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7 comments

  1. Comment by Steph Gray posted on

    Great post, Stephen, and that you do it here, on a corporate government domain too.

    It's an area that fascinates me, and has done for a while, not least because of the breadth of skills you've outlined. In the comment on my blog post, Tom Loosemore (who advised on the Review) made an interesting point about commissioning. Traditionally, a civil service 'commission' is a demand to do something, from a senior person to a junior. The briefs can be of, shall we say, variable depth and quality.

    But in the new model, a bit like in primary health as I understand it, there may be a new world of commissioners and producers. That's really interesting, because digital skills and teams are often more about producing than commissioning, especially when it comes to content and engagement through social technology. The skills of commissioning - creative vision, setting strategic goals, briefing and specifying well, working with a varied range of producers, gaining and using audience insight, providing feedback and making tough editorial decisions - stand to become really important (if the vision is translated as intended into reality, of course).

  2. Comment by cyberdoyle posted on

    If its going to be digital by default then its to be hoped all you bright young things put pressure on govt to listen to the people in the final third. Those are the ones still on sub megabit speeds and even dial up. They can't access your brave new world. For too long politicians without a grasp of physics have listened to the old boys brigade in ofcom and BT HQ. Next generation access can not be delivered through copper. We need fibre to every home, and with a level playing field brought about by government the market forces and communities can deliver it.
    Good luck, I really admire your skills, but spare a thought for us and don't use any photos or videos on your sites. thx.
    chris

  3. Comment by Andy Christmas posted on

    Every now and then I tell myself that I should "position myself". But i like having a broad range of skills, understanding web technologies and being able to explain them to people who dont. Sometimes it feels a little jack of all trades, but maybe there is some hope for me afterall !! Great post 😀

  4. Comment by Jenny Poole posted on

    You're right about the transferable skills. I think it comes down to flexibility of approach but singularity of purpose. A difficult balance to achieve at times, especially as our work becomes more high profile and as such failure more public. Not a task for the highly risk averse! Jen

  5. Comment by Profoundly non-trivial: Martha Lane Fox review of Directgov posted on

    [...] 3] Stephen Hale and Alan [...]

  6. Comment by Stephen Hale posted on

    I lost some of the comments that were posted on this blog in the first couple of days. Sorry - it won't happen again. Here's a copy of what people said:

    Steph Gray:

    Great post, Stephen, and that you do it here, on a corporate government domain too.

    It's an area that fascinates me, and has done for a while, not least because of the breadth of skills you've outlined. In the comment on my blog post, Tom Loosemore (who advised on the Review) made an interesting point about commissioning. Traditionally, a civil service 'commission' is a demand to do something, from a senior person to a junior. The briefs can be of, shall we say, variable depth and quality.

    But in the new model, a bit like in primary health as I understand it, there may be a new world of commissioners and producers. That's really interesting, because digital skills and teams are often more about producing than commissioning, especially when it comes to content and engagement through social technology. The skills of commissioning - creative vision, setting strategic goals, briefing and specifying well, working with a varied range of producers, gaining and using audience insight, providing feedback and making tough editorial decisions - stand to become really important (if the vision is translated as intended into reality, of course).

    cyberdoyle:

    If its going to be digital by default then its to be hoped all you bright young things put pressure on govt to listen to the people in the final third. Those are the ones still on sub megabit speeds and even dial up. They can't access your brave new world. For too long politicians without a grasp of physics have listened to the old boys brigade in ofcom and BT HQ. Next generation access can not be delivered through copper. We need fibre to every home, and with a level playing field brought about by government the market forces and communities can deliver it.
    Good luck, I really admire your skills, but spare a thought for us and don't use any photos or videos on your sites. thx.
    chris

    Andy Christmas:

    Every now and then I tell myself that I should "position myself". But i like having a broad range of skills, understanding web technologies and being able to explain them to people who dont. Sometimes it feels a little jack of all trades, but maybe there is some hope for me afterall !! Great post 😀

  7. Comment by UK Local Government Calendar | Blog | Directgov 2010 and Beyond: Martha Lane Fox wants to hear from local authorities NOW! posted on

    [...] Ide-Smith, Matt Jukes, Public Strategist, Andrew Lewin, Tom Watson, Wayne Smallman, Mick Phythian, Stephen Hale and Alan [...]