Like Agile development and user-centred thinking, working in the open is in the DNA of CDPS. One reason for working in the open is clear – to make sure that we share what we learn from developing digital services as broadly as possible. But there’s another strong reason to work transparently: it signals a change from the closed, bureaucratic image of public – particularly government – services that unfortunately still exists.
By contrast, CDPS believes the public sector should lead in developing simple, easy to use services built for what the founder of the content design practice Sarah Winters has called “squishy humans” – all of us. Our full programme of live show and tells (recorded and hosted on YouTube), newsletters, weeknotes, webinars, social media and blog posts is devoted to showing our working as openly as possible.
The body of this review shows in detail how CDPS’s activities in 2021-22 have met our founding objectives – to meet a digital skills shortage and other crucial needs. For each activity, the review sets out the goal, who CDPS worked with, what we did and what we’re doing next.
But first let’s hear from our deputy minister, Lee Waters, and our chairperson, Jessica Leigh Jones.
– Harriet Green and Myra Hunt
Joint chief executive officers
Centre for Digital Public Services