Presentation given by Sally Howes at conference held at NAO on 15 November 2012: online services and local government

1. Government’s digital future &
NAO’s changing approach
Sally Howes
Director ICT and systems analysis
November 2012

2. Contents
• A clear message from GDS on digital
• The challenge in delivering the digital transformation
• A changing approach from NAO
• Following the digital transformation

3. The message from GDS is loud and clear
Sources: Digital Strategy, Digital Efficiency Report, Digital Landscape Research - GDS Nov 2012
Public service delivery is digital by default
Digital services empower the public but will only be used if
they are straightforward and convenient
This is the only way to maintain quality of public services as
the civil service reduces headcount and its costs
Digital services are a core element of the design of future
service models
Big potential for savings by digitising public-facing services
650 services (excluding NHS, police and local)
2011-12 annual cost – estimated £6-9 billion
300 have no digital channel
For 350 - % using digital channel is low

4. Putting customers at the centre
September 2011
“GDS is here to build digital services that are so
GDS - transforming digital services good that people choose to use them”
User needs, not government needs
1. Do less
2. Design with data “…design process must start with
identifying and thinking about real user
3. Do the hard work to make it simple
needs. We should design around those
4. Iterate. Then iterate again — not around the way the „official
5. Build for inclusion process‟ is at the moment. We must
6. Understand context understand those needs thoroughly —
7. Build digital services, not websites interrogating data, not just making
8. Be consistent, not uniform assumptions — and we should
9. Make things open: it makes things better remember that what users ask for is
not always what they need.”
June 2012
Civil Service Reform Plan published “central government wherever possible must
become a digital organisation. These days the best
` service organisations deliver online everything that
can be delivered online. This cuts their costs
October 2012 dramatically and allows access to information and
services at times and in ways convenient to the
gov.uk went live users rather than the providers”
`
“People will only choose to use government services
November 2012 digitally if they are far more straightforward and
convenient. The vast majority (82%) of the UK
Digital strategy population is online but most people rarely use
online government services”

5. The objective….
From: To:
• “Policy will not get in the way of good
Policy User
service design”
• “The Civil Service must educate itself
as to what the public wants and adapt
to the needs of the citizen”
Process Policy
• “..need to win back the generation not
engaging with government”
• “No department can redesign their
Service Process
services on their own – because
many things the citizen is interested in
go across department boundaries and
the whole point is to deliver what
citizens need – not what departments
User Service have been set up to do”

6. The potential for savings
GDS Digital efficiency report, Nov 2012
gov.uk • £36 million pa savings compared to Directgov &
businesslink.gov.uk
• £25 – 45 million pa saving from department costs
Digitising public-facing • £1.7 – 1.8 billion savings pa in central government
(£1.1 – 1.3 billion by government – rest passed through lower prices)
services
18 – 28% annual cost of 650 services
£1.2 billion this CSR period
• £2.9 billion savings pa NHS
• £134 – 421 million savings pa local government
• £67 – 128 million pa savings estimated from next
Digitising gov2gov & back generation shared services (Cabinet Office, July
office services yet to be 2011)
estimated • £354 million savings in 2011-12 reported by Cabinet
Office due to ICT strategy
• £362 million savings in 2011-12 reported by Cabinet
Office due to renegotiations with ICT suppliers

7. Strategies for delivering these savings?
Digital strategy
Redesign services by skilled people
Strong digital culture
Involve digital specialists from SMEs
Savings from Major services have a service manager
successfully Transition to gov.uk Cyber security
Increase number of users
digitising public Common technology platforms
strategy
facing services Remove legislative barriers
Improve policy making & communication Risk decision about
Cross-govt. assisted digital the service by the
78% Reduced staff time
business
12% Estates
7% Printing, postage &
ICT strategy
New role for Digital Leader Reclassification of
telecoms information
4% IT & equipment New ID management
Shared networks, data centres, EUDs service
Rent s/w services from the CloudStore Shared intelligence
Open source
SIAM framework Reinforce role of
Centralised procurement SIROs
Agile approaches
Critical challenge on ICT solutions from
the Cabinet Office
Reinforced role of CIO

8. Public sector challenge
Cost reductions
Those not
engaging
with Getting digital services
government into the civil service DNA
Civil service
Rising reform
expectations
from citizens Changing skill
& businesses requirements
Open public services
Maintaining public Transparency
service quality &
shifting to digital Information assurance

9. A changing approach also for NAO
Objectives
• Innovative products &
new channels
• Increased influence
• Improvement
• Thought leadership
Approach
• Look earlier
• Overall service
performance - avoid “ICT
projects”
• Stronger business
analytic methods
• Deeper operational
experience
Landscape report on government ICT, Feb 2011

10. Building a deeper base of investigations
HMRC: expansion of tax
filing, Nov 2011
ICT in government: Digital Britain 1: shared infrastructure Implementing
landscape review, Feb and services, Dec 2011 transparency, Apr 2012
2011 Digital Britain 2: what the public MOD: the use of
Implementing the thinks, to be published 2013 information to manage
Government ICT the logistics supply
strategy; 6 month review, chain, Mar 2011
Dec 2011 DEFRA: geographic
UK cyber security information systems, Jul
strategy: landscape 2012
review, to be published
2013
Efficiency and reform in
corporate services
through shared service
centre, Mar 2012
BIS: shared services in
Research Council UK,
Impact of government‟s Nov 2011
ICT savings, to be
published 2013
Research : governance Research: the ICT
of Agile projects in the profession, Aug 2011
private sector, Aug 2012 Research: government
HO: mobile projects using Agile,
DEFRA: transformation of Public services technology in Sep 2012
animal health & welfare dependent on legacy, policing, Jan
services, Jul 2012 to be published 2013 2012

11. We analyse VFM of public services – not just ICT
Full enterprise analysis
Service architecture analysis
Key AHVLA Users Wider BRP Stakeholders
Departmen
AH Local Environment Port Health
Users FSA OV‟s Defra EU FERA RPA
Agency Authorities Agency Authorities
tA
Internal Paper Document Online Offline Internet
Channels Web User
Email Phone
Documents Imaging Forms Forms Portal
Disease Endemic Exotic Protecting Reportable
Border
AHVLA Business Areas/Services Risk Notifiable Notifiable the Food and Other Welfare
Control
Reduction Disease Disease Chain Zoonotic
Departmen
Cleanse
Registration Work 3rd Party
Sampling Trace Compen-sation & Vaccinate
Management Management Liaison
Disinfect
Business Processes
Slaughter/ Movement Premises
Risk Visit
Surveillance Valuation Cull/ Controls/ Restock Licence/
Management Management
tB
Disposal Restrictions Approvals
ODRM Activity Commander Management Forms Library
Technology (Sam) Information (Bus
Obj) Operational Data Capture
Business Process & Rules Engine (Pega)
(eForms)
Data Services Support (ESB) Data Feeds Support (Data Stage) External Systems I
Departmen
Data Integration
Operational Bus
Customer Data Document Store Activity Data Historical Bus Data
Data
tC
Financial analysis
Departmen
tD
Departmen
tE
Implementation
Service mgmt
Governance
Technology
Processes
Strategy
People

12. Following the digital transformation
The Expansion of Online Digital Britain One: Digital Britain Two: What
Filing of Tax Returns Shared infrastructure & the public thinks about
(2011) services for government government online
online (2011) (to be published 2012)
“Despite increasing drive to move services on-line comparatively little research exists examining what
consumers need and expect from services delivered in this way.”
Consumer Focus, June 2011

13. Scope of our survey of public views
UK citizens UK SMEs 3rd Sector
Users of government digital services
Providing/reporting Requesting Requesting Requesting a
benefits/loans/grants licence/authorisation Making a payment Registering
information information
Types of public digital services
Crime, justice and the law
Education & learning
Money & tax
Births, deaths, marriage and care
Disabled people
336600+ central government services
Housing and social services
What do users need? How do they
Working, jobs and pensions
perceive services are VFM?
Benefits
Driving & transport
Citizenship and life in the UK
Business /self employed
Employing people

14. Our VFM criteria
Able to access online
services
Aware of online
services
Has the knowledge &
skills Trusts service
provider/Internet Satisfied with website/can
complete transaction online
Access Awareness Capability Trust Satisfaction
No internet access No awareness Insufficient ICT skills Choose not to transact Low satisfaction
• Barriers preventing access • Unaware of particular • Cannot use computer, online • Unable to complete
(cost, coverage, no interest) services online and no one can assist • Lack of confidence and • Confusing/ slow/
• Cannot use computer, but trust (providing personal poorly designed
Internet access Partial Awareness can call upon family, data) • Took longer than
• Type of device (mobile) • Familiar with annual, friends, third sector • Preference for physical anticipated
regular tasks (car tax) evidence of completion High satisfaction
Sufficient skills (stamped receipt) • Service met
Fully Aware • Have skills but have • Don‟t know how to stay expectations
disability, prevents access safe online • Online channel easier
• Possess skills but service Choose to transact online and more efficient
too difficult to navigate • High level of trust • Convenient – service
• Possess skills and can • Aware of basic computer available at times
manage all services hygiene e.g. on use of required by user
passwords, anti-virus • Matched private
protection sector experience
Readiness for „Digital by default‟ Quality of digital service experience

15. Summary
• The clear message from GDS is digital by default
• There are challenges in delivering the digital
transformation but this is a key way to maintain
quality of public services as costs are reduced
• The NAO is also changing to respond to how
government is delivering digital
• We are following the digital transformation right
through the enterprise

16. Thank you
Sally Howes
sally.howes@nao.gsi.gov.uk