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One could be forgiven for feeling despair at the current state of the world. It was, unsurprisingly, a persistent theme at both events, with speakers painting a rather stark picture through the lenses of health & wellbeing, the economy and the environment.

It is clear that we have sufficient evidence to make us confident that embracing rapid change is the only sensible direction of travel – as highlighted in the keynote presentations that I’ve summarised below. It’s also evident – from my LinkedIn feed for starters – that there are lots of people and organisations with all sorts of innovative ideas and practices that offer us the chance to make positive radical change immediately.

So in the spirit of Williams, I want to use this article as an opportunity to make hope possible, and as a call for more meaningful innovation to support healthy places.

We know that we must act now and not let opportunities for positive impact slide from one month to another.

Unhealthy cities and climate catastrophe

Professor Sir Michael Marmot set the scene at Healthy Cities with a contextual analysis of the poor health of UK citizens today. He presented a wealth of evidence that showed significant declines in both public sector expenditure and in public health since 2010. Data showed that increases in life expectancy at birth have stalled in England, with health for the poorest people getting worse. Amid a decade of the government’s austerity programme, public sector expenditure shrank from 42% of GDP in 2009-10 to 35% by 2018-19 – which is enormous. Marmot described austerity as an “economic choice, not an economic necessity”.

Marmot’s work is concerned with the social determinants of health and he continued to paint a clear picture of the current situation in the UK. Real wages are lower today than 18 years ago and have fared much worse than our peer nations. Total government spending on healthcare per person, taking age into account, has been falling year-on-year since 2010 – we’re spending less than ever before. Austerity saw a decreasing amount of money being made available to local government; nearly one in five English Councils are at risk of bankruptcy according to the Financial Times. The tax burden in the UK (about 34% of GDP) makes us a low tax country in comparison to G7 and EU14, despite the political narrative claiming the contrary. Without London’s economic might, the national GDP of the UK drops by 14%, which means that we are as poor outside London as the poorest US state, Mississippi. We are, as Marmot pointed out, “a poor country with some rich people”.

Professor Dieter Helm, meanwhile, used his keynote at Said Business School to focus on climate change, during which he said “anyone who thinks we are cracking climate change must come from Mars”. Indeed, 80% of the world’s fuel is still fossil fuel and sustainable innovations are not without their own issues. Electric vehicle supply chains, for example, still cause significant environmental damage and negatively impact biodiversity. The scientific evidence behind this is overwhelming, as explained in this article on MIT’s Climate Portal and this Guardian series examining EV myths.

Helm also honed in on the poor state of Britain’s core infrastructure after 30 years of privatisation; energy networks, water utilities, natural ecosystems and a decent climate to name but a few. He argued that we need to look ahead to the next generation and ensure we can hand over working and viable infrastructure to them. If we can do that, which will involve creating more frameworks and increasing investment, then we have done all we can realistically do to enable resilience for future generations.

I think we can all agree with Dieter Helm (and so many other experts worldwide) when he says that there is an urgent need to sort out the mess. I said this would be an article of hope over despair, so now that we have some shared high-level foundational context – admittedly bleak – let’s move on in a spritely fashion to some of those opportunities for radical change!

Investing in our cities

Impact investing – investing with intentionality for people and the planet – is emerging as a major trend within the financial markets. Its global market value of over $1.1tr is firm proof that businesses are investing with more purpose. Kieron Boyle, chief executive of Impact Investing Institute, was speaking at Healthy Cities to explain why impact investing is becoming one of the world’s most credible tools for addressing cities’ key challenges – including achieving health equity.

Considering the significant influence businesses have on our health and wellbeing, and are themselves affected by the decisions of investors, there is a compelling case for businesses to prioritise health and wellbeing. If commercial activities contribute to prevalent public health issues such as smoking, harmful gambling and poor diet, then it follows that there are direct adverse impacts on the workplace, such as increased sickness and absence, reduced productivity etc.

It was encouraging to hear that investors are considering how to make healthcare more accessible and looking into the broader spectrum of social determinants of health – affordable housing, environmental health, food and nutrition, financial inclusion, community services, etc.

Place-based impact investing, Boyle explained, which focuses on the strengths and needs of a place, is also gaining attention and paving the way for a brighter future for urban areas. Earlier this year, South Yorkshire Pension Authority announced the development of a new Place Based Impact Investment Portfolio with plans to invest £500m in the region over the next five-10 years.

A key challenge for impact investing in urban health, however, is that it still lacks models for investment in urban health equity. Additionally, governments have been slow to take advantage of this capital so far and there are inherent risks in aligning public and private interests.

While organisations like GRESB and The Good Economy are already providing data and benchmarks for measurement, if impact investment continues on its current trajectory more will be needed to support responsible decision-making in the long-term.

What is bold?

This is a question that often causes contention. Indeed, it was no different on a panel at Healthy Cities while discussing the Liverpool Green Lanes Provocation Project, which was awarded the ‘Most Innovative Idea’ at the conference.

The challenge for many cities is to make existing, often outdated, urban neighbourhoods more liveable, resilient and healthy, which this project seeks to address. The overarching ambition is to catalyse large-scale greening, promote healthier living, active mobility, place activation and community engagement, among other interventions to deliver liveable city principles at scale. The outputs will ultimately be used to show how healthy city principles can be developed and applied in major urban regeneration projects, providing a benchmark for future initiatives.

So while some did think it was ‘bold’, referencing all of the regulations, frameworks and stakeholders that had to work together to make it happen, others disagreed. Graham Marshall, director of Prosocial Place, called it an “ordinary” idea. While it is a great and important idea, I feel inclined to agree… This sort of urban innovation should be viewed as standard practice in 2023, not a risky and forward-thinking idea.

Thought

Since the conference, I have been thinking a great deal about what ‘bold design’ means in terms of reshaping an existing part of a city – and particularly the role of digital technologies. We’ve established that radical change needs to happen quickly, for which technology is a fundamental enabler, but it must be done in a way that avoids negative disruption and harm to members of the public. Just think about the process of rapidly imposing e-scooters across our major towns and cities, and the results. Then notice that you don’t actually know ‘the results’ and ask why? In Paris, its citizens recently voted to ban rental e-scooters due to their negative impact on the environment. FYI, I’m not anti-e-scooters at all.

Much more thinking and discussion needs to happen to reach agreement on what constitutes a bold idea, bold design or a bold approach to place-based practice. But, we can address the question, “How can we be bold and innovative in a careful and responsible way?” For me, it all comes down to balancing the vision or the purpose with an ‘ethical by design’ approach and embedding that into projects from the get-go. Rather than seeing ethics as a limit to innovation, rather, we should all actively use ethics as part of a bold approach that considers the impact of our actions on people, place and the planet. We need to be bold by being aware of potential long-term as well as short-term effects of place-based innovation and acting accordingly – all of which swings back to impact investing, discussed earlier.

Scale: small investment or embedded long-term investment

As with the debate around what constitutes bold design, there was a lack of consensus regarding the most effective approach to projects: is it more effective to create a larger scale project or to start quickly with small interventions and scale them up?

A key point of discussion was around maintenance and funding. It was argued that small-scale projects are often seen as quick wins but often lack the means to continue. The message being that whatever you’re doing in the city needs to be embedded in the vision, strategy and objectives if it’s going to be delivered within the city and for the long-term investment required.

This links back to a point Dieter Helm made about maintenance and needing to sustain and improve existing infrastructures now, for the next generation. If there are no well functioning infrastructures in place, and no money for maintenance, then projects are much more likely to fall apart – whether it’s a community service or something physical such as water infrastructure or sewage systems. Ultimately, these things need to be running in tandem.

A delegate also highlighted the critical role of undertaking public impact assessments, as well as social, strategic and economic impact assessments – for both short- and long-term projects/programmes. Just as important, in my opinion, is community engagement and valuing community wisdom to influence where the money goes. These are the people you are ultimately investing in, and listening to them will help to unearth insight that is often missed when taking a top-down approach.

Thought

The winner of the President’s Award at the 2023 Landscape Institute Awards and ‘Excellence in Public Health and Wellbeing’ category is a great model of practice and demonstrates the power and value of community wisdom and collaboration.

Rooted in participatory and co-creation principles, the project from City of Bradford Municipal District Council was praised for challenging public health inequalities across the district, integrating blue and green infrastructures to highlight the role of the environment in health outcomes. I see it as a useful model that shows a bridging approach; one that starts with small investment and leads to embedded long term investment.

Carolin Göhler, President of the Landscape Institute called it a true exemplar of “how landscape can benefit people, place and nature with good community health research, policy making, design, and implementation, with close community liaisons and management of green spaces.” As one of the judges for this category, and who represented Bradford’s submission at the President’s Award deliberation, it was great to see first-hand some of the brilliant work taking place in Bradford. Let’s hope this one sets a precedent for other councils to follow!

Parks as core critical infrastructure

Parks are fundamental aspects of our towns and cities; they are places we walk, run, play and do sport; places that support biodiversity and promote air quality. They are intertwined with many social, economic, cultural and environmental factors that can have a positive impact on both people and place. Yet they are still so often overlooked, neglected, actively avoided or exclusive to certain groups – whether for safety concerns or through their design.

It was great to have a whole session dedicated to parks at the Healthy Cities conference, where I was invited to speak about Calvium’s work to support investment in parks for the City of Edinburgh Council.

The research project involved studying each of the city’s 149 parks to establish which could benefit from investment in sensitive lighting to support active travel. Geospatial and place-based data were analysed for each park in order to inform a ranked table of recommended parks. By lighting paths after dark, the aim is to enhance the perceived safety of parks and encourage their use as sites of connection. In doing so, it is expected more people will adopt active travel and the city will benefit from the associated health, economic and environmental benefits.

This is just one example of how a simple change can make parks more hospitable places for people to move through. Fortunately, there are many global projects underway that showcase how inclusive, collaborative design can promote greater health and wellbeing – from supporting gender diversity and mental health, to boosting safety and biodiversity. Read about them here.

Conclusion

From investing with purpose to ethical design and community wisdom and more, this article has shone a light on many innovative ways that we can create healthier and more resilient cities, today and in future.

Ultimately, the onus is on us – the placemakers, digital innovators, local authorities and citizens – to spot the opportunities where innovation could benefit the health and wellbeing of citizens and nature. It is up to us to identify both the small, quick wins and the longer-term investments to enable better physical and mental health, to improve safety and access to green spaces, to futureproof urban infrastructures…These are not radical ideas, they are simply reasonable and achievable – which is really great news!

Change is happening, and it is inspiring and reassuring to see. But time is of the essence and we need all hands on deck to ensure it happens sooner rather than later. As long as it is done with people, planet and place in mind, we have more than hope.

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Post-election there is a critical factor that will be pivotal in determining the outcome of these proposals: the digital deliverability of each policy the winning party has promised to implement.

Digital deliverability is critical because data and digital infrastructure form the backbone of government operations. The products and services supported by the Government Digital Service are used by 13 million people weekly and involve 1,900 public sector organisations.

If the government is serious about policy delivery it must understand the extent to which its policies are digitally deliverable in this context. 

During my time in the civil service, I saw many great ideas designed to improve services, save money and create better government experiences. Unfortunately, I also witnessed several occasions when these efforts were hampered by a lack of consideration of the organisational and technical barriers that would need to be overcome .

The consequences of this are severe, including wasted public money, erosion of the public’s trust in government and a negative impact on people’s lives when policies are poorly implemented or not implemented at all.

We will need a significant change in how government teams think and collaborate with each other if we are to address these problems

 Better collaboration on policy design is key

Failures to implement digital-ready policy initiatives in the UK often stem from a lack of early collaboration between leadership and policy teams. And also with other key stakeholders including end users, frontline staff and the digital teams responsible for creating and maintaining the necessary products and services.

In other countries, it’s different. In Denmark, for instance, new legislation presented before parliament must include an impact assessment of its digital consequences. The UK should adopt a similar approach by fostering closer collaboration between policymakers and digital design experts early in the process. Combining data, user research and digital skills can create user-centric, digital-ready policies aligned with GDS and Agile principles.

The benefits of this approach include rapid advancement of policy thinking through direct citizen engagement and ongoing testing, plus better understanding by policymakers of what is technically feasible. We would also see better alignment of policy with the digital needs of citizens and reduction of errors and risks in the design process.

Immediate, practical measures are needed to advance this alignment and provide direction. For example, focused transformation workshops can unite key stakeholders – including senior managers, digital teams and users.

The goal should be to identify the problems the organisation aims to solve, achieve consensus on desired outcomes and understand constraints and priority areas. Teams can use this as a base on which to rapidly co-design prototypes that will help with faster digital delivery of policy. 

I know this approach works from experience. Workshops conducted within a short time frame accelerate decision-making. Stakeholders become aligned and — through their hands-on involvement — have visibility and ownership of the problem.

Systems thinking is required

In the longer term, we must address substantial accumulated technical debt in legacy systems across government that hinder the delivery of new policy-driven initiatives.  Rather than continuing to talk of digital transformation this will require a shift to ‘systems thinking’ supported by agile delivery that considers all related challenges holistically with an iterative approach rather than a big bang. 

Policy initiatives are inherently complex, involving many legacy technologies, processes, and stakeholders. Systems thinking helps identify unnecessary complexity accumulated over time, allowing organisations to replace convoluted workflows with efficiency, simplicity and user-centric designs. It also deals with complexity by breaking down systems into manageable chunks and understanding their relationships.

 Systems thinking also emphasises the importance of feedback loops to gauge impact over time continually. Driving innovation isn’t just about launching something to fanfare; it’s about constantly monitoring and adapting to achieve the desired outcomes.

Change is possible

Digital deliverability must be a key test for policy post-election. By fostering collaboration and embracing systems thinking departments can overcome many of the policy implementation challenges they have faced in recent years.

Partly this will mean leaning into the experience of external partners who can provide not only technical execution but also strategic engagement with leadership and stakeholders. For their part, those consultants must be flexible and responsive to changing requirements and bring specialised expertise to address digital skills gaps and inform senior leaders  This approach will lead to more effective, efficient and trusted government operations. 

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Despite the potential of tools such as data lakes, sensors, and monitoring systems for our built environment and housing stock, both public and private organisations tasked with shaping our physical landscape have been resistant to change. Whether it’s the ballooning budgets of projects like HS2 or the staggering expenses tied to planning documents for the Lower Thames Crossing, it’s evident that the current approach to place and infrastructure isn’t delivering results.

The heart of the problem is how the industry perceives digital transformation as a second thought. This is especially evident when considering technologies like sensors, decision-making dashboards and AI analysis, which enter the picture after policies are set, ground is broken, homes are built or funding is finalised. When these digital initiatives fail to address problems as promised, they’re swiftly abandoned and people fall back to the safety of familiar, traditional ways of working.

But the real power of technology doesn’t reside solely in the data, tech, gadgets and platforms but in purposefully designing and crafting policies, projects, and programs with the digital world in mind from the outset. Only by reconceiving our strategies for designing and executing place, housing and infrastructure projects can we genuinely boost productivity, promote housing growth and cultivate the societal progress we desperately need.

Embracing innovation

Place, housing and infrastructure projects are pivotal to ensuring our society can function. But remain trapped in traditional delivery models f dominated by fields like engineering, surveying, planning, and architecture. Sectors such as banking and healthcare have embraced digital transformation, but when it comes to those working on our built environment, the industry has fallen behind. Without substantial changes, we risk our economic prosperity, continuing our housing crisis, and the well-being of future generations.

To overcome these blockers to innovation, a shift in mindsets is desperately needed. Conventional approaches, marked by inflexible systems and siloed expertise, have resulted in costly setbacks and inefficiencies. We need to embrace agile methodologies that nurture innovation and foster collaboration from the outset. By bringing together design, data, and technology experts into both policymaking and project delivery, we can inject fresh perspectives and create meaningful transformation.

Rethinking policies

One of the fundamental issues with current ways of working is how reactive policy formulation and funding distribution are. Decisions are too often made without considering the real needs and challenges faced by those delivering on the ground or the communities living there. Funds allocated for place and infrastructure projects frequently go unused or fail to achieve their goals due to poorly guided assumptions and a lack of recognition that projects, forecasts and outputs inevitably change. 

To fix this, we need to adopt an end-to-end approach to policy, taking into account implementation challenges right from the start. Collaborative efforts across governmental bodies and greater financial decentralisation are crucial for empowering local stakeholders and optimising the impact of investments.

Data must also play a central role in guiding these decisions. By harnessing standardised digital frameworks and embracing data-driven decision-making processes, we can ensure that resources are directed where they’re most needed and that outcomes are accurately evaluated. To do this, we must provide local authorities and other stakeholders with the necessary tools and skills to collect and analyse data on delivery, policy outcomes and impact throughout the project lifecycle, enabling them to make continuous enhancements and adaptations.

Accepting complexity and uncertainty

In a landscape defined by challenges, complexity and dependencies, outdated approaches founded on false assurances are no longer tenable. Rather than depending on inflexible methodologies, we must embrace a mindset of humility and exploration. Agile principles provide a roadmap for navigating through uncertainty, enabling us to evolve and adapt as we go.  We also need greater transparency and accountability in technological utilisation, including a commitment to investing in ethical AI models that prioritise openness and public confidence.

Working with people

Finally, genuine interaction with the public needs to be at the heart of successful placemaking and housing infrastructure initiatives. Citizen involvement is too often superficial or steered to fit predetermined objectives. To create greater trust and credibility, we must overhaul the structure and methodology of public engagement and focus on democratic principles and subsidiarity. This means offering opportunities for people to give authentic input at regular stages of the policy and project lifecycle. It also means instituting feedback channels to guarantee that decisions are shaped by the community’s needs and preferences.

The obstacles confronting the built environment and infrastructure sectors may seem daunting. However, they certainly aren’t insurmountable. Through design thinking, the adoption of agile methodologies, and citizen engagement, we possess the capacity to construct communities that are not only more efficient and resilient but also more equitable. This transformation hinges on shifting our mindset from regarding digital as a mere assortment of tools to recognising its role as a powerful agent for transformation and change. Only through this shift will we unlock the potential of our place and infrastructure projects and build the future we need today. 

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Some studies even suggest that the opposite hypothesis could prevail (for example, the OECD Employment Outlook 2023) and envisage that AI will lead to mass creation of quality jobs. Now, you have never heard of this work, have you? Concerns also relate to the endangerment of democracy (which seems to me a much more tangible risk), deepfakes (similarly), the appearance of artificial general intelligence (AI) or even conscience machines and all the supposed risks that this entails, etc.

In reality, AI may well be the epitome of fear; a fear of acceleration quite simply, even stronger than that of climate change, of the globalization of decommissioning and I don’t know what else. But fear is not a good advisor, it prevents us from building collectively, it does not nourish democracy and it fuels populist movements whose very essence is fear. And then, AI is also worrying because it is an exogenous technology: an American technology, that of people who speak English, that of those who are comfortable with globalization, that of an elite who benefits from technology. This is to the detriment of the greatest number who suffer from it. It is difficult to predict the consequences of this technology in all these fields. On the other hand, it is certain that by allowing everyone to better understand what it covers, the risks of monopolization and misuse by particular interests will be much lower.

It is from this observation of the existence of a strong apprehension that the idea of ​​“the AI Café” was born within the National Digital Council (Cnnum). Initially, we organized around a hundred debates throughout France. Whether they are retirees, college students, experts in the field of IT, business leaders, craftsmen… the desire to debate and compare one’s perception of this to others what is artificial intelligence appeared very strong to us. For my part, the experience also extended to my summer vacation where, visiting rural departments, I was really impressed to see the extent to which collective myths existed with regard to this technology.

The idea of ​​AI Café is therefore to meet all those who wish to discuss AI. Potentially millions of French people of all ages and from all social origins… I am sometimes told that we must above all train everyone in AI, rather than debate. From experience (I have given quite a few courses and produced MOOCs on this subject), training is only effective if it is preceded by the dissemination of a general culture of the theme considered. However, with regard to AI, an IFOP survey highlights that 63% of French people do not wish to be trained in it. And in fact, who would actually want to be trained in a technology perceived as dangerous, harmful to employment and developed by libertarians behind platforms like Facebook or Amazon, whose consequences on fake news and low-paid jobs are the prerogative? We do not presume the outcome of this debate. 

If some of you (including me) have strong convictions in this regard, we really have to play the game, in good faith and that is what we want to do. There is, beyond the conviction that we must reclaim our future, the idea that it is necessary to “indigenize” this technology, to orient it on what our values, our choices are; “Re-encapacitate” is a bit of an ugly word, but one that Cnnum uses frequently, because it is very appropriate.

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It’s well recognised that SMEs are the backbone of the UK’s economy, and that mid-sized and scale-up businesses are the engine room of innovation, growth and international trade.  The UK’s 5.51 million SMEs represent 99.9% of UK businesses, employ 61% of the total workforce, and contribute £2.4 trillion (53%) to the UK economy.  Therefore, common sense suggests that leveraging SMEs and scale-up businesses is key to the UK’s prosperity, growth, economic resilience, and global competitiveness.

The UK needs a pipeline of great businesses.  Businesses that challenge the existing marketplace and make it more diverse, competitive, resilient, and productive.  Businesses that are aspirational, with a growth mindset, and that contribute economically through high-value job creation, commercialising innovative products and services, and that increase the UK’s international trade.

If we shape great policy that builds great businesses then we also shape an economy that encourages and incentivises UK entrepreneurs, SMEs and scale-up companies to build the successful small businesses that are an important part of our local communities, and that can go onto becoming the mid-sized, large businesses and exporters of the future.  Great policy that encourages SMEs to invest and grow will create skilled employment opportunities across local communities; businesses that more willingly adopt technology and better train their staff; and stronger more globally competitive industries across our regions.  Great businesses also tend to give back to the communities from which they grow.

There is a very real ‘Valley of Death’ for companies that are disproportionately burdened by government regulations and unnecessarily difficult or complex trading conditions.  Businesses have not yet finished navigating through the long and sustained period of financial, health, energy and economic challenges that started with the global financial crisis of 2008.

As an entrepreneur and economist by background, I am faithful to the concept that common sense should have no colour when it comes to matters of business and the economy.  Adding costs, bureaucracy and increasing burdensome regulations will be enormously detrimental to the recovery and growth of UK businesses, and therefore also to our economy.

It makes no sense to make it too difficult for small, medium and scaling companies to run a competitive, profitable business.  It makes no sense to discourage entrepreneurs from working hard, assuming personal and financial risks, taking on debt, investing in innovation, recruiting additional staff, upskilling their people, scaling-up the business, and taking their products and services to new international markets! 

Great policy balances the harsh realities and hard work of running and scaling up a company with incentives that encourage ambition, investment, risk-taking and perseverance.  This is especially important in key sectors, which often require significant investment in R&D, high-value skills and capability development, and regulatory compliance burdens as the business grows.

As a founder, my executive team and I have built a business that is successful, resilient, has a scalable digital operating model, can diversify and adapt depending on market conditions and opportunities, is able to raise capital when needed, and has successfully navigated more than three decades of UK and global economic cycles.

As a leader, I believe in the principle of ‘what is good for the hive, is good for the bees’ and our people are part of a great hive, evidenced independently with a 97% rating in “Great Places to Work” – being in the top 1% of employers globally.  Informed Solutions is a mid-sized international business, headquartered in Greater Manchester, recognised with two Queens Awards for Innovation and three World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance Awards.  Therefore, I offer these opinions based on considerable lived experience as an entrepreneur which started, built and grew their business internationally over 30+ years and 4 UK governments of different colours.

In my view, key enablers for sustainable growth are incentives for ambitious, scaling, successful businesses and patient capital investors.  The key disablers of growth are burdensome, unnecessarily complicated regulations that drain productivity, disincentivise hard work, and remove rewards for risk taking and business success.  I am especially keen to see bold, progressive government policy that incentivises companies to recruit and build skills (competent, confident, better paid staff); adopt digital capabilities (more productive, scale-up ready businesses); demonstrate responsible and sustainable business practices (because ethics and behaviours matter) that create social value as well as economic value; and grow businesses into international markets to increase the UK’s global competitiveness.

Our national and regional economies, local communities, and future prosperity rely on great businesses.  Of course, the UK celebrates those rare unicorns.  Equally importantly, we need to build broader, stronger and more resilient economic foundations for sustainable development and growth.  This means, encouraging entrepreneurs, investors and scale-up businesses to fill the ‘missing middle’ – i.e. we need more small companies to successfully grow into mid-sized and large businesses.

My ambition for our incoming government is that they create bold, progressive policy that encourages, incentivises, celebrates and rewards the success of all great UK businesses – start-up, scale-up, small, medium, and large.

My hope is that common sense has no colour.

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Arguably, more than ever before, digital will be more important than ever as we await the result. Why? Social media, of course – with diverse views, but generally an echo chamber effect. Targeted messaging and advertising through different platforms. The role of data in gaining support. The spreading of news – and potentially fake news – online. In 2024, what’s an election without the debate and discussion that happens across digital platforms – whether that’s sharing your opinion on Facebook, following political commentary, or analysing data.

Unless you aren’t online.

If you aren’t online at all, you won’t be hit by the swirling news. In fact, you probably didn’t spend this afternoon receiving news alerts or debating with your team what the date would be, and arguably, you might not even know the election has been announced. Similarly, if you’ve run out of data or had to switch off your broadband due to rising costs.

And not only will you not know, but you won’t be sharing your views. With so many campaigns kicking off online these days, if you are digitally excluded, ironically, you’re not going to be able to spread the word about the need to tackle digital poverty. If you are one of the 11 million people who lack essential, basic digital skills, you may also be at greater risk of falling foul of related scams, of fake news – or purely struggling to register for new voter ID.

So, having established that digital plays a massive part in democracy these days, and given we already know that up to 19 million adults are in digital poverty, perhaps this tells us that tackling this exclusion – whether it’s through affordability, skills, or lack of trust or support – must be critical in the next governmental term, which will see us through all the way to 2029. So much has changed in the last five years, who can tell where we will be in the last year of the decade

This is why we have a simple manifesto call to all campaigning parties:

1. 1. Commit to creating a cross-departmental digital inclusion task force – across every department – with transparent accountability for real change and a joined-up focus.
2. Take immediate action now, with meaningful communication campaigns that signpost support.

Why every department? Because digital touches every area of life. Education, health, welfare, jobs, rural services, housing – the list doesn’t end.

And why communications? Around two-thirds of people would improve their digital skills if there was free support. There is free support – but people can’t find it. Perhaps because they aren’t online, or perhaps because we want them to look in the places that society feels would be convenient, rather than taking the message to people.

How can I get involved?

Are you a candidate? Tell us if you support us. You can email me directly at elizabeth@digitalpovertyalliance.org. Tell your party you support action on digital poverty and want to see this included in campaign literature. If you need information about your constituency, we can share that information with you. Want to know more about how to support?

As well as the asks above, we are seeking greater awareness, support for affordability, increased accessibility of services, a dedicated skills programme and device access in schools, and greater support for local authorities to tackle digital inclusion. If you want to know more, drop me an email.

Are you working with a candidate? Tell them what you’ve just read. Ask them to get involved.

Are you a member of the public? Canvassing season is just beginning. Ask something different on the doorstep – ask about digital poverty. Ask both what the party is doing, but also what the local candidate is doing – whether that’s for the one in five children nationally in digital poverty, or the one in two families on low incomes who are digitally excluded.

Are you a business, perhaps with public affairs goals that align? Join our Industry Forum and be part of the industry response to helping millions of people access the online world – and your services – conveniently, safely, and effectively.

We sometimes hear digital considered a luxury, that it comes after other forms of poverty. A keyboarded device (laptop or tablet) with a stable internet connection isn’t a luxury. Without it, children can’t complete homework. Parents can’t access job opportunities (90% of which are only advertised online, and need a digital application). People can’t apply for benefits, healthcare, or other support. There’s a poverty premium – from insurance to driving licences, you pay more if you’re offline or struggle with accessing online services.

So, if someone tells you a phone is enough, ask them – could they do GCSE coursework on a phone with a cracked screen? And if they say no, ask them what they are doing to help.

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After diving into the seemingly ‘open’ datasets across the Scottish transport network, what we found did not embody ‘openness’ at all. Outdated datasets, unstructured information, and missing data were all major obstacles to carrying out effective analysis and problem-solving.

But don’t assume this is a technical problem. These challenges have real-world consequences that impact people’s everyday experiences. 

A notable example is the impact on public transport journeys, particularly to and from rural Scotland, where the lack of connectivity between transport providers leads to significant waiting times.

The challenges we encountered during our research extend beyond technical difficulties– they have a direct impact on democracy at the grassroots level.

Imagine a scenario where community activists want to improve local transport links, advocating for changes in bus/ferry/train schedules and enhanced connectivity between various modes of transportation. How can they substantiate their arguments if the relevant data is inaccessible or unusable?

In the context of Scotland, the consequences of this data usability gap become even more significant. Long waiting times between connections, as we’ve illustrated through our examination of transport schedules, compound the challenges faced by locals. Not only do they directly suffer from poor scheduling, but they are also unable to do anything about it. So, this is not merely a matter of convenience; it’s about fostering a space where citizens can actively participate in discussions that impact their daily lives.

In Scotland, the focus must shift towards making data usable, ensuring that it empowers local communities rather than hindering their efforts. By doing so, we will lay the foundation for a more transparent and accountable democracy, where citizens have access to the information necessary to actively participate in decisions affecting their daily lives.

Let’s move beyond the general rhetoric of open data and focus on making it truly accessible and usable for the citizens it aims to serve. By connecting the dots between open data challenges and their real-world implications, we pave the way for a future where local democracy thrives, powered by transparent, accessible, and usable data.

Originally posted here

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This article offers a compelling insight into the transformative potential of augmented reality in bolstering public safety. By spotlighting the advantages of AR technology in supporting situational awareness and decision-making for emergency personnel, it underscores the critical role AR can play in improving public safety and emergency services. Additionally, the article delves into the challenges faced by the industry in making AR more accessible and user-friendly to a broader audience, advocating for strategic adoption in the public sector to enhance emergency response capabilities.

What is Augmented Reality?

AR combines virtual and real environments by utilising computer-generated graphics to enhance the user’s perception of the real world. That is, AR enhances how users perceive their surroundings by superimposing digital content on the real world. One of the greatest attractions of AR is that the applications are predominantly used on smartphones, hence its growing adoption, unlike other immersive technologies such as virtual reality, mixed reality and metaverse which require the use of headsets. Although historically, the use of AR first started as a head-mounted headset and progressed to smart glasses, they are now predominantly used on hand-held smart devices (Fig 1).

The adoption of augmented reality technology in various industries has been ongoing for decades, from NASA to sports broadcasting to automotive repair. Whilst the utilisation of AR technology has gained traction in certain industries, its overall adoption remains relatively low. The primary challenge faced by the industry lies in transforming the perception of AR from being excessively high-tech to making it more accessible and user-friendly to everyday consumers. However, there has been a notable increase in the adoption of AR technology not only in the retail industry but also in various other sectors.

Potential benefits of AR technology in the public sector

Given the advancement in mobile technology and the abundance of digital data available, AR is poised to become a significant tool for organisations to make real-time decisions more efficiently. For instance, AR can enable more precise real-time data collection, such as demographic information, which can then be analysed to inform policy decisions and enhance government services. Despite the growing demand and potential benefits of AR, it is still in its nascent stage in terms of development and adoption in various industries, particularly in government. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see many more AR applications across different fields.

Enhancing public safety

AR technology has the potential to significantly enhance public safety and emergency response efforts. By providing real-time situational awareness and decision support, AR can equip first responders such as firefighters and police officers with an augmented view of their surroundings, highlighting potential hazards and critical information such as the location of victims or the nearest exit. This improved situational awareness can lead to faster response times and more informed decision-making, ultimately saving lives. Additionally, AR can provide decision support for emergency managers and incident commanders by overlaying real-time data such as weather reports or traffic patterns onto a map of the affected area, aiding in resource allocation and evacuation planning. AR can also be utilised for training purposes, allowing first responders to simulate emergency scenarios and practice response strategies in a safe and controlled environment, thus improving their skills and readiness for real-world emergencies.

Customs and border protection

AR technology has the potential to revolutionise the way customs and border force agents conduct security checks. By creating 3D images of X-ray scans, AR systems can help identify hidden items in luggage or cargo more effectively. Agents can quickly and efficiently detect any potential security threats, minimising delays and costs while maximising available resources. Additionally, AR devices can assist agents with real-time translation, which is crucial when dealing with travellers who speak different languages. Finally, AR technology can also be used to create training simulations for customs and border force agents. These simulations provide realistic scenarios, allowing agents to practice responding to various situations without risking their safety or that of others. ​​

AR in justice

What can AR contribute to the fight for justice? How might AR be used by law enforcement, legal experts, defendants, litigants, judges, and juries? Will the use of immersive visualisation technologies in courtrooms result in more fairness or will it be unfair? The potential for immersive technologies in the legal system has received renewed attention. From examining a crime scene to testifying in court, AR and VR are beginning to prove their worth, for example in 2016 the Dutch police conducted a trial of an AR solution to assist officers in investigating crime scenes. The system allowed officers to stream video from their body cameras or smart glasses to forensic scientists, chemical analysts, and other experts who could provide remote guidance during the investigation.

Using the AR solution, experts could explore the crime scene from the officer’s perspective and provide real-time guidance on how to collect and preserve evidence. They could use annotations in the officer’s smart glasses or smartphone display to point out evidence to be examined and bagged.

This approach can be very helpful, especially in cases where the first responding officer may not have the necessary expertise to conduct a thorough investigation. The use of AR technology allows for a more collaborative approach to investigations, with experts being able to provide guidance remotely, reducing the need for them to be physically present at the scene.

These early forays into using AR to enhance crime scene investigation could also impact crime scene training and courtroom presentations. Photos and video captured via smart glasses at the crime scene serve to preserve the scene for later use in the investigation and trial, but that footage can also help create immersive training simulations.

Next step

Despite the benefits of AR, its adoption by government is still slow. The big question is, how will the adoption of AR enhance an organisation’s overall mission and vision? Could AR represent the next industrial revolution? One of the biggest benefits of AR is cost saving. According to research carried out by Harvard Business School in 2017 on AR, the following benefits of were revealed ​(Harvard Business Review, 2017)​:

• AR reduces inspection time by 96% for a telecommunication service engineer leading to overall time savings of 25%.
• Boeing trainees’ work was completed in 35% less time than trainees using traditional 2-D drawing and with an increased first-time accuracy rate of >90%.
• GE completed wiring in wind turbines using voice command in AR and achieved >34% productivity.

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But while the standard and its fourteen points remain an important tool in driving service development and accountability, some challenges need to be addressed and overcome to ensure it continues to meet the ever-evolving digital landscape. 

Evolving requirements and landscapes

The methodology behind the standard was developed some time ago, and whilst it has been updated in part, it continues to primarily focus on the experiences of external users, not internal staff. As digital transformation continues across the public sector, we’re seeing more systems being developed where all or parts of the service are to be used by employees within departments (or between departments). As this is a relatively new development, service assessments are being carried out on these solutions by people who don’t always have experience and understanding of the impact and nuance that exists when delivering systems internally, or on the constraints set by internal ways of working. 

This means services created for internal users are assessed in the wrong way. Sometimes meeting user needs is not the most important thing, despite being the primary focus of an assessment. Not enough time is given to how well this new internal service aligns with policy or gathers data effectively. Digital teams then need to focus on matching their work to the standard spuriously, rather than meeting the core principles of the standard and all users’ needs, costing valuable time and resources.

At the same time, when the standard is applied too strictly during assessments, it can prevent teams from being able to continuously deliver and adapt to changing circumstances and needs. This can result in services not meeting user needs and platforms being developed that already need updating before they’ve even had a chance to be embedded. 

If we want to continue to produce high-quality digital services, the way the standard is upheld and services are assessed may need to change.

Letting go of bureaucracy and embracing flexibility

To address the challenges around internal user-centred services, there needs to be a rethink about how platforms and products are assessed and deemed to be appropriately meeting the standard. The assessment process in its current form is too much of a tick-box exercise, meaning pragmatism is being lost and services aren’t being designed with the right kinds of user, organisational and policy needs front and centre.

Updating the standard to meet the needs of different users, creating more room for flexibility and training assessors to understand these requirements, would allow digital partners and departments to create services quicker, more efficiently and cost-effectively.

When it comes to the strict application of the standard, there needs to be an acceptance and appreciation of embracing more flexible ways of working, rather than the traditional discovery/alpha/beta approach. 

Digital projects never follow a rigid timeline where there is a linear progression from beginning to end. Instead, they need to be taking a more agile approach, where continuous development and changes can be made throughout the project. This will allow updates to be made to a product at different stages without the fear of needing to get everything reassessed, while it will also allow projects to move quickly and for the prioritisation of the riskiest aspects of delivery and testing it in safe “pilot” environments.

The Digital Service Standard and the principles that sit behind it are key to ensuring public services are built to be accessible, user-centred and solving the intended need. However, technology and service requirements have changed since their initial development and we have moved beyond an era where a one-size-fits-all Standard is appropriate. The standard needs to adapt with the times, and by updating it and the assessment process to reflect broader user needs and agile ways of working, we can ensure we have regulations and services that meet the needs of everyone, from civil servants to the public.

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