Latest News
The latest news and pointers for "Government as a Platform" from various companies, initiatives, and organizations. If you know more, then please let us know!
The Great Deverticalisation Debate
Why do we persist in running vertically integrated organisations when standardising many of
these processes would free us up to do things so much better, and more cheaply? Mark Thompson with
Jerry Fishenden, based on work being undertaken with Cambridge University’s Open Platforms and
Innovation Group, address this question in this series of articles in Computer Weekly that combines vision and advice for the private and public sectors alike.
Their central message is that the public sector has the opportunity, through the power of "open", to not only take the lead in creating organisations for the future but also to play an instrumental role in improving UK plc’s position in a competitive global economy.
To what extent do you think that the Street, as relayed in this series of articles in Computer Weekly, offers an accurate characterisation the present and possible future of UK public service delivery?
Their central message is that the public sector has the opportunity, through the power of "open", to not only take the lead in creating organisations for the future but also to play an instrumental role in improving UK plc’s position in a competitive global economy.
To what extent do you think that the Street, as relayed in this series of articles in Computer Weekly, offers an accurate characterisation the present and possible future of UK public service delivery?
Delib.net
Delib is a digital democracy company.
It help organisations use the internet to connect people with decision-makers, and provides a number of apps for use by citizen-led groups.
See this very useful graphic to find out more.
It help organisations use the internet to connect people with decision-makers, and provides a number of apps for use by citizen-led groups.
See this very useful graphic to find out more.
Using Open Platforms could revitalise the public sector
Recent video podcast from Mark Thompson on how the public sector could play a major role in improving UK plc’s position in a competitive global economy and save billions of pounds a year by adopting ‘open platform’ software systems:
http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/media/2013/using-open-platforms-could-revitalise-the-public-sector-2/
http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/media/2013/using-open-platforms-could-revitalise-the-public-sector-2/
We're still so C19
www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2228520/government-it-no-longer-19th-century-but-improvements-still-needed
Denise McDonagh’s right (above) that public sector ICT has improved, but we still suffer from a literally Victorian-era public service infrastructure! Lots of stovepipe organisations doing often strikingly similar things (look at our 427 local government organisations, for example – all doing enthusiastically different versions of the same thing).
In a C21 public service infrastructure, technology will have disappeared into the looking-glass – sublimated from our consciousness since it will be everywhere and nowhere at the same time: working, interoperable, cheap. Instead, the emphasis will be all on the architecture: who understands platform/innovation dynamics? The Centre’s job will be to create the conditions and incentives for a lively, plural marketplace to innovate; the marketplace will innovate and compete; and public service organisations will stop wasting taxpayers’ money propping up ancient, crumbling castles.
When we have deverticalised our public service architecture, and stopped talking about the technology, we will know we have truly arrived in the C21. We remain so far from this it is frightening; but open standards and consumption-based procurement routes such as G-cloud are undoubtedly a much-needed baby-step in the right direction.
Denise McDonagh’s right (above) that public sector ICT has improved, but we still suffer from a literally Victorian-era public service infrastructure! Lots of stovepipe organisations doing often strikingly similar things (look at our 427 local government organisations, for example – all doing enthusiastically different versions of the same thing).
In a C21 public service infrastructure, technology will have disappeared into the looking-glass – sublimated from our consciousness since it will be everywhere and nowhere at the same time: working, interoperable, cheap. Instead, the emphasis will be all on the architecture: who understands platform/innovation dynamics? The Centre’s job will be to create the conditions and incentives for a lively, plural marketplace to innovate; the marketplace will innovate and compete; and public service organisations will stop wasting taxpayers’ money propping up ancient, crumbling castles.
When we have deverticalised our public service architecture, and stopped talking about the technology, we will know we have truly arrived in the C21. We remain so far from this it is frightening; but open standards and consumption-based procurement routes such as G-cloud are undoubtedly a much-needed baby-step in the right direction.