In November 2014, the Chief Minister committed to bring forward a strategy which set out what the next generation of digital services in Government would look like.
The Cabinet Office is now developing that Strategy which will broadly covers three areas:
- Identifying the existing services already provided by Government and existing plans for the further use of digital services, linking together potential common areas for development.
- Identifying services that have potential to be improved or transformed by going digital. This includes looking at examples of best practice within and outside of Government, as well as looking further afield at other jurisdictions and industries;
- Identifying the opportunities digital services could provide that allow our citizens and businesses to deal with services in a cross Government manner. This means using technology to join up services, using information better and making Government less complicated and bureaucratic.
The strategy is being developed as a cross Government initiative with many different people given the opportunity to comment and debate the future of Government digital services.
It's important that as many people as possible are able to provide feedback into this new strategy. One way of doing this is by a short online survey to gather as many views as possible about what you, the public, think about digital services now and in the future.
The survey should take no longer than five minutes to complete.
The survey is now available on the main Gov.im home page and paper copies are available at the Welcome Centre. The survey will be available until the 1 March 2015.
The process will continue over the coming months with a planned final report to be tabled at Tynwald in May.
Minister for Policy and Reform Hon Chris Robertshaw M.H.K. said:
'This strategy ties in directly to the theme we have discussed in the Big Debate of a smaller, smarter Government and of placing the customer in control of their information. The public told us they do not expect to have to tell Government the same information time and time again.'
'This process is not just about online services – it is about how Government uses technology to replace paper, to remove inefficiencies and increasingly to join up information and services.'
'The Government is determined to get smaller (and more efficient and cost effective) through all this work but it is also intent on getting smarter in that it is doing all this to make sure you as an individual citizen are given a better personalised service.'
Mark Lewin, Director of Government Technology Services which has responsibility for the delivery of new digital systems confirmed:
'We have now commenced a wide ranging review across Government and are gathering high level thoughts and views on the opportunities we can and should be exploiting through technology. Whilst we have some great examples of technology working well for the public and for Government, we know there is much more we can, and need to do going forward.'
