[kictanet] Government needs more conversations with local businesses

Tue Nov 18 08:11:09 EAT 2014

On Tue, Nov 18, 2014 at 2:08 AM, Ali Hussein <ali at hussein.me.ke> wrote:

> Muraya
>
> I can yes on one hand and no on the other.
>
> Yes, there are conversations going on. Representative organizations like
> KEPSA are increasingly engaging government. And we are seeing a positive
> trend on this. I'm told KITOS is now also becoming active.
>
> No, on the issue of engaging on specific areas. I believe that both
> government and citizens can do a better job of engaging each other. Take
> for example the new eCitizen portal. A laudable achievement after so long
> yet I think there was a missed opportunity for testing it among users say
> here on Kictanet or other forums. In fact abit sad that we have been
> talking to ourselves on this forum and no comment yet from government side
> on the roadmap going forward.
>

>
>
*Could it be non Kenyans in charge of the developing the portal are not up
> comfortable communicating with us locals?*
>

> I think we can do better on engagement with each other. This will actually
> stop any misconceptions or misunderstandings on both sides.
>
> A framework on engagement would be very welcome.
>
> *Ali Hussein*
>
> +254 770 906375 / 0713 601113
>
> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>
> Skype: abu-jomo
>
> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
> <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim>
>
> Blog: www.alyhussein.com
>
> "I fear the day technology will surpass human interaction. The world will
> have a generation of idiots".  ~ Albert Einstein
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Nov 18, 2014, at 1:07 AM, S.M. Muraya via kictanet <
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>
> Is this happening in Kenya?
>
>
> http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240234795/Government-needs-more-conversations-with-local-businesses-says-digital-chief
>
> Government needs more conversations with local businesses, says digital
> chief Mike Bracken
>
> The government needs to have more conversations with businesses of all
> shapes and sizes on a regional basis in order to capture the skills to deliver
> successful digital public services.
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/ehandbook/Revolutionising-digital-public-service-delivery-A-UK-government-perspective>
>
> Speaking to Computer Weekly, executive director of the Government Digital
> Service (GDS) Mike Bracken
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240233721/GDS-director-Mike-Bracken-changes-job-title-to-government-CDO> said
> government needs to have more conversations with businesses.
>
> Procurement has changed in government over the last few years, after the Cabinet
> Office mandated "no more big IT" in government, with new contracts having
> to remain below a lifetime value of £100m
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240213150/Government-attempts-to-end-big-and-wasteful-IT-contracts>
> .
>
> And frameworks like the G-Cloud
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240222828/Interview-G-Cloud-director-Tony-Singleton> and
> the Digital Market Place
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240234221/Cabinet-Office-launches-digital-marketplace> have
> transformed the way government procures technology services, by allowing
> greater input from SMEs as well as including more companies from all over
> the UK, rather than just in the South West.
> <http://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/computerweekly/Government_suppliers_UK.jpg>
>
> Map of G-cloud suppliers: The spending on G-Cloud up to 14 July 2014.
> Previously most suppliers were based around London and Reading, but this
> has now spread out. Pink dots represent SMEs, while blue dots represent
> large suppliers.
>
> “We don’t filter by size, we want companies of all sizes,” said Bracken.
> “But largely procurement rules in the past saw the vast majority of our
> technology spending go to a handful of companies. That has number of
> damaging effects, not least giving the idea to smaller companies that they
> can’t deal with government,” he said.
>
> He noted that, when the GDS began three years ago, it started engaging
> with suppliers differently
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240185184/G-Cloud-moves-to-GDS>. Now
> G-Cloud is in its sixth iteration and the second Digital Marketplace is
> coming up.
>
> “It’s early days for all of us, but we’re improving month by month,” he
> said.
>
> But Bracken said that, while these digital engagement tools are good,
> government still needs to have conversations with businesses.
>
> “We need to be very close to those companies, whatever size and shape to
> help us create greater public services,” he said.
>
> “Improving online services is one side, but the key ingredient but more
> important having the conversation local economy.”
> Online public services
>
> GDS has been in the middle of a project to move 25 of the most used
> government services online
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240213644/Half-way-through-the-Government-Digital-Service-transformation-project> in
> 400 working days. The ambitious project kicked off in January 2013, aiming
> to transform 25 services from visa applications to benefit claims – which
> were identified as the first “exemplars” to be redeveloped.
> <https://www.gov.uk/transformation/book-prison-visit>
>
> By the end of the 400-day period, the 25 exemplars should be live or in
> the last stage of public testing.
>
> Following in the GDS's footsteps, some government departments have gone it
> alone – including the Ministry of Justice (MOJ),
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240231413/Going-digital-at-the-Ministry-of-Justice>
>  Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240226038/HMRCs-Digital-Delivery-Centre-in-Newcastle-opens-for-business>
> and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240221532/The-challenges-of-going-digital-in-the-public-sector>.
> As well as working on a number of the 25 exemplar projects, these
> departments have also been working on transforming other digital public
> services, with the MOJ in the middle of delivering 16 different products,
> including a new civil legal advice system and internal projects, while
> completing its fourth and final exemplar before the end of the year.
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240234597/MoJ-searches-for-IT-staff-to-join-digital-team>
>
> Last week, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) announced a
> partnership with startup incubator Tech Hub to launch a new digital
> workspace in Swansea.
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240234691/DVLA-partners-with-Tech-Hub-to-launch-Swansea-startup-incubator>
>
> The initiative intends to connect the ecosystem of suppliers, government,
> universities and the wider Tech Hub network. The DVLA’s two-year
> sponsorship includes 50 desks in the Tech Hub building which will allow
> some of the DVLA’s digital and technology team who are digitising public
> services
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240221532/The-challenges-of-going-digital-in-the-public-sector> to
> work alongside startups in Swansea.
>
> Having a base and a network in Swansea will encourage shared technology
> culture, common standards and open application programming interfaces
> (APIs) that will allow the public and private sector to work together,
> rather than in isolation.
>
> Bracken noted that the partnership between DVLA and Tech Tube was part of
> a change in government approach that is happening all over the country. He
> noted HMRC working with different companies in Newcastle for the first time
> in a long time, as well as a big push by the DWP to use hubs in the North
> West corridor and particularly around Leeds.
>
> “It is part of a wider national move to get companies into the public
> sector supply chain,” he said. “It’s not just an economic view, but it
> stimulates skills too.”
>
> “The deeply annoying thing for me is that, in the UK, we’re really good at
> this stuff, and it’s annoying that for a long time we made it hard for our
> better people and companies to not take part in the public sector.”
>
> Recently, the government-backed Tech City launched a TechNorth initiative
> to support startups in the north of England
> <http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240233318/Will-TechNorth-be-able-to-take-on-Tech-City>
> .
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