Over years of work, we have learned that the transformation of services requires end-to-end thinking, from Discovery over Alpha/Beta, all the way into taking services live and supporting them on an ongoing basis.
As with any set of complex requirements, there is no easy or ‘one size fits all’ solution. It is only by adopting an inclusive user-centred way of thinking that you can make meaningful progress and make digital services inclusive and available to all.
Back in 2010 we worked with Martha Lane-Fox to deliver the ground-breaking report that outlined how the Government can provide a better service for the citizens and businesses of the UK. Since then, this approach has been tested many times, delivering faster, cheaper and, above all, better quality services.
We are strong believers in practising what we are preaching and got the chance to put our thinking to the test in 2012; when we worked with the Office of the Public Guardian to deliver the first government service to ever pass GDS-assessment, the Lasting Power of Attorney application.
Since then, we have used the same approach, gradually tweaked and improved, to align with the GDS service assessment criteria as these have been modified and updated. We are proud to say that we have delivered over 40 different services for a range of departments and agencies, affecting the lives of almost everyone in the UK in one way or another: businesses of all sizes, importers/exporters, fishermen, teachers, students, unemployed people, patients, hospitals, the elderly, farmers, lawyers, soldiers, people with disabilities, people with health problems, ethnic minorities – you get the idea.
One key learning is that we must always take time to scope out new services in detail, ensuring we cover not only user needs, but also department or civil servant needs as well as those of other stakeholders. We quite often refer to this as the “sweet spot” of service design – one which helps the UK citizen and/or business, whilst at the same time taking policy, technology etc. requirements into account. Along the way, we also spend time supporting our clients in upskilling and knowledge sharing through, for example, GDS Assessment Master-classes, Agile coaching and outright hand-over training. We know that making a real difference requires us to not only deliver a great service, but also to help the public sector be more capable of managing and developing the service themselves.
This work is one factor that our team find motivating – knowing the services we have and continue to provide make a real difference to such a vast array of people – our public sector work is more than just a job to us. We believe that making the UK a better place to live and work in is important, so we are prepared to go that extra mile to make sure this happens. Transforming the lives of UK citizens and businesses is something we take great pride in and continue to develop.
You can read more about our public sector work in practice in the following case studies: Marine Management Organisation, Office of the Public Guardian, Home Office, HM Courts and Tribunals Service and Department for International Trade. If you are interested in hearing more about our thinking around public sector digital transformation, feel free to contact us at transformation@transformUK.com – we are always happy to talk!
