Ownership The core reason why programmes, projects and businesses fail is ownership. It’s unclear who owns delivery, the original “owner” left after 18 months, the “owner” has no control over staffing or budgets… So who owns a cross cutting programme in government? There is little point proposing new ways of delivering services if you haveContinue reading “Five quick things for the digital future”
Category Archives: Provocations
AI as a brainstorming tool
One of the “carrots” of the AI pushers is that it will make us more effective researchers and creators. Given that LLMs are literal fabulation engines I am dubious but Stanford University have just released a trial of their embryonic brainstorming AI called, er, STORM. So let’s give it a go with an input: “AreContinue reading “AI as a brainstorming tool”
Westminster Thinktank Scene – 12″ Dub Mix
This one goes out to all the junior ministers being reshuffled in and wondering just what the hell is going on. Here are a few common tropes you will see come up again and again in Westminster. “WTD – Will This Do?” Most commonly seen as a response to a minister making a commitment whichContinue reading “Westminster Thinktank Scene – 12″ Dub Mix”
Being Served
We were discussing public service delivery on Twitter earlier, as that monument to techbro hubris continues its rapid collapse into the sea, and the question was asked as to why the UK has “digitised” so many services in a way that they are an opaque online form or call centre where hope goes to dieContinue reading “Being Served”
Daisy Daisy
So the Tony Blair Institute have done another of their Marvel/DC team-ups this time on AI. I was not going to discuss it but on second glance it does have some interesting aspects. The report is good but suffers from many of the same issues that such reports always have: the belief that the UKContinue reading “Daisy Daisy”
All the numbers account for years
The power of paws, no sooner do I write about the lack of any national conversation about digital when we get the modestly titled “A New National Purpose” from the odd Marvel/DC team up of Tony Blair and William Hague. Martha Lane Fox has set out very well the Groundhog Day feelings of those ofContinue reading “All the numbers account for years”
As patterns seem to form
The opinion polls indicate that the next UK General Election will bring a new government. The last time we were here was back in 2008/9 when one of the hot topics was “Digital”. Shadow Ministers spoke at events about the critical importance of digital, policy papers were published by think tanks and I, a memberContinue reading “As patterns seem to form”
Policymanship
Readers of the late great Stephen Potter’s works on Lifemanship and Gamesmanship may wonder if the same techniques can be applied in government. The answer is “Of course!” Here are a couple of examples of Policymanship in action. “Cutting grant fraud” Ministers are very keen to launch a big new business grants programme which willContinue reading “Policymanship”
What is Twitter?
The ongoing destruction of Twitter by the idiot Musk has occasioned vast amounts of noise as people flee to Mastodon or even renounce social media entirely. As carts of apples are knocked over and small children separated from their mothers in the rush it’s becoming clear that everyone has a different idea what Twitter is…Continue reading “What is Twitter?”
Efficiency
In my last blog post I said that whilst greater efficiency may reduce the number of staff needed it does not work if you try to do it the other way round, that is cutting staff numbers and expecting greater efficiency. But assertions are not evidence so let’s show the consequences of cutting staff withoutContinue reading “Efficiency”
Mark O'Neill 