Ed Wallace
Through Reboot Britain we have sought to test and understand how collaborative technologies can change the way public services are delivered to achieve better outcomes using fewer resources. In this series of blogs we will outline a number of the challenges that are frequently encountered when trying to do this but as we will show, those willing to embrace this change open up the possibility of achieving transformative outcomes for service recipients and providers.
The need for organisational change that creates the necessary conditions for digital innovation to happen is clear, but if services are going to evolve then working practices need to evolve too. More often than not, current systems and ways of working in the public sector inhibit rather than enable technological innovation.
22.10.2012Developing a digital innovation will inevitably raise a variety of issues, risks and concerns that will need to be thought through and addressed as part of the innovation process. What impact will a new approach have? Will users be safe? Will it work as well as the current service offer? How will relationships between professionals and service users be affected? Is the new approach legal? What legislation needs to be considered? How will the information that is collected be protected?
19.10.2012Different people see and think differently and radical ideas can come from many sources, so it is important to tap into this diversity and uncover creative, new ideas in response to the problem that has been identified. But who are the right people to bring in, how should they be involved and when is the right time to do this?
16.10.2012The tough social problems we have focussed on through Reboot Britain have often defied solutions for significant periods of time. When coupled with the fact innovators are experimenting with untested tools, this means development processes must be agile and able to evolve in the face of extreme uncertainty if they are to be successful.
11.10.2012People rightly expect to receive accessible, high quality public services that they get choice and control over, but they have an increasingly important role to play if these demands are to be met in the future. This will only happen if public services can organise people and provide services in a way that leads to outputs that are empowering, coherent and offer lasting value. But how can public services make it easier for people to meet their own and other people's needs?
08.10.2012
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