Technology Push, Market Pull, What next for public sector community safety
This time of year is not just the “Party” Conference season, it is also the Autumnal opportunity to attend ‘events’ pertinent to the public sector community safety area before the politicians return to their desks/council chambers after the Summer recess. It doesnt end with the end of the recess. The debates continue at The Guardian and Kable conference on Transforming Blue Light Services in November (there are a limited number of free places available now, please put 'Multizone' in the where did you hear about it part of the form). Or of course read on and comment right here or on twitter @multizone / @jimsmithobe
In the last week alone Multizone have attended 4 such events that have all been related to Real Time Social Networking in the Public sector.
Specifically the events were : -
- Driving Efficiencies in the Public sector (The Guardian / Kable)
- Public sector on line 2010 (The Guardian / Kable)
- SharePoint Saturday UK (Microsoft focused independent event)
- Oracle Technology Strategies to Maximise the Value of Applications (Oracle Corporation)
Uniquely to Multizone, because of our experience of technology and the public sector it is possible to draw some general conclusions by comparing the content of the presentations of some of the key speakers which would have been difficult to elicit from any one of them in isolation.
Market Pull
The Cabinet Office - efficiency drive
It is clear to us that the Cabinet Office is interested in a wide range of efficiency projects - from an interest in the ‘here and now’ technology, which does enable some savings to be made in the short term, to longer term strategic initiatives. At the moment one group is focusing on helping Local Authorities and similar public bodies to gain benefits from what is known as ‘Channel Shift’.
Another group in the Cabinet Office are looking strategically at the threats and opportunities arising from the use of ‘Cloud Computing’ and it’s manifestations. Their agenda too appears to be efficiency and massive cost reduction.
It is not yet clear to Multizone that these two focus areas, which must, we believe, ultimately lead to implementations of systems which involve improved Social Networking, are adequately connected from the point of view of cost effectiveness while simultaneously improving service provision, within the Cabinet Office itself at the moment. Indeed as if to remind us how much still needs to be achieved, the speakers did not seem to be aware of each others initiatives!
Criminal Justice Systems - cost reduction with restrictions
Another example of the use of technology to improve as well as reduce the cost of the Court Service is in the Criminal Justice Department. On a very restricted budget they have introduced an electronic management system into the business of Court arrangements and operations. At the moment the focus has been quite limited, of necessity due to resourcing constraints, to the use of ‘here and now’ technology rather than the new and emerging arrangements that could be beneficial in terms of further cost savings.
Consequently, at this time, it appears that the new systems do not enable their partners (for example the Police, NHS, Local authorities) to use and share the benefits arising from the potential reduction in their joint costs.
Surrey County Council - adventurous by necessity
Whilst the Private sector is looking to enterprise social network applications to improve Quality in terms of effectiveness as well as doing so without increasing costs, most of the examples from the Public sector were directed towards cost reduction through Channel Shift.
A surprisingly large proportion of the evidential data presented by a speaker from 'SOCTIM' at "Public sector on line 2010", which has been gathered to measure the effectiveness of Call Centres was from Surrey County Council. In comparison with other examples from the Public sector, it suggests that those authorities with severe financial pressures have been forced to be more adventurous than many of their peers - perhaps another example of ’necessity being the mother of invention’.
There do appear to be many more efficiencies to be made using Channel Shift but this should not be the end of the story.
Technology Push
Technology vendors see opportunity but have vested interests
It is clear that the major companies who have traditionally provided technology products and services to the public sector still wish to do so in the future. The recent events put on by Microsoft and Oracle were very powerful summaries of their perceptions of market needs for their products and services in the future.
These companies have powerful partners working as their routes to market in the public sector including hardware and network vendors, and the large systems integrators who are extremely keen to protect and enhance their revenues through continued outsourcing and efficiency programs of work in Local Authorities nationwide.
They will already be taking account of the radical changes in policy and funding of this aspect of public services, and planning to maximise their individual revenue opportunities. That is just a reflection of how they operate.
Although the Strategy related messages from these companies and their partners can be said to be converging they are inevitably influenced by the vested interests of each individual company and we saw evidence of that in all the events, whether it be Fujitsu emphasising the future of Outsourcing at The Guardian / Kable conference on ‘Driving Efficiencies in the Public sector’ or whether it be Capgemini’s Head of Oracle Technology speaking about large scale Oracle transformation programmes at ‘Technology Strategies to Maximise the Value of Applications’.
Multizone believe that an important conclusion that the technology vendors have already identified is that cost reduction and improved web-based communication does not end with a simple 'channel shift' approach using existing alternatives to the face-to-face channel. New channels are already emerging where stakeholders expect to be able to engage with public services. It is be crucial that all channels are supported by the same infrastructures, procedures, and escalation mechanisms in order to properly support consistent delivery of service whether face-to-face, online using the web, or real time using social media.
Overall challenge
Once again, the question which arises for Multizone is how the public services will be able to acquire the expertise to make informed decisions on strategies to obtain and use the new products and services as they become available, without becoming too dependant upon a single source. The old fashioned outsourcing mentality does not appear to be the answer even for the outsourcers. The reliance on internal technology skills does not seem to be sustainable in a market where advanced email solutions wrapped in 24x7 service level guarantees are already just a few pounds per user per month. There has been little or no adoption of such services in the public sector as yet. Finally Multizone believes that an over simplistic approach to 'channel shift' increases the risk of higher than necessary costs due to multiple technology vendors providing solutions for multiple channels.
Conclusions - There is a demand for low cost shared, collaborative services
Fortunately the emerging patterns of application development can facilitate this inevitable transition in the public sector arising from the technology push based response to the market pull.
At the ‘public sector on line’ conference, there were also contributions from policing interests. There is clearly a growing interest on the part of the ‘blue light’ services in the use of social applications to improve the public perception of their services. There are still some significant differences between perception (generally feeling safe) and reality (we never see a policeman in our street). Thus far the initial approaches to addressing this matter have been mainly web based whilst the new emerging applications to improve services and the perception thereof, without cost escalation are, in most cases, yet to be developed and made available in an operational sense.
We passionately believe that we need to move the agenda from efficiency and cost reduction alone, towards higher quality, shared, collaborative and social service provision, achieved by adapting existing systems to take account of the demands of the real time social network enabled twenty first century society.
With the changes in The Home Office and it’s associated bodies (National Policing Improvement Agency) it is not yet clear how this Agenda will be taken forward nationally. Multizone hope to gain more insights into this at the Policing 2.0 Event later this month, before our contribution to the panel discussion at The Guardian and Kable conference on Transforming Blue Light Services
Join us there - there are a limited number of free places or of course comment right here or on twitter @multizone / @jimsmithobe
(Revised, 12 October 2010)
