Governing in a Digital Age - workshop at the Blavatnik School of Government
Digital technology is transforming the shape and business of governments in both developed countries and developing. There are many questions that arise with the rapid digital progessions the world is experiencing, such as:
How can digital technology enable governments to widen inclusion (e.g. the informal sector) and to reach excluded or under-served communities? How can governments use technology to deliver services better and with greater transparency and accountability? What kind of public servants (e.g. skills, capacity) do governments need best to harness these opportunities? How do new technologies change the relationship between governments and citizens: in respect of accountability; access to information; and liberty/individual privacy?
The Government in a Digital Age workshop, which took place at the Blavatnik School of Government in Oxford, brought together a group of leading practitioners and academics to begin answering these critical questions.
The first section of the workshop focused on having participants articulate their vision for digitally-enabled government. For instance, some governments use digital technology to enhance citizen-centered delivery, find administrative efficiencies, or collect vast data for decision-making or surveillance.
The second session explored the key strategies and applications involved in realising each vision statement. What should all governments aim to do, and which applications or cases require more nuance or deliberation? How can a resource-constrained government prioritise these options? Post-workshop, this typology is being distilled into a 'how to' guide for governments on digital transformation.
Finally, the workshop discussed critical dependencies for digital government, including what frameworks and infrastructure are necessary to execute these strategies, and whether all governments are equally able to implement a vision for digital government.
A full report on the workshop is being prepared and will be available on our website at a later date.