About

Currently providing support to UK government departments working in the delivery of their transformational government strategy and some of the power of information taskforce report recommendations. This includes:

• rationalising government’s web estate to improve services available to the public online
• developing digital engagement policy and implementation plans – designed around the use of interactive technology to give a greater voice and involvement in the way people deal with and view government, as well as the way government responds
• mentoring in the professional and personal use of digital engagement tools
• helping others to measure their own development and achievement in digital engagement, and reflecting this within overall performance measures <- particularly important, as this relates directly to personal assessment and career path development
• opening up access to non-personal government data in reusable formats, so that new services can be created (often outside government) where value can be generated from using data in innovative ways
• passing on years (am way too old) of experience of delivering public services through digital channels to accelerate the learning of others

My personal passion at the moment is the drive to free up non-personal government data. Sir Tim Berners-Lee and many others have identified the value that can be generated through developers and other areas of government sharing and reusing data to create really useful applications, web tools and online information. This is frequently achieved with minimal technical cost, shaped by core civil service management skills in enabling access to information, and handling the consequent interest generated in services developed, and the uses to which they are put.

I do love my *job* so much that I spend far too much time – and my life on- and off-line – learning and making connections. And then sharing these to make really good things happen in real life. A current challenge that interests me is firmly anchoring the diversity and inclusion agendas at the heart of all digital engagement strategy – and I can only make headway with this through being privileged to have a rich network of great people inside and outside government who can help make that happen.

Quick *plug* I also am a founder of Rewired State; our mission statement is intentionally brutal. As an organisation we operate with the most minimal structure and set-up possible. Running with a budget similar to a typical resident’s association we are able to generate and manage sponsorship, and use this to do really great things. We run two events a year: Rewired State (March) and Young Rewired State (August) where we show what can be done, on a small budget, with the right information and talent from both inside and outside government. But we are focused on getting better public services, utilising whatever we can in the online space and trying to rewire the traditional IT project funds into low cost, high value, better re-use and development of prized civil service and developer knowledge.

But our focus is, and has to be, a longer goal of improved public services – taking the best information and development resources that there are, and rethinking the way that technology budgets are allocated and managed, to produce low-cost, high-value services that can really make a difference to people’s lives.

Other useful stuff to know about me:

Coffee/Tea: white no sugar (prefer tea – prefer peppermint)

Wine: Red (Rose in Summer)

Snacks: Twiglets

Freebies: yes sure, if it is interesting

Network: my value is in my network, ask me and I am sure that I can find you someone to help

Passion: online comms and where it is taking us as a society

CV: on linkedin

twitter: hubmum

Security clearance: yes to SC level (plus immigration/security checked to Home Office standard)