19.09.16
A new Digital Transformation Strategy to meet the challenges of Brexit
The Digital Transformation Strategy is being updated to meet the growing remit of the Government Digital Service (GDS) and the challenges of the UK’s forthcoming exit from the European Union.
Kevin Cunnington, director general of the GDS, made the announcement as Ben Gummer, the new minister for the Cabinet Office, visited the GDS headquarters for the first time.
Cunnington said: “More and more we are going to make the work from GDS about transformation - not just digital.
“We have a superb team and I want our UK strategy to not only reflect the bold ambition that we have across government, but the new challenges that now face us. We will have an updated and complete Digital Transformation Strategy before the end of the year.”
Gummer also said that the DWP Digital Academy Service, where Cunnington was previously a senior director, will be moved to GDS, allowing for digital project management training across the government.
He added that GOV.UK Pay, the latest step in the Government as a Platform programme, has successfully taken its first trial payment on product manager Till Wirth’s credit card. Services will come online for this autumn.
While it is good news that the government’s digital agenda is progressing, it is still being held back by a lack of knowledge, with a recent survey finding that three-quarters of civil servants don’t understand Government as a Platform.
Hopefully the new Digital Academy Service will help ensure that the whole Civil Service are on board with the digital agenda, so that it can successfully meet the challenges ahead.
Have you got a story to tell? Would you like to become a PSE columnist? If so, click here.