A participatory action research design was selected for this project ensuring that innovative qualitative research and sampling methods were deployed combined with the latest applied insights. A co-design approach with core stakeholders was used to determine the research design and included:
- a review of national and international practice-based literature on public trust and achieving “line of sight” in the delivery of “customer” oriented service systems;
- documentary analysis of recent reviews of existing APS practice to provide an assessment of the quality of current service systems;
- a series of ‘one to one’ interviews with senior public servants with a strategic role in the area on the barriers and enablers to improved public service production;
- a qualitative investigation with a representative sample of 34 focus groups conducted across regional and rural Australia, and an additional two conducted in an urban area; and,
- a co-design workshop convened with core stakeholders to translate the research findings in a meaningful way for practice.