I’ll try to find time to read the Hansard Society’s second Digital Dialogues report on using IT for public engagement, but I’ve got a load of other things to do in the next few days. For now, a quick skim of the executive summary has some sensible advice. I’m particularly drawn to the first recommendation:
Naturally, I do have a personal axe to grind here. But I’ve long felt there should be a ‘skunk works’ unit within central government, with minimal line management, and an open remit. You could describe it as a MySociety group on the inside, I suppose. It’s absolutely not the way the Civil Service wants to work, but I just don’t think there’s any other way to do it. Even a centrally-provided slice of server space for departments to test things out would be a start.
We think alike…
sounds kool. However we have the national projects experience and others to warn against grand schemes – lots of little ones supporting/supported by a larger, independent network funded at length … now I’m dreaming ..
(‘scuse my abnormal cynicism but we suffer from a couple of national projects, as do others – I have the memory infused I’m afraid of literally going from Silver Service to Church Hall overnight as funding ended and support with it on one large project)