One year ago today MOJ was the first department to launch its own digital services team in the style of the Government Digital Service. In just 12 months we’ve come a long way.
On the same day GOV.UK, the platform for all government services, moved into live service, becoming the best place to find government services and information. All future justice digital services will be accessed through GOV.UK.
Two months later we published our ambitious digital strategy, setting out how we would transform services across the justice system. The strategy highlighted the four big ‘exemplar’ transactions, which would be the first to be digitally redesigned. Crucially it also set out a different design and delivery model, putting users first in service redesign and using agile techniques to move faster and improve continuously.
We launched the first ‘exemplar’ digital service across government in July 2013, make a lasting power of attorney (with the Office of the Public Guardian and GDS). This has already been well received and was recently nominated for the operational excellence Civil Service Award.
We’ve made good headway with our other exemplars and projects too! Only a few weeks ago the Court finder service was demoed off the cuff in Brussels, to technical experts from all 28 European Union states. All agreed it was an excellent example of what could be done to help people search courts across Europe.
We're currently working on 14 other information services and seven transactions, many of which have already been developed as 'alpha' or 'beta' prototypes.
With so much to achieve, our team of talented and experienced digital experts has grown – we are now almost 40-strong and still growing the team.
Over the next few months we will be working to mainstream our new design and delivery model, build digital capability more widely, drive openness in policy-making, data and technology choices and launch targeted workshop sessions – so look out!
We’ve come a long way since last October, but we still have a long way to go. You can keep up with progress on the blog, or drop by and see us on 10T in 102 Petty France. We have cake.
3 comments
Comment by Sagar Sharma, Head of Comms CJS Efficiency Programme posted on
Great year - not an easy gig to get your digital foot through the door. To deliver digitally enabled change and reform is a real achievement in such a context and hopefully makes the coming year easier! Exciting times!
Comment by shane diffily posted on
Hi Gemma -
Can you shed light on how MoJ Team and the central GDS team support each other?
For example, are you free to do pretty much as you please on gov.uk so long as you follow GDS strategy & rules (& your own strategy)?
Must you refer to GDS for permission - or act on their instruction - certain initiatives?
Finally, are there any skills or other resources you can only get from GDS?
Thanks
Comment by Graham Lee posted on
Hi Shane,
The GOV.UK platform is maintained by GDS, but the MOJ digital team have written most of the department's content on GOV.UK, and we are building up skills and resources to manage updates and the transition of our agencies' information to the website.
We work very closely with GDS to ensure everything we do is in line with the design and style rules and our respective strategies (which are closely aligned) and we regularly share expertise.
I don't think this is a question of asking for permission or for instructions, as such; in practice, we work much more collaboratively than that!
I hope that helps.
Thanks,
Graham