Behind the screens: Interrogating digital service design and delivery

Behind the screens: Interrogating digital service design and delivery is an ARC‑funded project examining how digital services are shaped by the institutional, political, and cultural environments in which they are produced. Rather than treating digital transformation as a purely technical endeavour, you will investigate the policy logics, administrative routines, design practices, and infrastructural constraints that influence how services take form within contemporary governments.

You will have scope to develop your own line of inquiry within this broader agenda. Possible directions include (but are not limited to):

• the relationship between the original policy formulation and later stage digital implementation
• the organisational and governance arrangements that play a role in influencing digital delivery
• how questions of equity, accessibility, and public value are being addressed in digital service provision
• the influence of platforms, procurement, and vendor ecosystems on how digital tools are developed
• comparative or theoretical work on digital bureaucracy or digital-era governance.

The project welcomes applicants from public administration, public policy, politics, sociology, or related fields. Methodological approaches are flexible: qualitative, interpretive, mixed‑methods, would sit most comfortably within the DECRA’s intellectual space but this is negotiable.

This is a strong fit for a researcher interested in understanding how digital systems are designed, negotiated, and operationalised and who wants to contribute to emerging debates about the future of public administration in a digital era.

This is an Fellowship support scheme scholarship project that aligns with a recently awarded Australian Government grant.

The scholarship includes:

• living stipend of $39,220 per annum tax free (2026 rate), indexed annually
• your tuition fees covered

Learn more about the Fellowship support scheme scholarship.

This project requires candidates to commence no later than Research Quarter 2, 2027. You can start in an earlier research quarter.

You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) by the closing date for the research quarter (RQ) you want to start in:

Before you apply

1. Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
2. Prepare your documentation.
3. If you have any questions about whether the project is suitable for your research interests, contact Dr Sarah Ball (s.ball@uq.edu.au).

When you apply

To apply, submit an expression of interest (EOI) for the program. You don't need to apply separately for the project or scholarship. How to submit an EOI

In your EOI, complete the 'Scholarship/Sponsorship' section with the following details:

1. Are you applying for an advertised project: 'Yes'
2. Project: 'Fellowship project scholarship'
3. Scholarship Code Listed in the Advertisement: SCREENS-BALL
4. Link to Scholarship Advertisement: https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/projects/behind-screens-interrogating-digital-service-design-and-delivery-0

Submit an EOI