A recent breakfast briefing, hosted by MongoDB and GovNet Technology, brought together senior public sector technology leaders for a frank discussion about the future of digital transformation in government. The event, focused on emerging technologies and their implementation in the public sector, featured discussions on four critical areas: identifying and evaluating promising new technologies, developing strategies for their adoption, addressing ethical and societal implications, and building the necessary skills within organisations.
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The Hands-On Approach to Emerging Technologies
Participants emphasised the importance of practical experimentation over theoretical assessment when evaluating emerging technologies. One senior government technology leader advocated for a direct approach: organisations should have people physically engaging with new technologies to understand their practical applications rather than relying solely on documentation and case studies.
This emphasis on experimentation reflects a broader shift in government's approach to technology adoption. However, speakers balanced this call for hands-on experience with the need for strategic scaling, focusing on platform opportunities and API integration rather than developing specialist programming capabilities in areas like quantum computing and AI.
Procurement, Standardisation, and Major Investment
Discussion revealed significant challenges around public sector procurement processes and the drive towards standardisation. Participants highlighted the government's commitment to centralised purchasing for digital services, leveraging the UK's position as a major global digital buyer to secure better deals and standardise technologies across departments.
One speaker challenged the common assumption that diversity in technology implementation indicates innovation, arguing instead that multiple different implementations often signal repeated failures. The focus should be on fewer, well-implemented systems to share lessons learned, configurations, and skills effectively. This rationalisation was presented as crucial for delivering digital change, particularly given recent major investment announcements in public sector digital transformation.
However, concerns were raised about procurement timelines, with participants noting that reducing typical processes from 14-16 months to 9-12 months was considered progress, despite private sector equivalents often taking weeks. Internal business cases and financial approval thresholds were identified as significant bottlenecks.
The Complexity of Digital Sovereignty
One of the most nuanced discussions centred on digital sovereignty, with participants expressing diverse views on the concept. A senior technology leader revealed ongoing work to define the UK's public sector position on digital sovereignty, offering a pragmatic perspective on the challenges.
The discussion acknowledged that the UK, given its size and resources, cannot realistically possess all necessary technological capabilities domestically. International partnerships, particularly with major technology providers, were presented as essential due to their economies of scale and investment levels. While recognising the importance of supporting domestic SMEs, participants cautioned against blanket opposition to international technology partnerships, given the public and private sector's reliance on global platforms.
Workforce Transformation and Artificial Intelligence
The impact of emerging technologies, particularly AI, on the public sector workforce emerged as a key theme. Participants described AI as representing the most significant change since graphical user interfaces were introduced, suggesting a profound shift requiring organisational change for every employee.
Speakers anticipated workforce reshaping driven by budget considerations and the transformative potential of AI tools. Specialised AI applications for various professions are already demonstrating potential to alter workflows significantly, even with human oversight maintained.
This transformation will require continuous re-evaluation of professional tools and navigation of new AI-powered services. To support this transition, participants discussed training initiatives offering free certification and skill development opportunities for public sector employees.
Data Management and Interoperability Challenges
A participant from the NHS raised concerns about the NHS's fragmented governance and how central government ambitions translate to its diverse entities. Speakers acknowledged this challenge, explaining that while individual departments like DHSC are responsible for sector-specific nuances, GDS's role is to ensure digital agendas align with Treasury requirements for the taxpayer. Where problems span across departments (e.g., using MS 365 or moving data like birth records between Health, Home Office, and HMRC), central standardisation becomes critical.
An architect with experience in healthcare and defence noted the "incredibly immature" data management capability across the public sector, particularly concerning metadata strategies. There was a call for better sharing of metadata models and access to ISO standards, which are often treated as purely technical challenges, overlooking the data dimension.
Where challenges span multiple departments, such as data sharing between health, immigration, and taxation systems, centralised standardisation becomes critical for effective service delivery.
Looking Ahead
The discussion underscored both the complexity and opportunity within UK public sector digital transformation. With significant investment commitments and clear mandates, the focus remains on intelligent technology adoption, strategic partnerships, and developing a continuously learning workforce to deliver more efficient and effective public services.
The event highlighted the ongoing challenge of balancing innovation with standardisation, international partnerships with domestic capabilities, and rapid technological change with the necessarily deliberate pace of public sector transformation.
Liuba Pignataro
