Helping Out in Digital Jersey’s COVID-19 Challenge
We are delighted to announce that Professor Alan Brown has been announced as a judge in Digital Jersey’s COVID-19 hackathon taking place this week. Professor Brown joins a distinguished panel that will be assessing the entries to decide who is awarded support from a £30,000 prize pool. Jersey is home to many skilled digital professionals […]
Community and Public Service Post-COVID
On 17th April I participated in a TechUK panel of people considering the impact COVID-19 is having on local public services, together with the themes that will be very important in shaping our Place-based post-COVID future. I was joined by Paul Brewer, Director for Digital & Resources, Adur & Worthing Councils, Helen Gerling, Managing Director, […]
Helping set the strategic agenda at the Home Office
As the senior leadership of Police and Public Protection Team (PPPT) of Home Office Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) division gathered on 31 March 2020 to evolve their vision for public protection in the digital era, Professor Mark Thompson was invited to deliver a keynote to help set the tone for their discussions. Mark’s keynote […]
Public Sector Innovation Conference: Chair’s Blog
By Mark Thompson (pictured) Like ‘digital transformation’, innovation is an over-used and under-examined term. This applies within business generally, but more especially within the public sector, where there are limits to the amount of disruption and risk that it is considered acceptable to carry within the public domain. Further, a range of questions arises when government […]
Turbocharging localism
Post-election, the government now has headspace to consider some more ambitious policies for the coming few years. How will it wield its power? By devolving it, perhaps? Localism is gaining traction – but critically, we need to understand the concept differently. It needs redefining for the age of readily-consumable digital services. At the moment, it’s being used […]
Getting it right this time: Why the strategy is not about delivery for NHSX
Mark Thompson’s blog for ComputerWeekly.com: The Government needs to move on from the mantras and beliefs that exist around digital and technology – the new NHSX organisation could set an example by transforming healthcare. Read more.
There is No Such Thing as a Digital Strategy
Let me say it again. There is no such thing as a Digital Strategy. Honestly. If you think your organization needs a new digital strategy in 2019, then I’m sorry to say that you’ve completely missed the boat. It is misguided and dangerous to be creating a separate digital strategy for your organization in world […]
The Slow Pace of Digital Transformation in Business Schools
Business Schools are struggling to keep pace with the digital business world. Observers point to the sterile teaching methods, the scale and composition of cohorts, and outdated content taught at business schools they too often find. Some go further and argue that their structure and approach is misaligned to business’ needs. Even the value of […]
The Battle for “Digital” at the Heart of UK Government
The brave and inspired comments by Tom Loosemore at the Science and Technology Committee on their inquiry into digital government this week remind us that there is a battle raging over the future of digital transformation at the heart of the UK government. https://government.diginomica.com/2018/11/27/tom-loosemore-reminds-us-just-how-much-digital-government-is-flailing-in-the-uk/ As clearly described by Loosemore, what started off as a small, […]
It’s All About Execution
A good idea is just a good idea. It only becomes useful when you do something with it. So execution is everything. That’s the mantra taken up by many recently, including the Mike Bracken-led government digital teams with their “Strategy is Delivery” bent. This message was brought home to me when I read today’s Guardian […]
