wow, the Boston Marathon is going to start adding a time-penalty for aggressive downhill courses as qualifiers. I'm impressed FindMyMarathon already has identified the affected courses - findmymarathon.com/articles/dow... (my beloved Jack and Jill is on the list!)
Will you share your research, please and thanks!
That's our new mandate! BC Public Service, ministry of citizen services: "Strengthen connected digital services for ppl in BC, so it’s easier to
access govt services – using effective engagement with key partners and aggressive innovation in cost-effective technology and citizen-oriented processes
This is because "digital" is often considered a solution where we should be measuring value at a problem/outcome level.
How big is the problem? How much is it worth to solve?
THEN you can consider solutions, which may or may not be technology.
I try to share the benefits of focusing on "reduction" all the time. Reduce the time to, reduce the # of steps, reduce the likelihood of error. Trying to simplify things is so powerful. It's just maybe not as "fun" as creation.
"The goal is not focused on the tech. For the US Digital Service, the tech was a *vehicle* to fix those outdated policies, those procurement and hiring issues, those convoluted business processes. To deliver better services"
techpolicy.press/doge-underst...
Cover of the book "who does what by how much? - a practical guide to customer-centric OKRs"
I've never before seen OKRs framed around customer needs. Super interested to consider how this applies in a central agency with internal "customers" -
Should the public service shift from funding IMIT capital projects to digital products? I actually think that's not enough. We need to organize around user needs and the services we exist to deliver: afhill.medium.com/focus-on-use...
My initial dump of thoughts on the "Designing good services" training I attended today: afhill.medium.com/designing-co... Would love to hear others' thoughts on 'creating the conditions to lead transformational change' or 'funding services in a capital-centric world'
Loving the focus of prototyping on only being "useful if it can actually be done quickly and cheaply" to derisk assumptions, not just piloting the solution. - @loudowne.bsky.social Designing Connected Services
80% of UK central govt spent on services
60% of that cost is spent on calls and casework 🤯 - @loudowne.bsky.social , Designing Connected Services
Eager to hear @loudowne.bsky.social discussing connected services with many of my BC Govt colleagues.
Brilliant, really appreciate it!
Aha, I was focusing too much on the 'basic principles' section.. the budgeting is 💯. Thanks Aaron!
Thanks! That's a great resource. I think we are looking for guidance at the stage of "should we" not "how should we".
Thinking how a central body could consider investments in digital initiatives - how would they decide whether or not to invest in a specific digital initiative (minor capital, so < $50M ), given limited funding.
Ok hive mind, who can share some decision-making frameworks for digital / service initiatives? Ideally, public sector ☺️ CC: @cydharrell.bsky.social @ryanandrosoff.bsky.social @aaronsnow.net @biancawylie.com
How do models of capex/opex work when we aren't "building capital assets" that depreciate, we can't point to "that thing we own", or associate its cost to develop with its value?
Morning! Just now digging into Platformland, so expect some reactions, thoughts on public service / digital infrastructure.
happy 2025! I'm not totally a resolutions person, but was looking for a little motivation.. I should (re)start doing weeknotes in 2025, right? Any tips for how to make it not an overwhelming obligation?
Is there a non-militaristic synonym for "coalition of the willing"?
I had a secondary leg surgery that ended up with a less traumatic scar because they were doing it more for cosmetic purposes, not "let's stitch this thing back together while it just underwent trauma.
But, that's bc my leg had 21 staple holes along a 9in scar. A hand seems so much more delicate..
An orange cat sitting up and looking directly at the camera with a serious look on his face. He's in a bathroom the black and white tile, and a large red catnip mouse in front of him
Happy #caturday!
Highlighted text from a page, reading "An Agile team adds business value by not doing the stories that represent bloat. But scope creep - the addition of be features-is neither good nor bad in and of itself. Why do we feel that there must be more to requirements than this? I think it is again about control of the solution-creation process. We are willing to accept something less than the optimal result in order to have a feeling of control."
Picked up "A seat at the table" again, wrestling with the challenge of being part of the system that demands fortune-telling (how long? How much?) to optimize aggregate resource allocation, not individual business outcomes/service delivery.
"Most of our problems aren’t knowledge problems, they’re governance and incentive problems."
How refreshing to see this as the pull quote from an article about AI.. its is not about the technology, nor the capabilities...
www.digitalpublic.io/ai-invasive-...
Absolutely loving this report by Canada's auditor general on the country's failure to implement a single sign on system or have a digital ID strategy! Huge kudos to that office for diving into this.
If anyone knows any OAG staff - please send them a high five.
www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/Eng...
