Work: Public sector strategy and technology. Home: Father of two, politics / policy, football (come on Sunderland)
Great Missenden
Joined June 2010
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What should the UK government do if they truly want to harness AI? @nesta_uk propose five ways government could use AI to transform the entire policymaking process. nesta.org.uk/blog/harnessing…
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Worth a look at @Paul_Swinney examination of productivity growth statistics in northern cities, the data underpinning government policy and the need to avoid groupthink economicsobservatory.com/hav…
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What happens when a system stops believing? Louise Casey’s recent remarks on “learned helplessness” in the civil service (via @instituteforgovernment.org.uk) raise uncomfortable but vital questions about strategy, delivery, and ownership. My article linkedin.com/pulse/grip-fix-…
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Pleased to share my guest blog for @techUK on how local government reorganisation can unlock smarter, more resilient, digitally enabled services. Read here 👉 orlo.uk/7OeNn
#LocalGov #DigitalTransformation #PublicSector #Innovation
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Lessons on building (and sunsetting) a government AI chatbot from the Incubator for AI, starting with 'continuously validate that the problem you're solving is the most critical one for your users.' ai.gov.uk/blogs/redbox-refle…
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Digital identity and the UK Government - Richard Pope makes the case for a more product-led approach - and less focus on making a headline rpp.works/ways-of-doing/digi…
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Check out my latest article: From Strategy to Place: Why the Next Phase of Public Service Reform Must Start Locally linkedin.com/pulse/from-stra… via @LinkedIn
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Will the #AI bubble pop? Economist William H Janeway writes a succinct explainer --> there is often a big gap between the surge in investment in a new technology, and the emergence of truly profitable applications for it project-syndicate.org/column…
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New article out today - innovation gives government options, strategy gives direction but only system change delivers outcomes. I’ve explored how the UK can apply these lessons to its biggest long-term policy challenges.
Read here: shorturl.at/fN9nY
#PublicSector #GovReform
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Check out my latest article: From Innovation to Strategy: Why Government Must Rebuild Its Strategic Capability linkedin.com/pulse/from-inno… via @LinkedIn #Leadership #Strategy #PublicSector #UKGov #Innovation
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Check out my latest article: From Innovation to Intelligent Adoption: Making Emerging Technologies Work for the Public Sector linkedin.com/pulse/from-inno… via @LinkedIn
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Check out my latest article: Innovation, Productivity and the Public Sector: What I’m Hearing Right Now linkedin.com/pulse/innovatio… via @LinkedIn
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New report from the @CommonsWorkPen urges change to how DWP work coaches are used. Key points - work coaches are “an incredible resource” but are currently ineffectively deployed 1/3
Many claimant appointments last just ~10 minutes — far too little time for those further from work.Too much time is spent on compliance checks, too little on building relationships/coaching 2/3
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Could digital tools & data analytics free up coaches from admin → more time with claimants. Tailor support using better insight into needs & outcomes. Improve scheduling, referrals & tracking #DigitalGov #WorkCoach #PublicServiceInnovation
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A recent trial by @biztradegovuk of @MicrosoftUK 365 Copilot (1,000 staff over 3 months) shows interesting results. Staff saved time, especially on written tasks (drafting, summarising, reviewing). Other positives include support for neurodiverse staff 1/3
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But tasks like generating images & scheduling meetings actually took longer. Overall, time savings did not translate into measurable improvements in productivity. Issues flagged include hallucinations in outputs and variable quality 2/3
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1/ 🦩 What South Africa’s democratic transition taught me about UK public service transformation. In the early '90s, leaders gathered at Mont Fleur to imagine the future—not through policy, but through stories. They created 4 scenarios. Each a path forward—or a warning.
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4/ We adapted the Mont Fleur model to the UK context: 🕳️ Molehill – siloed survival 🐌 Snail’s Pace – reform bogged down 🪂 Icarus Redux – tech-led overshoot 🦩 Flight of the Herons – co-designed, inclusive change. Each one provokes reflection, not prescription.
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5/ Scenario planning isn’t about certainty. It’s about making space to imagine better futures—together. If you’re working on transformation and want to explore this approach, I’d love to connect.
#PublicSector #Transformation #ScenarioPlanning #MontFleur #SystemsThinking
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