Welcome to the new Transparency and Digital Engagement blog
Welcome to the new blog platform for the reconstituted and repurposed Transparency and Digital Engagement team. As with the old Digital Engagement blog the team will be using this to talk about what we are up to, the technical challenges we are facing and to test out early solutions.
With Andrew Stott retiring the team is now led by Katie Davis – as the new interim Director of Transparency and Digital Engagement. Katie joined the Efficiency and Reform Group in the Cabinet Office in August 2010 to help to shape Government’s approach to improving efficiency across Whitehall. Katie’s experience in developing cross-Whitehall strategies and getting things done across departments will help Government to drive forward the Transparency, Digital Engagement and Open Data agendas at pace.
From 2007 to 2010, Katie was the Executive Director of Strategy for the Identity and Passport Service, an executive agency of the Home Office. In this role, she had responsibility for developing IPS’ corporate strategy as well as leading the development of future strategies for the Home Office and across Whitehall. Prior to this, Katie was the Director of the Government IT Profession in the Cabinet Office where she had responsibility for leading efforts to increase Government’s capacity and capability to use new technology to improve public services. Katie’s strategy development and delivery skills were developed through over 20 years of experience delivering complex change programmes across the public and private sectors.
In the next few weeks we will try to keep this space up to speed with these rapidly evolving agendas but in the meantime we would very much welcome any feedback you might have on our new platform.
Have a good start!
I will follow the new blog with interest.
Perhaps your team should talk to the DWP about its multi-function kiosks project, which has been put on hold. The DWP has a network of thousands of touch screen kiosks in Jobcentres. These provide a potential platform to extend access to government online services. The locations are good (in every corner of Great Britain) and the target audience includes many without access to the internet at home.
I look forward to keeping up to date with this blog.
Please also remember that digital engagement is crucial for civil service effectiveness too, especially developing skills. Gartner rate Gov 2.0 a fail due to the over-focus on public engagement at the expense of giving staff even basic access to blogs and other information that would be highly valuable.
For more on Gartner see:
http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/government-tech-policy/43276
Could you clarify the date that Andrew Stott will be leaving you? The Twitter account suggests he’s still in post.