Presentation given by Nick Thijs at the User-centric public administration in Tunisia event organised by SIGMA and GIZ on 18-19 February 2025

1. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
Towards a user-centric Public
Administration in Tunisia
Quality and Innovation
Nick THIJS
Senior Advisor, Team Leader Service Delivery and Digital
Government,
OECD - SIGMA
18-19 February 2025

2. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union (EU). It should not be reported as representing the official views of the EU, the OECD or its member countries, or of partners participating in the SIGMA Programme. The opinions expressed and arguments employed are those of the authors. This document, as well as
any data and any map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. © OECD 2023 – The use of this material, whether digital or print, is governed bywww.oecd.org/termsandconditions.
Revised Principles of
Public Administration
Spotlights on service delivery
& digital government

3. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
Outline
1. OECD / SIGMA: Who we are ?
2. OECD / SIGMA: What we do ?
3. Public Administration Reform (PAR) and the principles of Public administration
4….and the role of Quality Management

4. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
 Support for Improvement in Governance and Management
 A joint initiative of the OECD and EU for over 30 years, principally funded by the
EU
 Part of the Directorate for Public Governance and Territorial Development
(GOV), SIGMA contributes to the wider OECD public governance agenda.
 Overall objective is to support public governance reforms and strengthen the
capacity of public administrations.
4
SIGMA ?

5. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
¬ Albania
¬ Bosnia and Herzegovina
¬ Kosovo*
¬ Montenegro
¬ Republic of North
Macedonia
¬ Serbia
¬ Türkiye
¬ Armenia
¬ Azerbaijan
¬ Georgia
¬ Republic of Moldova
¬ Ukraine
Western Balkans and Türkiye European Eastern Partnership
¬ Algeria
¬ Egypt
¬ Jordan
¬ Lebanon
¬ Morocco
¬ Tunisia
¬ P.A.
European Southern
Neighbourhood
Geographic scope – 19 countries
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99 and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Kosovo's
declaration of independence.

6. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
• PAR is not a sector in its own right but comprises horizontal reform areas (building blocks)
critical for all sectors
• It provides a framework and pre-conditions for implementing reforms in all sectors
(education, health, security, employment, agriculture etc.)
• PAR is complex and challenging but very important for any country. It is about providing the
best possible administration and services to citizens and businesses.
• It also contributes to a fair and open society, competitive markets and inclusive economic
growth.
• A strong public administration is an important means of delivering good public governance
– others include role of Parliament, oversight bodies and an active civil society.
6
Why care about public administration reform (PAR)?

7. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
7
The Principles of Public Administration?
 A framework of standards defining good public administration.
 Result of collaboration between OECD and EU.
 Process supported by SIGMA, a joint initiative of OECD
and EU (since 1992).
 Designed at the request of European Commission to serve as
a tool of EU enlargement and neighbourhood policy.
 For the OECD, the Principles serve as a tool for dissemination
of the Organisation’s good governance standards.
 Standards derived from formal EU acquis (where it exists),
OECD recommendations, other international standards and
good practices of EU and OECD Members.
 First edition in 2014, update 2023.

8. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
8

9. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
9
Thematic areas
Strategy of continuous improvement of public administration
Organisation, accountability and oversight
Policy
development and
co-ordination
■ Centre-of-government
■ Policy planning
■ Policy making
■ Consultation
■ Policy implementation and evaluation
■ Parliamentary scrutiny
Public service and human resource
management
■ Employment framework
■ Recruitment
■ Top managers
■ Motivation and working conditions
■ Professional development, performance and
talent management
Public financial management
■ Budget formulation
■ Budget execution
■ Budget reporting
■ Internal audit
■ Internal control
■ Procurement laws
■ Procurement operations
■ PP review
■ External audit
■ MLG-Fiscal autonomy
Service delivery
and digitalisation
■ Users at the centre
■ Streamlined, quality services
■ Accessibility
■ Digitalisation

10. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
10
SERVICE
DELIVERY
User-centric
service delivery
Public administration places the users at the centre and delivers high-quality and
easily-accessible services online and offline to all people and businesses.
 User centricity
 Streamlined, quality services
 Accessibility
 Digital government
Strategy of continuous improvement of public administration
Organisation, accountability and oversight
Policy
development and
co-ordination
■ Centre-of-government
■ Policy planning
■ Policy preparation
■ Consultation
■ Policy implementation and evaluation
■ Parliamentary scrutiny
Public service and human resource
management
■ Employment framework
■ Recruitment
■ Top managers
■ Motivation and working conditions
■ Professional development
Public financial management
■ Budget formulation
■ Budget reporting
■ Budget execution
■ Internal audit
■ Internal control
■ Procurement tools
■ Procurement review
■ Procurement operations
■ External audit
■ Fiscal autonomy
Service delivery
and digitalisation
■ Users at the centre
■ Streamlined, quality service
■ Accessibility
■ Digitalisation
■ Organisation ■ Subsidiarity ■ Transparency and openness ■ External oversight ■ Administrative procedures and judicial law ■ Public integrity

11. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
11
Design of administrative services
Delivery of high-quality services
Accessibility of services
Digital government
Service delivery and digitalisation: principles and subprinciples
Principle 19
Principle 20
Principle 21
Principle 22

12. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
12
Structure
270
Sub-principles
32
Principles
6 thematic areas
of Public Administration
270
sub-indicators
32
composite
indicators
6 area averages
(high-level indicators)
Policy framework
Measurement framework
1500 criteria

13. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
SERVICE
DELIVERY
Improving processes - Process re-engineering
- Administrative simplification
Going digital
Easy access to services
- The one-stop shop (OSS)
- Multi-channel service delivery
- Low/No Barriers
- Interoperability and ‘once only’
- Moving towards digital by design
Committing to service
standards and measuring
satisfaction
- Service charters
- Measuring and managing satisfaction
Key elements for improving service delivery
Understanding users’
needs and expectations
- Direct contact with citizens/businesses
- Indirect feedback and representation
- Mystery shopping
- Life events, customer journey mapping

14. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
Quality Management and PAR ?

15. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
Contact details
Nick THIJS
Senior Advisor
Mailing address: OECD/GOV/SIGMA 2 rue André Pascal - 75775 Paris Cedex 16, France
Visiting address: 46 quai Alphonse le Gallo - 92100 Boulogne Billancourt, France
Tel: +33 1 45 24 19 34 – Mob: +33 6 33 56 08 08
nick.thijs@oecd.org || www.sigmaweb.org