Digital As Appropriate an Independent Assessment

Simon BaileyDirector ISCAS LTD

www.iscas.co.uk

About Me

Freelance R and B

30 + years in R and B

Keen interest in technology/web sites/working smarter

Articles for IRRV Insight and Benefit Magazine

Currently Welfare Reform Programme Manager – Milton Keynes Council

A Few Small Points• Its nothing new !!!• A general view from the outsiders perspective • What's going on?• Testing a claimants journey or just testing a claimant• Where's the bank account?• I don’t like quadratic equations • Trust me – I’m a local authority web site• Get our own house in order • How do I get a Mozilla badge ?• But I cant afford a PC • PC v Tablet • Where do we go from here

When was this said?

• “New technology offers opportunities and choice. It can give us access to services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will make our lives easier. Government intends to be at the head of these developments”

• Labour – ? – ? years ago !!!• The Internet is 25 years old in 2014!• The internet is for everyone – Tim Berners

Lee

It’s Nothing New • IEGs• BVPI 157 / e enabled transactions • Priority Outcomes

– Who moved that target • E Citizens Project/Nomad project • Martha Lane Fox

– Race on line 2012• 1000 partner organisations

– Digital champion – Where is she now? – Baroness Lane Fox

• Francis Maude• “We need to be digital by default”

–Governments Digital Inclusion Strategy and Charter – 14 Apr 2014• One more bite at the cherry

Digital by Default - The Easy Way

• “I believe shutting down services would be the best way of carrying through the most amount of people”

• “Acid test is to turn off other things “• How much can we save?

So what's the problem?

• 16 Million lack basic web skill (ONS 2013)• 7.1% population have never used the internet – 53% of which disabled

• The good news– Number of over 75’s usage growing – Young are getting older

• More immigrants than natives – digitally • Key is not getting people on line but its having the

skills and knowledge to use the internet

Challenges to going on line

• Access– Cost/Technology/Infrastructure

• Skills– Confidence/literacy

• Motivation– Financial Benefits/Social Benefits

• Trust– Identity Theft/Security/Trusted Sites v Scams

The Dream Universal Credit: welfare that works – DWP 2010

• The DWP made a statement that every applicant for Universal Credit will have an online account “through which they will be able to access information about their claim and Universal Credit payments, much like the options that online banking services currently offer. The financial rewards from work will also be made clearer, with recipients able to view online the positive effect of increased earnings on their household income.”

• “When you say, “Is [digital by default] the absolutely central part of universal credit?”, I would say it is not,’ Robert Devereux, the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Work and Pensions – Public Account Committee

The Reality -Claimants Journey

So how's it going?• DWP UC review November 2013– 90% claiming on line – 7% telephone– 3% at Job Centre– 7 % tried to claim on line but gave up– 2% knew they could claim on line but did

not have access to the internet – 1% didn’t know they could claim on line

Problems? • 13% Web site crashing • 9% instructions confusing• 10% taking too long

• 17% needed help– 81% from family – 10% JCP– 4% UC helpline– 5% elsewhere

• From a pathfinder • No Save• No change of Circs• Won’t work on certain browsers

Our Own Survey

• Over 50% not heard of UC• 46% heard thought the media • 16% have no access to internet• 23% use phone for their only access• 90% would use libraries for free access• 55% go on line banking/social media etc.• 51% of claimants will need help claiming on line• 48% that need help need support in the process

Don’t call it Digital • I don’t like quadratic formulas• It’s the same with Digital Inclusion or Digital

engagement • Its what use can be made of it – Social interaction– Floods information and claiming insurance– Finance – Claiming is a by product– Its fun not a chore– What is getting people on line?

What is Getting People On LineGo On UK definition

• Communicate– Send and receive emails– Identify and delete spam

• Find things– Use a search engine– Browse the Internet

• Share personal information– Complete on line forms

• Job/booking/govt services/social website• Understand which web site to trust

• Do we need to measure this

What are the benefits?

• £221 Billion of goods and services bought on line by 2016

• Average saving £560 per household• 72% employers would not interview someone

without basic IT skills• Lifetime earnings increase by £8,300• Good IT skills = increase in earnings (3% to

10%)

Benefits to the Economy/Country

• £63 billion added to the GDP• Quality of life – improved education and well

being • SME’s could unlock £18.8 billion revenue• Charities make more money for less cost• Government can recoup billions by

digitalisation of services

Trust me I'm a local authority/Government agency

• Authentication/Security– How do I know who I am?– What's my password? – How many sign ins do I need?– Third party sign ins – PayPal/post office etc– Why can’t we use Gov.uk

Identity Assurance (IdA)

• Universal Credit• DWP announce 7 + 1 providers – November • Who was the 8th ?• Includes Post Office and Experian

Digital by ?

• Over 700 services• Log on required for HB claim, parking,

through to schools admissions• Its all about trust

Do Local Authoritie

s Need IdA?

The LSSF useful or not • Q and A excellent document

– Some good practice being reported• It’s not about just providing – again !!• Does not appear to measure or require take up to be

measured• Is Broadband really the issue? • Do we have the funding to invest in staff training • IT courses – only use the one that are already there – if they

are there?• Governments Digital Inclusion Strategy – 14 Apr 2014

– Here we go again?

Time to get our own house in order • Local Authority Web Sites

– 31 four star sites out of 400+• Number dropping

– Only 31% passed the mobile standard – Can forms be used on mobile site?– Do we need an App?– Terminology can be confusing

• Discounts/exemptions– Must be as good as the best – Local Authority Front Door– Satisfactions down by 16% (Better Connected 2014)– Failure up by 16% (Better connected 2014)

Digital Unite – Soft Skills

• What is Digital Unite?• Creating Digital Champions• What is a Mozilla Badge?• 10 Hours CBT training to get a Mozilla badge• Volunteers/Staff/Partners • Create your own 50 Digital Champions – helping beginners to start using the internet– managing money online– job hunting on the web – accessing Government e-services

Access to technologyConnect>MK

• Low Cost PC Rental• £2 per week plus deposit • pre-loaded Windows 7, Office and safety and

security software packages.• Microsoft licencing• Ex MKC PCs and Others • Part of digital engagement -almost wasn’t • Do we need to look at other means of rental

PC v Tablet and Phones• Who is going to win– Demise of the PC – Sale of PCs declining – By 2017 Tablets will outstrip PCs

• Tablets for consumption– YOU TUBE – Smartphone for UC claim form– Do forms work on a phone or tablet

• What does your web site look like on a tablet or mobile phone

• Granny and her tablet – easier to use

To Conclude• How far have we come since 1999?• Are we reinventing the wheel again and again?• Will L/A involvement make a difference ?• Will we ever be an Iceland or Norway 99%?• Maybe we do need to start “turning things off”• We cant take another 15 years to go digital by whatever?• We must stop doing things the “old” way• No-one is ever going to move to a channel or service that

is harder to use or less beneficial” • What's in it for me?• Oh and by the way - When is UC going live?

Thanks for listening

Email: simon@iscas.co.ukWeb: iscas.co.ukTwitter @iscas

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Questions or Comments?