PublicTechnology.net

After years of planning, building, cajoling, tough love and bunting, the Government Digital Service is celebrating its fifth birthday. We asked critics and proponents what the service should feel most proud of – and what it needs to fix next.

Bob Brown might have left the private sector, but Manchester City Council’s chief information officer is certainly bringing his corporate experience to bear on his first public sector role. Rebecca Hill asked him about his first year in post. 

Could parliament’s move out of the 19^th Century Palace of Westminster be used to embrace 21^st Century technology? Rebecca Hill reports.

East Sussex and Surrey councils first mooted shared services two years ago. Chief information officer Matthew Scott tells Gill Hitchcock about the hurdles the partnership had to overcome during its development, and where it is now.

Just a month into his new job as chief digital officer for the 28 Scottish councils that have pooled their digital resources, Martyn Wallace already has big plans for his team.

Scott Moore, business analyst for the Scottish Improvement Service, won a Socitm scholarship to research digital public service trend in Seoul during the summer. Here he looks back on he learnt during his summer investigating the city’s digital transformation.

This week saw the official launch of the Singapore’s dedicated government tech agency GovTech. Rebecca Hill spoke to the organisation’s chief information officer Chan Cheow Hoe about the issues facing government digital services and how his team is addressing them.

RNIB inclusion guru Steve Tyler tells Gill Hitchcock that it makes sense for councils to build accessibility into their digital services. 

Newham’s digital delivery could show the way for other councils to make social services more efficient. Gill Hitchcock finds out why.

Newham’s digital delivery could show the way for other councils to make social services more efficient. Gill Hitchcock finds out why.

The digital democracy manifesto launched by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn earlier this week has failed to gain the approval of those working in public sector technology.

Sooraj Shah looks at the benefits of AR and VR, and asks whether councils should be spending taxpayers’ money on the emerging technologies so soon.

As the UK government pushes its digital transformation agenda, PublicTechnology looks at how other countries have forged ahead. According to an Estonian e-governance expert, identification systems are crucial. Rebecca Hill reports.

This autumn, the next cohort of women will start Socitm’s empowering women in IT programme. Rebecca Hill finds out how the society wants to promote female tech role models as part of PublicTechnology's diversity in tech series.

Adam Cooper from the Government Digital Service says blockchain technologies are not yet the answer to digital identification solutions.

Simon Parker, the outgoing director of the NLGN think tank, reflects on six years in the job and tells Rebecca Hill how he plans to use digital approaches in his move to Redbridge Council 

Around 18 months ago, senior leaders at Wigan Council decided to take digital seriously. Since then the authority has won multiple awards for its transformation. Rebecca Hill asks Alison McKenzie-Folan, deputy chief executive director for customer transformation, about the journey.

What can the body charged with boosting the tech industry in the north of England offer local government? According to its new director Richard Gregory, a lot. Rebecca Hill reports.

Council IT chiefs tell Sooraj Shah that, although the Internet of Things has huge potential for local government, it’s still early days for the technology.

Dylan Roberts, Leeds City Council’s digital chief, tells Gill Hitchcock that other public services could benefit from the local authority’s open source integrated care record programme, Ripple.

Not long ago, the team overseeing digital transformation in Whitehall was in need of some significant changes itself. Zara Farrar, leader of the Government Digital Service’s women’s group, tells Rebecca Hill how GDS reinvented its attitude to women.