What can politicians learn from Universal Credit?

The unfortunate saga of Universal Credit is a powerful reminder of the repeated failure to successfully integrate policy making with technology. A failure that comes

Digital Government — stuck in a groove?

For the past ~27 years, UK digital government efforts have largely focused on the left column of this table, occasionally drifting into ‘Rationalisation’ — and

360-degree policy making

How can we improve policy making to make it more effective — not just for politicians and policy makers, but citizens, organisations and communities too?

policy making in the digital age

UK Authority have published my article Rethinking policy making in the digital age. It explores the need for a national digital infrastructure that provides open,

Rebooting ‘progressive’ politics

In his speech at the end of July, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury talked about the need for a “faster, smarter” culture in government

Maggots, rats and a fork in the road

So what’s it going to be then, hey? Will the outcome of the Brexit negotiations see the UK forced to adhere to the EU’s “level

‘Blueshift’ and the evergreen promise of the ‘future’ of work

15 years ago at Microsoft, I proposed a programme called ‘Blueshift’. It was a deliberate provocation, an attempt to move away from rusty soundbites about

Future Shock | After Shock

It’s 50 years since Alvin Toffler‘s ‘Future Shock‘ was published in 1970. I remember first reading it some time later, in a battered, orange-coloured paperback

21st century identity

My opinion piece for Computer Weekly – implementing a 21st century approach to digital identity – has been published this morning. It sets out a

Digital government and asymmetric justice

Governments are acquiring and sharing more of our data on the basis that it will improve efficiency, personalise services, and reduce fraud, error and debt.

democracy, technology and the art of the bonsai

The General Election (2019 edition) is on. What better time to ask “Is technology breaking democracy?” After all, the evidence is mounting – from the

Data Privacy Day musings

Consider this on #DataPrivacyDay. For more than 60 years now, organisations have been trying to understand and manipulate the way we think, as the first