RE: [tgf] RE: TGF DELIVERABLES

Hi All,

Just a line to support the approach suggested by Chris and John.

The UK has a federated approach – firstly by bay of the devolved administrations (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) who tend to adopt the English policy/strategy and build upon it and, secondly, by business sector (Health Education, etc) that aim to unite related (parts of) organisations with similar objectives and a need to work together. These last are being defined at the moment but should exploit existing assets (e.g. sector standards bodies). The central work is trying to build the governance to facilitate this federation and also with external bodies that are active in particular business areas (these may be EU directives (e.g. Inspire for location data) or trade standards bodies OSCRE (for real estate). Whilst not seeking to mandate the way that the sectors and external bodies work, they do need to be considered in the development of the Whole-of-government level.

Regards
Nig
Nig Greenaway
Government Division
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From: John Borras [mailto:johnaborras@yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: 25 October 2010 08:49
To: 'Chris Parker'; 'Colin Wallis'; 'tgf @lists.oasis-open.org'
Subject: RE: [tgf] RE: TGF DELIVERABLES

An interesting discussion. This could get very complex if we are not careful. For example would the same approach about sectoral aspects be implemented in smaller governments? I can understand doing it in a large country with many Gov departments etc but would you take the same approach in a third world country with limited finances and a smaller Gov structure, there it might not be cost effective to decompose to the same level?

I would suggest we get the top layer sorted first as Chris says and then decide how to decompose that if that’s what is believed to be necessary. Clearly something for early discussion on our next TC meeting.

Views from others on this would be appreciated.

Regards

John Borras

Chair OASIS TGF Technical Committee

m. +(0)44 7976 157745

Skype: gov3john

From: Chris Parker [mailto:chris.parker@cstransform.com]
Sent: 24 October 2010 17:58
To: Colin Wallis; John Borras; tgf @lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: RE: [tgf] RE: TGF DELIVERABLES

Colin

These are good points, and we'll need to find the right balance. New Zealand's approach is by no means unique: most government's seek to address some issues at a whole-of-government level, yet also have active cluster/sector based approaches.

I'll leave it to John to take a view on what this means in terms of the scoping document (which, by the way John I thought was excellent!). But on the substance of how to address the issue, my thinking is as follows:

a) Government is just too big a business to join up through any centralised, top-down mechanism

b) It therefore follows that it makes absoute sense to encourage joining-up at a cluster/sector level, where organisations involved in a common business area (say the criminial juistice system) are best placed to work out how to do this

c) However, it is vital then to make sure that a "joined-up cluster" doesn't just become another silo (albeit a bigger one)

d) Therefore, the focus at whole-of-government level should be on putting in place the minimum strategic framework needed to ensure that bottom-up, sectoral initiatives work together as an interoperable whole.

In terms of the CS Transform model that we have put on the table as a contribution to the TGF, our approach to this "minimum whole-of-government framework" is to focus on two main areas:

- First, the common building blocks that cut across all sectoral/cluster initiatives, and which therefore bring significant efficiency benefits from a whole-of-government approach (typically, these will be the common data sets like identity, address and so on, and the common core applications like authentication, payments, notifications etc)

- Second, ensuring that the "voice of the customer" is represented at a whole-of-government level, by introducing a virtual, citizen-centric business layer which sits across and within the sectoral approach. (In order, for example, to ensure that the needs of a customer group such as parents - which cut across education, health, social care, tax and benefit sectors and more - are understood and championed in a holistic way.)

Clearly the group as a whole will need to take its own view on precisely what issues should be addressed at a whole-of-government level, and which left to a sectoral/cluster approach. But in terms of the balance between the two, my strong feeling is that we should - at least at first! - focus the Transformational Government Framework at the whole-of-government level. Later on, once the TGF is properly established, we might look at supplementing this with best practice frameworks for specific business areas (education, health, criminal justice etc), but I think this would be too much to bite off for the TC at first.

Grateful for views from John and others.

Chris Parker

Managing Partner, CS Transform Ltd, +44 7951 754 060

From: Colin Wallis [mailto:colin_wallis@hotmail.com]
Sent: 24 October 2010 00:37
To: John Borras; tgf @lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: [tgf] RE: TGF DELIVERABLES

Thanks John

That's an excellent start.

There are two things that spring to mind here at yet another airport, but they are related:

1) I don't know about other governments but we have a mix of 'all-of-government' (AoG) policy and community/cluster/sector policy (such as Health, Education etc). Ideally the sector work builds off the AoG work, but sometimes that's hard to see!, and I recall a couple of instances where it has actually run counter to AoG policy!:-). So while the attached doc proposes to pull whatever policy exists in government today, they will not all line up in terms of depth, scope, etc. We will have to be very careful not to confuse the readers at this juncture.

2) Related to 1) above we will need to explain the relationship between all-of-government policy and community/cluster/sector-based policy. This could almost become a clarifying point regarding the scope.

Cheers
Colin

From: johnaborras@yahoo.co.uk
To: tgf@lists.oasis-open.org; colin_wallis@hotmail.com
Subject: TGF DELIVERABLES
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:37:14 +0100

As mentioned on our call yesterday, please find attached my draft document which attempts to explain in greater detail the list of deliverables as set out in the TC Charter. It’s very important that we get a common understanding of the deliverables from the outset so please take some time to review this document and let me have any comments or alternative suggestions within the next couple of weeks if possible.

I would see this document as being an important input to the workshop in DC on 9 Dec and then for us to use it in our TC meeting on 10^th to determine our work programme.

Regards

John Borras

Chair OASIS TGF Technical Committee

m. +(0)44 7976 157745

Skype: gov3john

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