Seems like a good day to just say out loud that being from a different country does not make you a stranger. What did the VE Day Celebrations mean last week, if not that?
12.05.2025 10:37
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Seems like a good day to just say out loud that being from a different country does not make you a stranger. What did the VE Day Celebrations mean last week, if not that?
Wagner on the radio is not helping my tense morning (little alarm clock radio totally confused by clocks going forward and decided to stay quiet).
Another great team of people from MHCLG Local Digital, @tpximpact.com and friends have been working on updates to the Open Referral UK data standard. Too much for a single post, but topped off with improvements to the website and data feed validation tools openreferraluk.org
It always a surprise that we haven't solved the "year end" problem. A frantic period for many people, where we all have to pretend that work stops on March 31st then starts again on April 1st. Money getting lost because the work is somehow invalid if it happens in April rather than in March. Nuts.
Choppy waters, economic headwinds... The Day Today graphics are coming out later aren't they?
Good clear eyed report from the Public Accounts Committee showing that getting AI to work in government means investing in data, tackling legacy IT, paying for skills and managing procurement to avoid dominance by a few providers
committees.parliament.uk/committee/12...
Such radical transparency in our interactions with the state would be amazing (it has now been picked, awaiting dispatch, this one: www.thorncroftclematis.co.uk/clematis-ali...)
I'm v. much in the "beware too much read across from the private sector" crew re: digital public services (see @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social 's recent posts on why they are different). HOWEVER, I ordered a Clematis online last week, and crikey, the *transparency* of my plant's progress has been a joy
So much design in the private sector is about the manipulation of customers. Public sector design should be radical openness/collab with citizens. Which takes time, is hard, and ministers have things to say (which they should, quite right, they are where the democractic legitimacy comes from!)
Agree with all of these. And, sort of related to @richardpope.org 's point, but the skills and behaviours of designers in the public sector should be different to those in the private. They should want to work within the constraints/enablers of bureaucracy and democracy, and co-produce.
Astonishing fact on #bbcr4today earlier, discussing the Heathrow power failure. Heathrow requires 41MW; a new data centre nearby needs 150MW. Stark illustration of the underpinning energy consequences of data storage.
How can we break down silos for collaboration across government & local communities? Let’s explore the possibilities at our next Digital Forum!
📅 20 March 2025 | 5:30 PM
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#GovTech #FutureOfGovernment
The UK AI Opportunity Plan and Gov's response is now live...
There's lots to comb through, but a few first thoughts below 🧵(1/8).
www.gov.uk/government/p... @adalovelaceinst.bsky.social
Loosely formed thoughts on AI (written by my actual self, not by AI, as LinkedIn suggested I might prefer). www.linkedin.com/posts/thomas...
This was my first thought this morning. Exciting that the Government has committed to it, but savings/ productivity/growth so soon?
Just imagine for a second what this press release might have looked like if the government were aiming for endorsements from eg the TUC and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
We will also deploy Al technologies to transform the delivery of those services, ensuring that citizens directly benefit. There is no reason why engaging with public services should not resemble the seamless experience citizens get when they manage their money or book a flight. The future of the modern state - and citizens' relationship to it - depends on driving forward the digital revolution in our hospitals and schools.
A pal with a Politico subscription has shown me the "early access" version of the AI Action Plan. No spoilers from me on the contents of the plan, but a quick 🧵 on a paragraph from the PM's introduction, which I suspect is ultimately more important.
Public services should be like booking flights.
Only just catching up on budget. Wondering if digital public infrastructure is still outside context as a growth intervention as per www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/pub... from @deaves.bsky.social Mariana Mazzucato and Beatriz Vasconcellos
Nice to see more bits of Government properly interrogating what it means to design policy. Jury's still out for me on whether it requires further professionalisation of "policy design" as per the rest of DDAT (I'm probably against but ready to be convinced). mhclgdigital.blog.gov.uk/2024/10/30/w...