Microposts – Page 3 – Dave Briggs

October 20, 2025, 10:51 am

James Plunkett writes Iterate, if you can:

Because linear mentalities have crept back in some places, it would be worth a big new push to restate the basic case for iterative and user-centred methods, and to insist on the associated operating model (e.g. mixed discipline teams). Clarity is key: assert the basic principles of iterative working, explain why it reduces risk and makes better use of public money, be insistent on the model, etc. Test & Learn might be the best framing/vehicle for this, but it will need strong support from the highest levels of government if contemporary management practices and operating models are to become non-negotiable.

October 17, 2025, 2:43 pm

I linked to the recent Notify case study on LinkedIn, adding the commentary below. Saving here for posterity 🙂

Feels to me like this ought to be something easily adopted in local government. I did some digging into Notify uptake in local gov a year or so ago, and found that many councils use Notify for one or two things, but it was rarely considered a core component of digital service delivery. Why? Because sending SMS notifications isn’t part of many workflows. Often because it was seen as too expensive when looked at 10 or 15 years ago.

Encouraging councils to send more SMS notifications is the start, because leveraging Notify to do it is an absolute no-brainer.

(Am aware that Notify does more than SMS, but you hopefully get my point.)

October 17, 2025, 12:14 pm

Sarah and Carl are taking up the reigns of LocalGovDigital – a Slack-based networks of digital practitioners in local government, and I’m stepping down.

I think they’ll do a great job and am really excited about what they will be able to achieve with the group – hopefully a lot more than I managed!

October 16, 2025, 2:28 pm

Scaling Digital Infrastructure in a Siloed State: How the UK government designed and financed GOV.UK Notify to prioritise achieving universal public sector adoption:

In 2015, UK government call centres received hundreds of millions of calls about its 7,000+ government services. One in four of these calls was a request for an update on an application or appointment. This drove up call volumes, increased hold times, and was often a source of negative interaction between the public and the government. Worse, they cost the government millions of pounds.

Could the UK government develop a method to deliver trustworthy, accessible information quickly and securely across fragmented industries? What strategies could they use to create universal adoption? And perhaps most challenging: who would pay for it in a government structured around departmental silos? In this case study, we explore how the UK’s Government Digital Service (GDS) addressed a government-wide challenge by developing a modular digital infrastructure, focusing on how the team evaluated and made key decisions around scaling and financing a cross-government service. In doing so, we highlight the strategic choices and pivotal moments that shaped its success.

Lloyd reports not getting a pingback from me when I linked to his blog. Am not surprised the micropost didn’t ping, but the daily note aggregated version is just a standard post and should have done. Will take a look into it.

Load more posts!