One of my first responsibilities on joining the Government Digital Service (GDS) was to lead development of the new Government Transformation Strategy. It was announced on 9 February 2017 by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Ben Gummer MP, in his speech at the Reform think-tank (now known as Re:State).
The strategy was developed through a collaborative process with digital teams across Whitehall, who contributed to its design and challenged the role of GDS in supporting departmental priorities. Over 1,000 people across government were involved in shaping the work. It was signed off by ministers from all government departments.
I also worked on related cross-government digital reform initiatives during my time at the Cabinet Office.
Main official outputs #
Full publication and PDF download
Written statement to the House of Commons
Ben Gummer speech and video (also on YouTube)
Ben Gummer article in Reform’s 2017 Annual Conference brochure
National Audit Office report #
Digital Transformation in Government, 30 March 2017
Media coverage #
The all-new GDS under Kevin Cunnington starts here, Computer Weekly, 15 September 2016
Strategy publication #
Digitisation or Transformation? The significance behind the name change of the government strategy, Government Computing, 7 February 2017
Government finally publishes much delayed Transformation Strategy, Diginomica, 8 February 2017
Analysis #
Expert reaction: Transformation strategy shows promise, but needs cross-Whitehall buy-in, Public Technology, 10 February 2017
New Transformation Strategy is weak on commitments, warns Institute for Government, Civil Service World, 13 February 2017
Follow-up #
Interview: GDS leader Kevin Cunnington on Whitehall ‘self-help groups’, spend controls and cold water swimming, Civil Service World, 16 March 2017
The Government Transformation Strategy - one year on, GDS blog, 8 February 2018
How we’re transforming government together, Oliver Dowden CBE MP, 9 February 2018
GDS: proving what’s possible, John Manzoni, 5 March 2018
GDS feels the love from civil service chief Manzoni, Public Technology, 6 March 2018
Grand designs: how far has the government got on its transformation strategy?, Civil Service World, 20 February 2019