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A smarter state starts with the data basics
At dxw, we design, build and run digital services for the public sector. Our teams work across government, creating the conditions needed for a connected smarter state.
For our analysts, this might involve supporting strategic infrastructure projects like One Login, which is transforming UK digital identity and will play a critical role in the move to building proactive public services.
But none of this work is possible without having the basics in place. And in many places they still aren’t. We’re often faced with data silos and unstructured and inaccurate data in many areas across the public sector.
One of our Performance Analysts, Melissa Hernandez, has been working on two data projects - one relating to our GovPress platform and the other supporting the Ministry of Justice, to address some of these challenges. Tackling the fundamentals, her work has enabled these government teams to build the strong data foundations needed to provide better services for citizens.
Designing a new approach to Cookies and Analytics for our GovPress platform
Cookies and analytics data inform and improve public services. So it’s important for government teams to be able to easily access and customise tracking to meet their needs. We’ve done some work to upgrade the campaigns platform we built back in 2016 and improve the way cookies and analytics tracking is set up.
This platform has saved government departments millions of pounds over its lifetime as well as making campaign sites more accessible for everyone. It hosts several high profile campaigns including Help for Households, Student Finance England and Homes for Ukraine.
However, incremental changes over time have caused the part of the platform that helps teams set up cookies and analytics to become more flexible but less intuitive. It was time for a more holistic rethink and redesign.
Depending on their roles, different client team members have different levels of experience in analytics. But everyone needs something that helps them to set up tracking that works and is compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
dxw identified two core options - Recommended and Advanced. Working in partnership with the GDS team, we refined the approach to analytics for each option. Recommended was refined so that it could be implemented and used by all teams, regardless of experience or technical expertise. Advanced gives more flexibility to those doing more detailed monitoring and tracking of user behaviour.
Building a data-informed Applications Service at the MoJ
We’ve been working with MoJ to improve the way that people leaving prison apply for short-term accommodation, including a focus on performance data to support decision making.
Getting someone into accommodation significantly reduces their likelihood of reoffending, but until recently the process has largely been manual. This has made it difficult to monitor applications to housing providers, responses to applications, offers of accommodation and allocation of bedspaces.
With an end goal of increasing applications for accommodation through the service, we streamlined the key data points the service would collect. We then tested the service, monitoring these key data points. In the 10 weeks following the private beta launch, application volumes were 21% higher than the previous year’s figure.
The content of an accommodation application is largely made up of information already stored in other systems. In the original process, the person filling out the application would copy and paste information from other systems into a template. The length and complexity of these applications varied from person to person.
Using API calls to the source systems, we now pull the necessary information into digital application forms. This reduces the time and risk of error that comes naturally with any manual copy-paste process. We’ve also made it possible to understand how much time an application takes. Informing conversations on process bottlenecks, where training is needed, and further product features to support more efficient processing of applications.
Finally, we introduced PowerBi to visualise the data and help automate and streamline reporting. So service owners can now obtain real-time updates in an accessible format.
By working closely with teams on projects like these to get the basics right, we’re helping build capacity and capability in the sector. Laying the foundations for a smarter state by making sure the right people understand the what, why and how of the data they use.
To find out more, click here.
Heather Cover-Kus
Heather is Head of Central Government Programme at techUK, working to represent the supplier community of tech products and services to Central Government.
Ellie Huckle
Ellie joined techUK in March 2018 as a Programme Assistant to the Public Sector team and now works as a Programme Manager for the Central Government Programme.
Annie Collings
Annie joined techUK as the Programme Manager for Cyber Security and Central Government in September 2023.
Austin Earl
Austin joined techUK’s Central Government team in March 2024 to launch a workstream within Education and EdTech.
Ella Gago-Brookes
Ella joined techUK in November 2023 as a Markets Team Assistant, supporting the Justice and Emergency Services, Central Government and Financial Services Programmes.
Authors
Molly Gavriel
