before the trial.
  • EDN members
    • EDN leadership consulted about the project in December 2023.
  • OCIO staff
    • OCIO Desktop team consulted about the trial in December 2023.
  • NDIA staff
    • General messaging for NDIA staff is for awareness of Copilot and the use of responsible AI. If the trial is successful, Copilot may be available for all NDIA staff to use in the future.

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Communications and engagement risk

Risks How will the risk be mitigated?
Concern about the impact of AI on staff roles. Clear and transparent messaging in all collateral, presentations and meetings. Follow up on any feedback and circulate.
Negative sentiment, limited understanding and scepticism about use of AI technologies in the workplace. Build awareness and educate through clear messaging about the benefits of AI and its application in Copilot. Provide examples.
Trial staff face unexpected challenges when using the application (e.g. technical issues). Reference project contingency plan and mitigation strategies. Project team to manage messaging via service desk.
Concerns about data security, particularly for NDIS participants. Clear and consistent messaging across all communications and engagement channels.
Concerns about the accessibility aspects of using Copilot. Regularly share and highlight how the EDN insights about accessibility.
Change fatigue and resistance to change:

* Trial staff concerned they do not have the skills, extra effort to learn new system. Concern may impact job duties.		 Feedback loop and proactive encouragement from leaders. Consistent messages to address concerns.
Self-directed online training and passive level of engagement with trial staff. Engaging tech savvy staff as coaches or super-users to support less confident staff.

Community of practice approach with active discussion boards, presentations to drive use of technology.

Key messages

Audience 1: General

  • The NDIA is participating in a whole of government trial of Copilot for Microsoft 365 Enterprise (Copilot), starting from February 2024.
  • Copilot is an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant for Microsoft 365. It is designed to improve productivity by helping staff complete administration tasks more efficiently.
  • By using Copilot, participating staff in the trial will also be able to test its accessibility and how it works with assistive technology.
  • The NDIA was invited to provide valuable insights about accessibility using Copilot. This information will inform the Digital Transformation Agency and Microsoft about how to better support the needs of people with disability.
  • Staff in the initial trial will include:
    • Senior Executive Service (SES) staff and their support staff.
    • Employee Disability Network (EDN) members.

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  • Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) staff.
  • Led by the OCIO, the project team will be collecting feedback and data throughout the trial to report to the Digital Transformation Agency. We will regularly share updates with staff.
  • If the whole of government trial is successful, we will look to roll this out to all NDIA staff in the future.
  • You can find out more on the Copilot for Microsoft 365 intranet page.

How can I use copilot?

  • During the trial, the capabilities of Copilot will be tested in a public service setting. Examples of how Copilot may be used include:
    • Creating PowerPoint presentations from Word documents.
    • Creating first drafts in Word sourced from your files and ready for you to edit. Or you can prompt Copilot to shorten, rewrite or give feedback.
    • Using Copilot in a Teams meeting to develop minutes from the meeting. It can also be used to identify where people agreed and where they disagreed. It can suggest action items in real time.
    • Summarising long email threads or providing drafts of replies in Outlook to quickly clear your inbox.
    • Assisting with different tasks, like drafting emails and managing deadlines. For example, Copilot can quickly provide a summary of large documents to help staff with dyslexia.
    • Checking and amending documents so they meet accessibility requirements.
    • Using Copilot in Excel to quickly analyse trends and create data visualisations.
  • Using natural language processing to understand user commands, making it user-friendly for individuals who may find traditional user interfaces challenging.
  • Copilot is compatible with screen readers, making it accessible to visually impaired users.
  • Copilot will only access internal information from Microsoft applications in this trial. It will not be able to access information from Jira, Confluence or Salesforce, as these applications remain outside of the scope of the trial. This will minimise the possibility of NDIS participant data being accessed. You can visit the Microsoft website to find out more about data, privacy and security.

Audience 2: Trial staff

  • Microsoft will be providing training to trial staff to introduce Copilot and to develop their AI skills and literacy.
  • The dedicated Copilot intranet page includes all knowledge articles, training sessions, resources, frequently asked questions, success stories and helpful links. This information will help you use Copilot with confidence.
  • Trial staff can access the 2024 Copilot for Microsoft 365 trial – Workspace in Microsoft Teams. This channel will operate like a community of practice, where you can ask questions and share insights in real time.
  • We have been assigned a limited number of Copilot licences. Active trial staff will regularly use Copilot in their day-to-day work. If a Copilot licence is not being used regularly, it will be reassigned to another staff member.
  • Trial staff will need upgrades to their Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Teams applications before using Copilot. The OCIO project team will manage these upgrades for all trial staff.

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  • Copilot will only be trailed on your laptop.
  • You are in control of navigating Copilot so that it works for you. Copilot follows your prompt and works with your data to give you a first draft. You can then edit the first draft or add more content. You always need to check the draft for accuracy each time as Copilot continues to learn what you need.
  • Copilot is a tool used to improve what we do by changing the amount of time we spend on administrative tasks. Copilot enhances our job roles and is not designed to replace them.
  • We want to hear your feedback about using Copilot. If you have any questions or concerns when using the application, please contact the ICT Service Desk - Service project. This will help us to track, compile and analyse all feedback about using the new technology.
  • Please email redacted: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies if you have any comments, concerns or insights about the trial you would like to share. We will answer your questions and regularly share information with you.

Audience 3: SES staff

  • SES staff are encouraged to take up the opportunity to actively explore what Copilot can do.
  • SES staff will be change leaders by improving their digital skills and learning more about the benefits of AI in the workplace.
  • You will have more time to focus on leadership activities by simplifying some of your administration tasks.

Audience 4: EDN

  • EDN members are encouraged to take up the opportunity to actively explore what Copilot can do.
  • You will be making an important contribution by testing how well Copilot meets accessibility requirements, particularly for people with disability.
  • Participating EDN members will provide valuable insights about their experience when using Copilot.

Audience 5: Technical messages

  • Copilot uses a large language model (LLM) type of AI that recognises and generates text and other tasks. It can analyse vast amounts of data and can learn the patterns and connections between words and phrases.
  • Copilot’s LLM system connects to Microsoft Graph, which accesses data and files. Microsoft Graph is all your content and context, in your emails, files, meetings, chats and calendars.
  • Copilot is embedded within Microsoft 365 applications. It understands your prompts and can seek information from your data to provide solutions across different Microsoft 365 applications.
  • Copilot cannot access the internet to create new documents in the way Chat-GPT does. This is a built-in security feature that ensures it always uses a human prompt and works with your own data and information.
  • Copilot is designed to ensure that your data privacy is protected and it remains safe and secure. Copilot will respect and follow the privacy, security and compliance policies of the NDIA.
  • Copilot follows Microsoft’s principles of responsible use of AI. These principles include fairness, reliability, safety, privacy, security, inclusiveness, transparency and accountability.

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Evaluation

The project team will establish clear metrics of success at the start of the project. Metrics could include user satisfaction ratings, estimated reduction in time spent on administrative tasks and qualitative feedback from users about the effectiveness of the application.

Lessons learned from the trial will be documented by the project team and shared across the NDIA to foster a culture of learning and innovation. This information will inform future AI advancements.

The effectiveness of the communications and engagement objectives will be measured by:

  • The number of trial staff who have downloaded knowledge articles.
  • Level of intranet page visits and interaction with direct links.
  • Survey data reports.
  • Success story examples.
  • Engagement activity with the Teams workspace page.
  • Number of downloads of Huddle notices and anecdotal feedback about discussions in Huddles.
  • Number of unique visits to milestone stories.
  • Assessment of feedback from presentations and meetings.

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Communications and Engagement schedule

Go live coordinator: Vicki redacted: s47F - personal privacy, Senior Communications and Engagement Officer, Strategic Communications.

Business readiness schedule

Date Target audience Activity Purpose Outcome Responsibility Comments
Feb 2024 All Preparing the business for Copilot. Set up systems for effective use of Copilot for trial staff. All administrative steps completed ensuring a positive experience for all trial staff. OCIO May need to advise stakeholders about these steps:

* Information ready for search
* Pre-requisites in place
* Licenses assigned.
Feb/Mar 2024 All Training and support

* Workshops
* Microsoft Teams channel/community of practice		 To train trial staff to use and adapt Copilot in their daily work practices. Clear, consistent understanding of how to use Copilot in the workplace.

Identify and adjust any accessibility issues.		 OCIO

DTA and Microsoft setting up training sessions		 Use responsive feedback loop for insights, accessibility, issues/opportunities – maximise engagement and learning.

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Internal communications and engagement schedule

Date Target audience Activity Purpose Outcome Responsibility Comments
Feb 2024 All Intranet page Key source of truth with all resources, training, FAQs, news, and stories. All stakeholders are aware and well informed about Copilot. OCIO to draft.

SPC to review.		 Placeholder intranet page - plan for it to be moved to ICT Project Hub section.
Mar – June 2024 All staff Celebrating NDIA milestone stories – intranet page. Raise awareness and understanding about benefits of Copilot and AI. Increased awareness about Copilot and contribution by NDIA staff. SPC to draft.

OCIO to upload.		 Opportunity to highlight NDIA contributions regarding accessibility in Copilot.
Early March / early May/end June 2024 All staff CEO newsletter – update at start, midpoint and end of trial. Visibility of CEO support of project and raises awareness of trial. NDIA staff aware of strategic overview of Microsoft partnership and Copilot trial in a public service environment and contribution by NDIA trial staff. SPC Active senior management support – key ADKAR approach.

Helps to counteract resistance to change.
Early March / early May/end June 2024 All staff Intranet notices - update at start, midpoint and end of trial. Build awareness and increase understanding about Copilot, AI and the objectives of the trial. NDIA staff have raised awareness and greater understanding about Copilot, AI and the whole of government trial. SPC Subjects include about the trial; how AI and Copilot work; highlights and results.

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Date Target audience Activity Purpose Outcome Responsibility Comments
Early March / early May/end June 2024 All staff Huddle notices - update at start, midpoint and end of trial. To build awareness and increase understanding about Copilot, AI and the trial objectives. NDIA staff have raised awareness and greater understanding about Copilot, AI and the whole of government trial. SPC Subjects include about the trial; how AI and Copilot work; highlights and results.

Post implementation review

Things that worked well Opportunities
Communications What worked well and should continue next time? What didn’t work well and how can we do things differently?
Engagement