Opinion

Opinion

IT for government and public sector

• Rogue drones beware: We’re here to ground you

  Eugene Kaspersky exclusively lifts the lid on a mysterious, shiny device that’s been sitting in his office  Continue Reading

• Fixing government digital transformation – lessons from the early days of GDS

  As a new organisation is formed to lead UK digital government, three former government digital leaders share the lessons they learned from the early days of the Government Digital Service  Continue Reading

• Vaccine passports highlight social impact of systems design

  Vaccine or immunity passports are an opportunity to advance the design of trustworthy digital systems, but much more work still needs to be done  Continue Reading

• Let’s build on the innovation shown by UK tech during pandemic

  The UK’s technology sector has innovated and shown leadership through the Covid-19 crisis, particularly with developments in AI. It is now time to maintain and build on that progress, so the UK remains a global force in tech innovation  Continue Reading

• NHS Digital completes NHSmail migration to the cloud

  NHS Digital’s Chris Parsons shares how the organisation managed to migrate more than 2.1 million NHSmail accounts to the cloud during a global pandemic  Continue Reading

• Government Gateway at 20 – looking back at the UK’s most successful digital identity system

  Not all legacy IT systems in government cause problems – one has been at the heart of many of the most important online public services for 20 years  Continue Reading

• Where is the UK’s digital strategy?

  While the devolved nations press on with their digital plans, the UK government has delayed its digital strategy – yet this is too important for the economy to be put off any further  Continue Reading

• Fixing the cracks in public sector digital infrastructure

  The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the flaws in the UK's digital government set-up. The appointment of new IT leadership presents an ideal opportunity for the government to fix them  Continue Reading

• The UK tech sector has been a force for good during the Covid-19 pandemic

  The UK's digital minister hails the tech companies that have helped people cope with many of the challenges of living through lockdown and the coronavirus pandemic  Continue Reading

• UK government needs a digital reboot

  The appointment of new digital leadership is a welcome start to what – if the UK is to thrive in a post-Covid, post-Brexit world – must become a wholesale reboot of digital government  Continue Reading

• What does Brexit mean for the future of UK digital policy? A view from Europe

  Any decisions by the UK government to diverge from EU policies and values over digital policy and regulation could cause real economic problems for UK businesses  Continue Reading

• Data has never been more important for London

  As London looks to 2021 and a hoped-for recovery after Covid-19, responsible data sharing and data-driven decision-making become ever more important to the future for all the capital’s businesses  Continue Reading

• Why our online harms laws will be good for tech

  The UK's minister for digital infrastructure explains the government's thinking behind its proposals to regulate internet companies such as Facebook, Google and others  Continue Reading

• Driving innovation in government

  An insider's perspective on the organisation, culture and methods used to drive innovation in the Department for Work and Pensions  Continue Reading

• Negotiating the complexities of international transfers of personal data

  How to navigate international data transfers, standard contractual clauses and the impact of Brexit on data protection  Continue Reading

• Overhaul business support with a focus on tech to help SMEs weather the Covid crisis

  The more digitally capable businesses have come through the pandemic in better shape - government needs to ensure that UK SMEs have the support in place to use tech to survive Covid-19  Continue Reading

• Top 10 skills to include in your IT CV

  Find out what skills and keywords you should include on your CV to stand out as an IT professional in a competitive market  Continue Reading

• Data institutions play critical role in solving global social problems

  Nigel Shadbolt, co-founder of the Open Data Institute, argues that a new breed of data institutions have a key role to play in unlocking the social and economic value of data  Continue Reading

• How to build a smart city from the ruins of Covid-19

  The London Data Commission is working to open up data about the capital to help regeneration and growth post-pandemic  Continue Reading

• UK government plan for digital identity lacks substance and strategy

  The tech sector has waited over a year for the government to respond to its consultation on digital identity, and when it came, the plan could hardly be more disappointing  Continue Reading

• Sharing responsibility: Why we need to work together to keep the cloud secure

  The education sector has been fundamentally altered by months of lockdown, with cloud services topping must-have lists for academic staff, but now it’s time to consider security  Continue Reading

• Digital identity must not remain the missing link in the UK’s digital strategy

  The UK's digital economy is desperately in need of a viable digital identity strategy - to recover from the pandemic, the government cannot wait any longer to resolve this much-delayed issue  Continue Reading

• Taking back control of government data mustn’t leave the public in the dark

  Boris Johnson has quietly transferred control over government data to Number 10, without explaining why. The public deserves more involvement in how their personal data is being used, says Labour  Continue Reading

• How Schrems II will impact data sharing between the UK and the US

  At the end of this year, the UK will no longer be subject to the EU’s treaties, opening the way for it and the US to finalise a new trade relationship. Could the UK leave EU data protection standards behind?  Continue Reading

• Making Tax Digital will boost business resilience in case of future Covid crises

  HMRC is expanding the digitisation of income and corporation tax in a move that will benefit businesses, the self-employed and the economy, writes the government's financial secretary to the Treasury  Continue Reading

• Building trust in the future of London’s data

  Sharing data by default could turbocharge London’s potential for radical improvements across the ecosystem, according to London First’s director of connectivity and competitiveness, David Lutton  Continue Reading

• 11 obscure questions, Facebook, Max Schrems and the European Court of Justice

  Eleven obscure questions will be the first step towards explaining why we in the UK and Europe have experienced 13 years of what has been described as ‘mass and indiscriminate surveillance’ by the US  Continue Reading

• The pandemic has made UK government rethink its relationship with data

  Data has been essential to fighting the coronavirus outbreak, and the forthcoming National Data Strategy promises to place data at the heart of the UK's economic recovery  Continue Reading

• Why a shared channel experience will meet user needs at DWP Digital

  The Department for Work and Pensions outlines the approach it is taking to developing user-focused digital services  Continue Reading

• Why UK needs independent oversight body for contact-tracing app

  The public needs and deserves clarity, and not just assurances, over the UK’s Covid-19 contact-tracing app  Continue Reading

• London Data Commission: Sharing data to help support London’s response to Covid-19

  London First’s director of connectivity and competitiveness, David Lutton, talks about establishing the London Data Commission, and its contribution to coping with the coronavirus crisis  Continue Reading

• Coronavirus: Why the public sector must pursue IT transformation

  It is clear that the current coronavirus crisis has had a major impact on digital transformation efforts in the public sector  Continue Reading

• Smart thinking for modernised IT in the public sector

  Far from lagging behind the private sector, many public sector organisations are embracing modern IT practices such as DevOps and agile methodologies  Continue Reading

• IT transformation steps pave the path to new ways to work

  The CEO of Difrent discusses how her roles in local and central government have played a role in public sector IT transformation  Continue Reading

• Digital skills for the future, today

  The education sector’s response to the coronavirus crisis demonstrates how digital systems and skills will be essential to the future of learning  Continue Reading

• Why you should think before you Zoom

  Feel free to use Zoom during the coronavirus lockdown, but think before you discuss anything confidential  Continue Reading

• Technology has brought us together, but can it lead us out of lockdown?

  The government needs to tell us more about the NHSX contact tracing app - choices made now around privacy and transparency will affect all our lives as we aim to ease lockdown, says the shadow digital minister  Continue Reading

• Connect and protect: How the tech sector is responding to the coronavirus crisis

  Tech sector trade body TechUK is coordinating the industry's activity to help the UK government tackle the Covid-19 outbreak  Continue Reading

• CCRC findings on subpostmaster prosecutions reveal incompetence of successive governments

  Former subpostmaster who took on the Post Office in a multimillion-pound legal battle speaks out.  Continue Reading

• Coronavirus and privacy – finding the middle ground

  Data collection has a role to play in fighting the deadly Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, but governments need to be accountable for how it is used  Continue Reading

• Gigabit broadband for new homes is essential to UK’s telecoms ambitions

  Digital minister outlines plans to develop UK’s telecoms infrastructure to make it fit for the future  Continue Reading

• What is the Post Office board doing to right the Horizon wrongs?

  Business lawyer Nick Gould compares the treatment of subpostmasters by the Post Office in the Horizon IT scandal with the huge HBOS fraud that saw £1bn stolen from small businesses  Continue Reading

• What is ARPA and what should a UK version look like?

  The Prime Minister wants the UK to be a hotbed of science and research, and his advisor Dominic Cummings admires the US ARPA organisation – but what would a UK version need to be successful?  Continue Reading

• EC publishes approach to human and ethical implications of AI, but what will UK do?

  The European Commission has published a guide to the EU’s approach to the human and ethical effects that artificial intelligence might bring  Continue Reading

• A five-point plan to get the UK out of the Huawei hole

  It's not too late for the UK to develop an alternative to Huawei, says Labour's shadow digital minister  Continue Reading

• A new decade, a new government and a new horizon for UK tech

  Brexit is being done, so it’s time for the government to look to the future and place technology at the heart of the economy  Continue Reading

• Making gigabit broadband a reality for everyone in the UK

  As the new government introduces its first legislation to boost full-fibre broadband, digital minister Matt Warman looks ahead to delivering on the Conservatives’ election promises  Continue Reading

• Real digital modernisation – a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the new UK government

  A new UK government with a decisive majority offers a unique opportunity to finally introduce public services for the digital age – if the Conservatives are willing to take it  Continue Reading

• The UK civil service is broken and needs reform to deliver true digital government

  Boris Johnson’s special adviser, Dominic Cummings, has attracted criticism for his plans to overhaul Whitehall culture, but one former government digital chief argues that he is absolutely right  Continue Reading

• Implementing a 21st century approach to digital identity

  The government’s attempts at digital identity have failed – it is time for a new, modern approach  Continue Reading

• The Post Office computer problem that destroyed the lives of pillars of the community

  The Post Office’s refusal to believe subpostmasters were suffering losses due to computer system errors was incompetent and cruel  Continue Reading

• Can Europe legally share data with the US? A court far away is about to decide

  The European Court of Justice will deliver an opinion on whether Europe can legally continue to send private data about European citizens to the US  Continue Reading

• We can’t allow fake news and disinformation to upend our democracy

  Fake news, misinformation and cyber attacks are part of our political process – now is the time to act  Continue Reading

• The art of surveillance: the Stasi archives and the Investigatory Powers Act

  A photographic exhibition captures the chilling impact of surveillance in the UK and the former German Democratic Republic  Continue Reading

• Conservative Party: Fostering an environment for IT and digital to flourish

  Matt Warman, Conservative MP and minister for digital and broadband, outlines the Tory policies for technology and digital ahead of the General Election  Continue Reading

• Liberal Democrats: We want to lead the world in ethical, inclusive technology

  Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP and party spokesperson for digital, culture, media and sport, writes about the party's technology policies ahead of the upcoming General Election  Continue Reading

• The super-resilient IT function

  IT functions don’t have to continue taking the blame for organisational failures, they can take the lead in transforming the business  Continue Reading

• General Election 2019: Digital must be at the core of the next government’s strategy

  TechUK lays out the technology priorities it wants to see from the next UK government to boost the digital economy  Continue Reading

• Innovative supplier selection is the key to government procurement success

  The government has improved its procurement processes for SMEs and acknowledges the importance of small suppliers, but there are important steps that still need to be taken  Continue Reading

• The UK’s digital identity policy conundrum

  The UK government’s recent consultation on digital identity suggests that past mistakes and assumptions have yet to be resolved – a different, more user-centric vision is required  Continue Reading

• The five software testing techniques every software developer should know about

  Five simple testing techniques that will help developers test their software systematically, thoroughly and quickly  Continue Reading

• The right way to get on with building UK tech success is to get a Brexit deal now

  The UK technology sector does not want a no-deal Brexit, and recognises the damage it would cause. If we're leaving the EU, the Prime Minister needs to get a deal  Continue Reading

• Is there substance in Boris Johnson’s full-fibre broadband vision?

  The new prime minister made a bold promise to roll out full-fibre broadband across the country by 2025 – but it’s a challenging task that requires serious investment and planning  Continue Reading

• Businesses need to keep investing in tech and hope to avoid a no-deal Brexit

  A no-deal Brexit could have serious consequences for the UK tech sector and skills base, making it more difficult to recruit technology specialists and hire freelancers  Continue Reading

• Gartner: Eight ways blockchain can support governments

  Distributed ledgers are not just limited to finance and smart contracts. Gartner explores how blockchain can tackle government inefficiencies  Continue Reading

• UK businesses deserve a 5G networked nation

  The tech sector needs to coalesce around a unified, positive vision of 5G to establish a proper business case for ultrafast, low latency mobile  Continue Reading

• Boosting the UK’s digital infrastructure so it is fit for the future

  Extending full-fibre broadband and mobile network coverage are critical issues for a healthy UK economy – and a new prime minister must continue progress  Continue Reading

• Why the rise of IT managed by the business is driving creative thinking

  Organisations that encourage business units to implement and run their own IT systems have an edge over competitors that rely entirely on the IT department, research from Harvey Nash and KPMG reveals  Continue Reading

• The UK must play a leading role in global collaboration on digital policy and ethics

  All countries must work together to ensure digital technologies such as AI are ethical and trustworthy – and the UK has an opportunity to be a global leader  Continue Reading

• Collaboration between local public services and industry is key to innovation

  The launch of the new London Office for Technology and Innovation is an opportunity to examine how industry and government can work together better to improve local innovation  Continue Reading

• Does NHS Digital’s Internet First policy mean the end of HSCN?

  Last week, NHS Digital issued new policy guidance on internet usage that, at first glance, appeared to herald the end of HSCN – but is that really the case?  Continue Reading

• What the UK can learn from the Nordics when it comes to digital ID

  The UK and other countries can learn from the Nordic region when it comes to digital identity  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Challenges of segregation

  What are the security benefits and challenges of segregating IT environments, and how best are these challenges overcome?  Continue Reading

• Does the UK government want to support tech SMEs in 'Global Britain' or not?

  The reluctance of the government to commit to continued support for UK tech SMEs overseas is baffling  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Surviving the existential cyber punch

  How should businesses plan to survive a potential cyber attack extinction event?  Continue Reading

• Getting it right this time: Why the strategy is not about delivery for NHSX

  Government needs to move on from the mantras and beliefs that exist around digital and technology – the new NHSX organisation could set an example by transforming healthcare  Continue Reading

• Improving public/private collaboration to boost digital government

  TechUK and the civil service are working together on a programme to develop digital skills in Whitehall and a better understanding of government needs in the tech industry  Continue Reading

• Making the move to cloud work for you

  Getting the best out of a move to the cloud means getting the size right, turning off what you don’t need, smart purchasing and continuously decluttering your new environment  Continue Reading

• New audiovisual connections enhance the learning experience

  Being open and inclusive to individual sensory needs as well as diverse technology choices means adopting a flexible approach to AV infrastructure  Continue Reading

• How to accelerate digital identity in the UK

  Trusted online relationships are essential to the digital economy, but the UK is lagging behind. What needs to be done?  Continue Reading

• Leading IT: Lessons from the front line

  As a CIO, whatever challenges you face in terms of budget, mandates or timetable, you may already have the right people to carry out incredible IT feats. Here are four ways to lead your organisation to unprecedented success  Continue Reading

• Facebook’s high-stakes privacy gamble goes to Dublin court

  A high-wire gamble with billions in compensation at stake for European internet users – part of a complex case between Facebook and the Irish information commissioner – hides challenge to the unlawfulness of US state internet surveillance  Continue Reading

• Can we live without passwords?

  Can you imagine a future in which we can be secure online without having to remember an unwieldly list of passwords? Solutions are emerging that could make passwords redundant, but there will be other security problems to resolve  Continue Reading

• Douglas Engelbart, the forgotten hero of modern computing

  Half a century ago, Douglas Engelbart demonstrated an experimental computer that laid the foundations for modern computing. His vision to use computing power to solve complex problems in all areas of human activity has become reality, but not in the...  Continue Reading

• Drawing the line for cyber warfare

  With alleged Russian meddling in elections and the state-backed attack on Iran’s nuclear programme, it is becoming difficult to define the boundaries of cyber warfare  Continue Reading

• Brexit and digital identity – avoiding future restrictions on digital trade

  The UK has been a major contributor to European efforts to establish cross-border digital identities. Governments need to ensure that Brexit does not introduce unwanted restrictions that harm digital trade  Continue Reading

• Agile becomes mainstream

  There are clear parallels between the conditions that led the IT industry to adopt agile approaches and the challenges facing business today  Continue Reading

• Tips for minimising the impact of the Microsoft Office price rise

  Microsoft has “adjusted” prices with Office 2019, making it more expensive to buy on-premise versions of its products  Continue Reading

• More effective digital transformation through the power of your own people

  The old model of escalating decisions up and down the management chain does not work any more. Business leaders need to delegate responsibility for projects to business and technology specialists and eliminate the fear of failure  Continue Reading

• Putting the UK at the forefront of ethics and innovation in AI and data

  The announcement of high-profile members of the UK's Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation is another step for the government's commitment to be a global leader in AI, says secretary of state  Continue Reading

• GCHQ offers help to embryonic Irish cyber security organisation

  Ciaran Martin head of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, builds bridges with the Republic of Ireland's intelligence community during an official visit to Dublin  Continue Reading

• Emerging govtech – a new opportunity for innovation in public service delivery?

  The government has started to engage with the IT sector over how best to introduce emerging technologies in public service delivery – an initiative that, if successful, should be welcomed  Continue Reading

• Digital services tax weakens the case for tech startups to choose the UK

  The UK government’s plan for a tax specifically targeting big digital firms risks undermining international efforts to reform corporate taxation for the digital age  Continue Reading

• While Brexit rages on, the UK needs to be looking at the global picture

  Talks at the World Trade Organisation in October will shape the future of digital trade, and it is crucial the voice of UK tech is heard  Continue Reading

• Smart places can supercharge the digital economy

  The UK needs to enhance its digital capability, and there are huge opportunities for different regions to secure a niche within our growing digital economy  Continue Reading

• Why the government should rethink the UK’s surveillance laws

  The European Court of Human Rights has made clear that the Snoopers’ Charter is an unlawful violation of people’s rights and freedoms  Continue Reading

• From Aberdeen to Brighton: Investing in the UK’s digital future

  More investment in the UK’s broadband infrastructure is critical to ensure the UK’s future success in technology in a post-Brexit world  Continue Reading

• Smart cities face challenges and opportunities

  IHS Markit analysts Noman Akhtar and Kevin Hasley assess the way forward for smart city technology projects around the world  Continue Reading

• Beyond GDPR: ePrivacy could have an even greater impact on mobile

  From how we monitor air pollution and manage our public transport systems, to how we enable connected cars and the next generation of 5G mobile services, the forthcoming ePR could have a lasting impact on European society  Continue Reading

• Mind your drone business

  Amazon is just the tip of the iceberg – companies are pouring hundreds of millions into the development of commercial drones  Continue Reading