The Public Service newbie guide

A curated onboarding view of the main glossary, covering workplace terms and abbreviations you may encounter in the Singapore Public Service.

Learn 55 starter terms, browse 55 essentials, or search all 422. Every item is also searchable in the full glossary.

Working across agencies

Whole-of-Government Working across ministry and agency boundaries towards the Government’s collective interests and outcomes, rather than optimising only for one organisation. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
SG-Teams Singapore Government Microsoft Teams environment Systems & access Working across agencies
Steering Comm Steering Committee Attending a meeting Working across agencies
WOG Whole-of-Government Understanding the hierarchy Working across agencies
Working-level Discussion or resolution among officers doing the detailed staff work, usually before escalation to principals or a formal forum. Also called staff-level discussion. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
Socialise To discuss an emerging proposal informally with relevant stakeholders so concerns can be understood and surprises reduced before formal staffing. Starting in Public Service Writing a paper Working across agencies
No surprises A working norm that material issues, risks or disagreements should be surfaced early rather than first appearing at a formal forum. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
3P Public, Private and People Working across agencies
3P partnership A partnership among the public sector, private sector and people or community sector to address an issue or deliver an outcome together. Working across agencies
4ST Social Service Sector Strategic Roadmap Working across agencies
Bilat Bilateral meeting Attending a meeting Working across agencies
Case MAP Case Master Action Planning Working across agencies
CentEx Centre of Excellence Working across agencies
Central agency An agency that sets or coordinates policies, standards, resources or capabilities across the Public Service. Understanding the hierarchy Working across agencies
CMG Crisis Management Group Working across agencies
CoWork@Gov A network of shared workspaces where public officers can work flexibly between meetings and collaborate across agencies. Working across agencies
Decision rights The allocation of authority to make specified decisions, approve commitments or resolve trade-offs within an organisation or across agencies. Understanding the hierarchy Working across agencies
Deconflict To coordinate and adjust competing requirements, plans, schedules, positions or activities so that they do not clash or duplicate one another. Working across agencies
Digital safety net PSD's term for ServiceSG Centres, which help people unable to transact digitally access commonly needed services across agencies. Working across agencies
DVERT Domestic Violence Emergency Response Team Working across agencies
First amongst equals A lead-agency role where one agency leads a cross-government effort while peer agencies retain their responsibilities and support the lead. Working across agencies
First Responder Protocol A Public Service protocol for an inter-agency issue with no clear owner, under which an agency with relevant domain expertise is identified to resolve the request while ownership and back-end arrangements are sorted out. Working across agencies
FRP First Responder Protocol Working across agencies
Gig work A short-term Public Service programme that enables officers to contribute their expertise and experience to cross-agency projects outside their usual role. HR & career Working across agencies
Ground realities The practical conditions, constraints, behaviours and lived experiences that affect how a policy or programme works outside the paper design. Writing a paper Working across agencies
Ground sensing Gathering and interpreting feedback, observations and stakeholder sentiment from the ground to inform policy, communications or service decisions. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
HCEG Homefront Crisis Executive Group Working across agencies
HCMC Homefront Crisis Ministerial Committee Working across agencies
HT CARES Home Team Community Assistance and Referral Scheme Working across agencies
Just One Door A service-delivery approach giving users one entry point while agencies route, coordinate and resolve the case behind the scenes. Working across agencies
Lead agency The agency responsible for driving coordination, consolidating inputs and moving a cross-agency issue or initiative forward. Understanding the hierarchy Working across agencies
Liaison officer An officer designated as the main point of contact between teams, agencies, organisations or participants, responsible for coordinating information, requests, arrangements and follow-up. Working across agencies
Life moment A bundle of public services organised around a citizen's life event, such as birth, pre-enlistment, ageing or legacy planning. Working across agencies
Loop in To include someone in a conversation, email thread or workstream so they are informed or able to contribute. Working across agencies
Ministry family A ministry together with the statutory boards or agencies that work in its broad policy and delivery domain. Understanding the hierarchy Working across agencies
MPS Meet-the-People Session Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
No Wrong Door A Public Service policy requiring the agency that receives feedback to help route and secure ownership of the case instead of simply turning the person away because another agency is responsible. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
NWD No Wrong Door Working across agencies
One Public Service The idea that ministries, statutory boards and public officers should act as one service and deliver coherent outcomes and experiences across organisational boundaries. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
Parent ministry The ministry to which a statutory board or related agency reports for broad policy and governance oversight. Understanding the hierarchy Working across agencies
Place management A coordinated multi-stakeholder approach combining placemaking, marketing and maintenance to improve a precinct's vibrancy, identity and everyday experience. Working across agencies
Policy-ops-tech integration A working model bringing policy, operational and technology teams together from problem definition through delivery and iteration. Working across agencies
Public Service The wider Singapore Public Service, comprising officers working in ministries and statutory boards. Understanding the hierarchy Working across agencies
S3O Social Service Systems Office Working across agencies
SAPs Streamlined Assessment Protocols Working across agencies
Self-synchronise To align plans and actions across agencies without relying on permanent central coordination or repeated intervention from senior leaders. Working across agencies
Sense-making Interpreting incomplete, ambiguous or competing information and perspectives to form a coherent understanding of a situation, its implications and what to do next. Writing a paper Attending a meeting Working across agencies
Service Journey A service-design process helping officers understand citizens' experiences and redesign services around their needs rather than agency boundaries. Working across agencies
Sound out To raise something informally or test views before deciding how far to take it, often by speaking to the relevant people before formal staffing or escalation. Starting in Public Service Writing a paper Working across agencies
TF Task Force Attending a meeting Working across agencies
TWG Technical Working Group Attending a meeting Working across agencies
WG Working Group Attending a meeting Working across agencies
WISE Whole-of-Government Informational Service Excellence Working across agencies
WOG ID Whole-of-Government identity account Systems & access Working across agencies
Working Group A group of officers or stakeholders that performs detailed analysis, coordination or implementation within an agreed scope. Attending a meeting Working across agencies