Government Digital Service

On 20 July 2010, Directgov, the citizen services website, was moved to the Cabinet Office from the Department for Work and Pensions. From 1 April 2011 Directgov became part of the Government Digital Service, along with the BusinessLink website aimed at business users. On 13 September 2012, through a notice on the Directgov homepage, it was announced that the GOV.UK project, built by the Government Digital Service, would replace Directgov as the primary citizen website of the UK Government on 17 October 2012, after which both Directgov and BusinessLink would close.[http://mikebracken.com/2011/05/on-becoming-executive-director-of-digital-in-the-cabinet-office/ Executive Director of Digital in the Cabinet Office] Mike Bracken. Retrieved 20 May 2011

The strategy was proposed in a report called "Directgov 2010 and beyond: revolution not evolution" prepared by Martha Lane Fox, the founder of lastminute.com. In an interview, Francis Maude, minister with responsibility for GDS spoke about "powerful oligopolies" and the reliance on a single supplier as a cause of high-profile failures in public sector IT, such as NHS Connecting for Health. GDS is intended to "drive service delivery to digital across government and provide support, advice and technical expertise for departments as they develop new digital delivery models". This strategy is focussed on the application of Agile software development and Lean software development methodologies, supplied primarily via small and medium enterprises rather than large suppliers.[http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/analysis/2183794/maude-sets-digital-default-single-platform-vision-uk-government Maude sets out 'digital by default', single-platform vision for UK government] Computing Incisive Media UK Retrieved 12 June 2012

GDS has a Digital Advisory Board consisting of high-profile external experts, which meets bi-annually and advises the GDS on strategy.[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444032404578006322570387996 The U.K.'s Digital Plan to Innovate Government] The Wall Street Journal Retrieved 19 September 2012, 5:41 pm. ET

As of 2013, less than 2 years after GDS began, GDS had over 200 staff;Saul Klein. [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/15/government-digital-service-best-startup-europe-invest "Government Digital Service: the best startup in Europe we can't invest in"]. 15 November 2013. by 2015 that number had risen to approximately 500.{{Cite web|title = GDS mission – the next phase {{!}} Government Digital Service| date=17 August 2015 |url = https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2015/08/17/gds-mission-the-next-phase/|access-date = 9 September 2015}}

In 2012, GDS published their Government design principles.{{Cite web |date=3 April 2012 |title=Government design principles |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-design-principles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009215049/https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-design-principles |archive-date=9 October 2017 |website=Gov.UK}}{{Cite news |last=Alderson |first=Rob |date=17 April 2012 |title=An interview with Ben Terrett about the Government's digital design principles |url=https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/gds-design-principles |work=It's Nice That}}{{Cite news |last=Hill |first=Rebecca |date=27 Jul 2016 |title=New digital service GOV.UK Notify moves into public beta phase |url=https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/new-digital-service-govuk-notify-moves-into-public-beta-phase}} This set of principals was inflential both inside of the UK government, but also globally.{{Cite news |title=Redefining government services: Five minutes with Quebec’s digital communications director |url=https://www.globalgovernmentforum.com/redefining-government-services-five-minutes-with-quebecs-digital-communications-director/ |work=Global Government Forum}}{{Cite news |title=What exactly is the US Government’s Digital Services Playbook? |url=https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/opendata/what-exactly-us-government-s-digital-services-playbook |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240713231344/https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/opendata/what-exactly-us-government-s-digital-services-playbook |archive-date=2024-07-13 |access-date=2024-12-12 |work=World Bank Blogs |language=en}}

1. Start with user needs
2. Do less
3. Design with data
4. Do the hard work to make it simple
5. Iterate. Then iterate again
6. This is for everyone
7. Understand context
8. Build digital services, not websites
9. Be consistent, not uniform
10. Make things open: it makes things better

GDS has since mid 2013 promoted the concept of government as a platform,{{Cite web|title=alphagov/government-service-design-manual|url=https://github.com/alphagov/government-service-design-manual|access-date=2020-08-22|website=GitHub|language=en}} an idea first set out by Tim O'Reilly in 2009 in an article in Forbes.{{Cite web|title=Gov 2.0: The Promise Of Innovation|url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/08/10/government-internet-software-technology-breakthroughs-oreilly.html|access-date=2020-08-22|website=Forbes|language=en}} Government as a Platform introduces "a new vision for digital government; a common core infrastructure of shared digital systems, technology and processes on which it's easy to build brilliant, user-centric government services".{{Cite web|title=Government as a Platform: the next phase of digital transformation - Government Digital Service|url=https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2015/03/29/government-as-a-platform-the-next-phase-of-digital-transformation/|access-date=2020-08-22|website=gds.blog.gov.uk}}

The original Government as a Platform products have been joined by new ones and are collectively known as Digital Service Platforms. These include GOV.UK Pay,{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Ian |date=2023-08-14 |title=UK Government Digital Service to explore adding open banking to Gov.UK Pay |url=https://www.globalgovernmentfintech.com/uk-government-digital-service-to-explore-adding-open-banking-to-gov-uk-pay/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=www.globalgovernmentfintech.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Ian |date=2024-09-21 |title=Government Digital Service engages with open banking suppliers |url=https://www.globalgovernmentfintech.com/government-digital-service-request-for-information-payments-open-banking/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=www.globalgovernmentfintech.com |language=en-US}} GOV.UK Notify,{{Cite web |date=2020-06-24 |title=New digital service GOV.UK Notify moves into public beta phase |url=https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/new-digital-service-govuk-notify-moves-into-public-beta-phase |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=Civil Service World |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-09 |title=GOV.UK Notify: GDS seeks suppliers to support sending of four billion SMS messages per year |url=https://www.publictechnology.net/2024/09/09/business-and-industry/gov-uk-notify-gds-seeks-suppliers-to-support-sending-of-four-billion-sms-messages-per-year/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=PublicTechnology |language=en-US}} GOV.UK Forms,{{Cite web |title=Government to roll out Gov.uk Forms across its websites {{!}} Computer Weekly |url=https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366614730/Government-to-roll-out-Govuk-Forms-across-its-websites |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=ComputerWeekly.com |language=en}} the Design System, GOV.UK Frontend and the UK Emergency Alerts system.

{{main article|GOV.UK Verify}}

In 2011, GDS was given responsibility for setting cross-government standards for identity assurance, with the authority to approve, commission and accredit the identity component of any central government public service. GDS then designed and is building GOV.UK Verify.{{Cite web|title=GOV.UK Verify|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introducing-govuk-verify/introducing-govuk-verify|access-date=2020-08-22|website=GOV.UK|language=en}} GOV.UK Verify is intended to act as a single sign on framework for government services like filing taxes or checking driving license information. The system allows the user to choose from a list of companies certified to verify their identity to government. These companies have to meet published standards for identity assurance.{{Cite web|title=Identity proofing and authentication|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/identity-proofing-and-authentication|access-date=2020-08-22|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) conducted a review of Verify in July 2018, and found Whitehall departments were reluctant to continue funding the project. A subsequent report by the IPA recommended that the Gov.uk Verify identity assurance programme should be terminated.{{Cite news|url=https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252448116/Government-projects-watchdog-recommends-terminating-Govuk-Verify-identity-project|title=Government projects watchdog recommends terminating Gov.uk Verify identity project|work=ComputerWeekly.com|access-date=2018-09-08|language=en-GB}}

The GDS service has influenced similar projects elsewhere in the world, including:

• United States DOGE Service{{Cite web |title=Our mission |url=https://www.usds.gov/mission |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=United States Digital Service |language=en}}
• 18F{{Cite web |title=18F: Digital service delivery {{!}} About 18F |url=https://18f.gsa.gov/about/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=18f.gsa.gov |language=en-US}}
• Canadian Digital Service{{Cite web |last=Canada |first=Employment and Social Development |title=About - Canadian Digital Service |url=https://digital.canada.ca/about/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=digital.canada.ca}}

{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1177/2055207618759168|title = Digital transformation in government: Lessons for digital health?|journal = Digital Health|volume = 4|pages = 205520761875916|year = 2018|last1 = Benjamin|first1 = Katherine|last2 = Potts|first2 = Henry WW| pmid=29942624 | pmc=6005404 |url = http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10048474/1/Benjamin%20Potts%202018%20Digital%20transformation%20in%20government.pdf|doi-access = free}}

• DigitalService for Germany.{{Cite news|title=Entwickeln für den Staat|url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/digitalservice4germany-entwickeln-fuer-den-staat/26192730.html|access-date=2021-10-11|newspaper=Der Tagesspiegel Online|language=de}}{{Cite web |title=Startseite |url=https://digitalservice.bund.de |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=DigitalService |language=de}}
• Government Technology Agency of Singapore{{Cite web |title=Our Role |url=https://www.tech.gov.sg/about-us/what-we-do/our-role/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=www.tech.gov.sg |language=en}}

They have also influenced local and regional governments, such as:

• Colorado Digital Service{{Cite web |title=About Us {{!}} Office of Information Technology |url=https://oit.colorado.gov/about-us |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=oit.colorado.gov}}
• Ontario Digital Service{{Cite web |title=Ontario Digital Service {{!}} ontario.ca |url=https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-digital-service |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=www.ontario.ca |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=The End of the Ontario Digital Service and What it Means |url=https://thinkdigital.ca/podcast/the-end-of-the-ontario-digital-service-and-what-it-means/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |language=en-US}}
• Georgia's Office of Digital Services & Solutions{{Cite web |title=About Us {{!}} Digital Services & Solutions |url=https://digital.georgia.gov/organization/about-us |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=digital.georgia.gov |language=en}}

In July 2018, the Science and Technology Select Committee announced that it would be carrying out a review into the work of GDS.{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/news-parliament-2017/digital-government-inquiry-launch-17-19/|title=Digital Government inquiry launched - News from Parliament|website=UK Parliament|language=en|access-date=2018-10-25}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.publictechnology.net/articles/features/%E2%80%98gds%E2%80%99s-future-mission-needs-clarifying%E2%80%99|title='GDS's future mission needs clarifying'|date=2018-10-18|work=PublicTechnology.net|access-date=2018-10-25|language=en}} In 2021, some of the functions of GDS were moved to the Central Digital and Data Office, both sit under Cabinet Office.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-15 |title=All change for digital government? |url=https://www.civilserviceworld.com/in-depth/article/all-change-for-digital-government |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=Civil Service World |language=en}} In 2023, there was a major review of government efficacy, overseen by Francis Maude, that recommended re-uniting the two departments.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-16 |title=Maude report calls for GDS and CDDO to be reunited – but incumbent minister rules out ‘significant restructure’ |url=https://www.publictechnology.net/2023/11/16/government-and-politics/maude-report-calls-for-gds-and-cddo-to-be-reunited-but-incumbent-minister-rules-out-significant-restructure/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=PublicTechnology |language=en-US}}

In 2024, the Labour government, announced that both GDS and CDDO were moved to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-09 |title=UPDATED: GDS and CDDO to move from Cabinet Office to DSIT |url=https://www.publictechnology.net/2024/07/09/education-and-skills/gds-and-cddo-set-to-move-from-cabinet-office-to-dsit/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=PublicTechnology |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Government digital functions move to DSIT |url=https://www.ukauthority.com/articles/government-digital-functions-move-to-dsit/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=UKAuthority |language=en}} In January 2025 the GDS, CDDO, Incubator for Artificial Intelligence, Geospatial Commission and parts of the Responsible Tech Adoption Unit would be merged into a new organisation, which would still be known as GDS.

• Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency
• Office of the e-Envoy
• E-Government Unit
• Mike Bracken
• Transformational Government
• United States Digital Service, US equivalent

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://gds.blog.gov.uk/ Government Digital Service blog]
• [https://github.com/alphagov GitHub Repository]
• [https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/inquiries/parliament-2017/digital-government-17-19/ Commons Select Committee review]

{{Department for Science, Innovation and Technology}}

Category:2011 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Government agencies established in 2011

Category:Government Digital Service