A practical illustration of the SecureChange Manifesto — Public Sector / Local Government
Context
The city of NovaCité (regional metropolis of 480,000 inhabitants) is engaged in a transformation of its public services and governance.
Renowned for its quality of life and economic attractiveness, the local government is now facing new challenges:
- responding to growing demand for public services,
- meeting its environmental transition commitments,
- strengthening citizen participation,
- modernising internal processes and service delivery.
In this context, an ambitious programme called “NovaCité SmartCity 2030” was launched by the municipal leadership. Its main objectives are to:
- develop integrated digital services for citizens,
- optimise energy and environmental management,
- redesign mobility policies,
- open public data (Open Data),
- foster participatory democracy initiatives.
The programme involves all city departments, technology partners and civil society actors.
From the early stages, several deep-seated tensions were identified:
- fear of losing the human connection in public services,
- concerns about digital inclusion for vulnerable populations,
- questions around data governance and respect for public service values,
- cultural resistance from certain professions to agile and cross-functional approaches.
Tipping point
After a few months of work, these tensions became very real:
- frontline staff reported a loss of meaning in their roles,
- local elected officials received feedback from citizens struggling with some digital services,
- pilot projects were slowed down by unresolved ethical debates.
In response to these signals, the General Directorate decided to strengthen the governance of the transformation.
Rather than imposing a top-down change management plan, they chose to adopt the SecureChange approach in order to:
- clarify what must be preserved,
- create a shared and evolving framework,
- secure the cultural and organisational transformation.
Practical application of the SecureChange approach
Clarifying what we want to preserve (Compass 1)
A collaborative process was launched to clarify the invariants:
- workshops involving department representatives, elected officials, frontline staff, members of the City Development Council.
The identified invariants were:
- Equal access to public services, regardless of delivery channel,
- Human connection and quality of the user relationship,
- Neutrality and ethics in data usage,
- Simplicity and clarity of user journeys,
- Digital inclusion and support for citizens facing digital challenges.
These invariants were validated by the programme steering committee.
Building simple points of vigilance (Compass 2)
Concrete points of vigilance were then defined and cascaded to each department.
Example of adaptation accepted without changing invariants:
In the Urban Planning department, while introducing online processes, a physical “digital support desk” was set up to help citizens less comfortable with digital tools — maintaining both service efficiency and human connection, without compromising the programme’s digital transformation objectives.
Positioning leadership as guarantor and enabler (Compass 3)
A specific cultural awareness programme was conducted for managers (department heads, deputy directors, General Directorate team).
Their role was clarified as:
- active guarantors of the invariants,
- facilitators helping teams understand and apply points of vigilance,
- encouragers of bottom-up initiatives aligned with the invariants.
Example: In the Mobility Department, frontline staff proposed a “Digital Mobility Ambassadors” initiative to support digitally-challenged users. The management team actively supported this initiative and integrated it into the official action plan.
Continuous re-evaluation (Compasses 4 & 5)
A continuous re-evaluation system was put in place:
- creation of a User Experience and Impact Observatory, involving staff, citizens, and partners,
- post-deployment feedback loops for each new service,
- systematic inclusion of weak signals from the field in governance discussions.
Example of modification of a point of vigilance:
The point “Provide the service and guarantee equal access and human connection” had initially been interpreted in some departments as simply ensuring the physical presence of staff at service desks.
Field feedback revealed:
“We feel lost” — many citizens were unaware that this support existed or how to access it.
As a result, the point of vigilance was reframed to:
“Provide the service, while facilitating clear identification and real accessibility of human support for the target audiences.”
Results after 24 months
After two years, several positive impacts were observed:
- strong ownership of the approach by teams,
- better clarity around transformation objectives,
- reduction of initial resistance,
- improved user experience (satisfaction indicators),
- strengthened data governance,
- managers increasingly skilled in their roles as guarantors and enablers.
The SmartCity transformation is now perceived as more coherent, more human-centric, and more aligned with the core values of public service.
Testimonial
“The SecureChange approach gave us a shared compass for navigating a complex transformation. It fundamentally changed how we lead change — ensuring we stay true to our public service mission.”
— Deputy Director General, Transformation, City of NovaCité
Conclusion
This case illustrates that the SecureChange approach can be fully adapted to public and societal transformation contexts.
In a project as complex as a SmartCity — where technological challenges, evolving professional practices, diverse citizen expectations, and the public service mission intersect — SecureChange provided a common framework for understanding and action among highly diverse stakeholders.
It helped make the transformation more fluid, more human-centred, and more aligned with the fundamental values of the local government.
Reader’s note
This case study illustrates the framework proposed by the Secure Change Manifesto.
It does not present the full set of observable and measurable criteria, nor the detailed governance mechanisms, which are described in the Principles.
To explore further, we invite you to consult the Secure Change Principles page.
Ready to explore?
→ Discover our guiding compasses
→ Explore our key principles
→ See case studies in action