CIPFA claims blockchain is a ‘promising solution’ for the public sector. I disagree.

CIPFA have published a report entitled Exploring blockchain technologies for collaboration and partnerships [PDF warning].

The very first statement of the executive summary is problematic.

Blockchain technology has emerged as a promising solution for collaboration and partnerships, providing a secure and transparent way for multiple parties to interact and transact without intermediaries.

Has it? I’m not sure myself.

Anyway, they include a helpful decision tree to help you decide whether you should use the blockchain or not:

Which I am happy to simplify for everyone:

All snarking aside, I think this is a massive waste of time, money and attention for everyone concerned.

Across the public sector, technology and digital budgets are being salami sliced away, leaving organisations facing critical levels of risk and failing to grasp the opportunities that better investment in these areas would unlock.

What would be really helpful would be some practical advice around fixing that problem, not farting around with blockchain.

LINK: “The World’s Oldest Blockchain Has Been Hiding in the New York Times Since 1995”

…the world’s oldest blockchain predates Bitcoin by 13 years and it’s been hiding in plain sight, printed weekly in the classified section of one of the world’s most widely circulated newspapers: The New York Times.

Original: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/j5nzx4/what-was-the-first-blockchain

LINK: “Do you need a blockchain?”

Blockchain technology is set to have a profound impact on a wide variety of industries, ranging from capital markets to the music business. While some use cases may seem obvious, the technology is still surrounded by its fair share of hype and uncertainty. As a manager, how should you approach the subject, and when should you put your money where your mouth is and actively aim to implement blockchain technology?

Original: https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/19/do-you-need-a-blockchain/