tl;dw; if you don’t like videos.
The legislative process creates state computer systems - but it wasn’t designed to do so.
How do we know? My old pal Nigel Smith, that I henched for back in the very long before times, before the Scottish Parliament was involved in the designing the procedures of the Parliament - he was on a specialist Informatics team.
Before he died I asked Nigel if any consideration had been given to the fact that ya pass a law, ya get a computer system. “No” was his laconic reply. The Informatics work for the new parliament consisted of discussion about how tech could be used by the parliament to communicate - not how the parliament would create computer systems.
(I read the report so you don’t have to.)
The core assumption of this research is that if we adjust a working system with a view to re-engineering the specific bits of the legislative process that specify computer systems we will get better outcomes on all metrics.
Its like hanging a door - I am not concerned with the whole door, the entire constitutional edifice, the voluminous books of Scots Law, just the bits that stop me shutting it - the bits that constrain, deform or obstruct smooth flowing and world class computer systems.
Most considerations of public sector transformation start after the legislature has done its job - by looking at what Civil Servants do under the direction of Ministers.
This review will start with think-tanks and manifestos, go through programmes for government and draft bills, look at the legislative process and bill packs and then onto to the law and the design, development, testing and deployment onto running in-service systems.
Its will be evidence led, with structured and designed interviews. They will be end-to-end in Scotland but I am keen to get participation from people furth of oor ain wee paradise. If, on watching the video you think you have something to say about this process in your country or parliament or sub-state or supra-state legislature - hit me up gordon.guthrie@gov.scot lets talk
My Digital Fellowship