Corporate report

DECC's actions in response to the Government Digital Strategy

Updated 16 January 2015

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Action 1: Departmental and transactional agency boards will include an active digital leader

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) will recruit a replacement to their board-level digital leader and review how far it is necessary to have digital skills represented at board level across all its network of delivery bodies.

DECC appointed a replacement digital leader with overall responsibility for the digital agenda in April 2013 (the department’s Chief Information Officer) with access to the board.

Progress during 2013

The Digital Service Delivery Unit was established in July 2013 to support embedding digital by default principles across the department and its network of delivery bodies.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC’s Digital Service Delivery Unit will continue to support digital by default principles across the department and its network of delivery bodies.

Progress during 2014

A digital strategy board chaired by DECC’s digital leader has been in operation since September 2013. This board reports to to DECC’s executive operational board, OpCo. OpCo’s responsibilities include overseeing the development and implementation of knowledge management, transparency and digital strategies.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will continue this support and will embed digital by default into business as usual during 2015.

Action 2: Services handling over 100,000 transactions each year will be re-designed, operated and improved by a suitably skilled, experienced and empowered service manager

Service managers will be in place for new and redesigned transactions from April 2013.

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

DECC fully supports the Government Digital Service (GDS) principle of digital services being overseen by dedicated and suitably-skilled service managers. It aims to have such individuals in place for all redesigned high-volume transactional services after April 2013 and for all existing services with over 100,000 transactions by April 2015.

Progress during 2013

DECC fully supports the principle of suitably skilled service managers and has set up a process to put these in place where appropriate and in line with GDS requirements.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will continue to support the principle of suitably-skilled service managers.

Progress during 2014

DECC supports the principle of suitably skilled service managers and monitored this requirement as part of the assessment process. Most services the department runs fall below 100,000 transactions.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC assesses all projects against the 26 service standards, and will continue to support the principle of suitably skilled service managers.

Action 3: All departments will ensure that they have appropriate digital capability in-house, including specialist skills

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

The move to digital by default will require us to develop new skills and capabilities and also a significant change in culture and mindset. DECC will conduct a skills and capabilities audit to identify capacity building requirements across the full range of capabilities from leadership through policy, service management and procurement.

Progress during 2013

DECC has undertaken a skills and capability audit as part of the business planning process. Within the Digital by Default programme a ‘building and embedding skills and capabilities’ workstream has been established.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will use the audit information to develop a skills and capability plan highlighting areas of priority, using the Cabinet Office framework.

Progress during 2014

DECC developed a Consumer First programme which supports cultural change needed to implement the Digital by Default Service Standards.

DECC developed a digital by default toolkit tailored to the department’s needs using materials from GDS, Civil Service Learning and Open Government Data.

The department ran a third pulse survey in September 2014, which found that:

• in 2013 63% had never heard of digital by default or knew what it meant (12 months later 86% of employees were aware)
• those saying they actively followed digital by default principles or understood how it will affect their work moved from 14% to 36%

DECC set up: * cross-departmental digital work streams to embed digital by default * an assessment panel * highly targeted coaching through the assessment process

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will review and refresh skills audit information and will embed digital skills and capabilities into the overall DECC learning and development plan.

A programme of events and activities is planned under the Consumer First banner.

Putting user needs at the centre of policy development needs further work. Consumer First and Open Policy Making programmes will address these areas.

DECC will aim to increase the number of its civil servants attaining level 7 on the digital inclusion scale through its Consumer First programme.

Action 4: Cabinet Office will support improved digital capability across departments

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

DECC will work with Cabinet Office colleagues to ensure it has the digital skills and capabilities it needs to deliver DECC priorities.

Progress during 2013

As part of the department’s digital skills and capabilities plan, DECC has been developing plans for in-house training, guidance and support to improve the department’s digital capability and embed greater appreciation of the merits of digital engagement and delivery channels. DECC has been supporting access to social media and other mainstream digital channels as these form an essential part of the department’s engagement strategy.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will take full advantage of GDS and Civil Service Learning-delivered coaching and training for specialist roles, and also GDS assistance during recruitment of technical staff.

Progress during 2014

DECC took full advantage of GDS and Civil Service Learning training for specialist roles, and GDS assistance for the recruitment of technical staff.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will continue to work closely with GDS to build staff skills and capabilities.

Action 5: For transactional departments, 3 exemplar services will be selected

Redesign starting April 2013, implemented by March 2015 (to be included in relevant business plans). Following this, departments will redesign all services handling over 100,000 transactions each year.

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

It will redesign existing services to be digital by default (subject to business cases reviews), collaborating with arm’s length bodies (ALBs) and partners where necessary and using the Coal Authority’s mining reports as their pilot.

Progress during 2013

DECC’s digital strategy identifies 2 exemplar projects to be digital by default. DECC will use the learning from these projects to help shape and redesign the rest of its services:

• Energy Saving Advice service is a channel shift project, which is currently only available as a telephone helpline; it is in discovery phase, building up a detailed understanding of user needs and how they might best be met
• One-Stop Land and Property Shop is a collaboration between the Coal Authority and HM Land Registry (one of BIS’s exemplar projects); a pilot is currently running with 7 local authorities

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will continue to develop the 2 identified exemplar projects and continue to share the learnings to help shape and redesign other DECC services.

Progress during 2014

Digital projects during the year included a One-Stop Land and Property Shop in collaboration with the Coal Authority and Land Registry.

The Coal Authority’s mining reports were an integral part of the portal. Benefits from digitisation included:

• a reduction in the turnaround of reports, from 2 to 3 days with the paper-based approach to 2 minutes with digital
• 74% of users now using the digital channel (this continues to grow)
• a 75% reduction in administration costs

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) for domestic homes was run as an exemplar project, and launched in April 2014. Carried out by Ofgem, it used an agile approach, made significant savings and was supplied on time. An RHI calculator was launched in July.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will continue to redesign and design services to meet service standards. It will focus on joining up propositions to make it easier to take up offers.

Action 6: From April 2014, all new or redesigned transactional services will meet the Digital by Default Service Standard

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

DECC intends to comply with the Digital by Default Service Standard once it is published, although this will require approval once the contents of the standard has been finalised.

Progress during 2013

A workstream has been established within DECC’s digital by default programme to focus on following the published Digital by Default Service Standard, and guiding all new or redesigned transactional services to meet it by April 2014.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will ensure that all new or redesigned transactional services meet the Digital by Default Service Standard from April 2014.

Progress during 2014

DECC set up a cross-departmental digital assessment panel in April to ensure all new and redesigned services meet the Digital by Default Service Standard.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC’s panel will continue to assess all projects against the 26 service standards.

Action 7: Corporate publishing activities of all 24 central government departments will move onto GOV.UK by March 2013, with agency and arm’s length bodies’ online publishing to follow by July 2014

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

DECC’s eCommunications team is currently engaged in transferring its online information services from their current locations to the GOV.UK domain. DECC recognises that this will make it easier to find the information it makes available. This process will be completed by March 2013. DECC’s ALBs will also transfer their information services to GOV.UK. DECC is helping co-ordinate this process, which will be completed by March 2014.

Progress during 2013

DECC is currently transferring its online information services from their present locations to the GOV.UK domain. DECC recognises that this will make it easier and make more efficient to find the information it makes available.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC’s remaining websites will transition to GOV.UK by April 2014.

Progress during 2014

All ALB websites moved to GOV.UK by the end of the year.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will continue to review its content on GOV.UK.

Action 8: Departments will raise awareness of their digital services so that more people know about them and use them

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

DECC recognises that non-digital channels will remain essential in many cases, particularly given the level of digital engagement within some of their customer groups. It will nonetheless work to raise awareness of digital options and encourage the use of them by those who are able.

Progress during 2013

DECC has been working to raise awareness of digital options and has encouraged the use of these by those who are able. DECC-owned communication channels, particularly social media networks and the web, have been used to raise awareness of digital services.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will promote digital services alongside offline equivalents. DECC will also work with key stakeholders to further raise the profile of digital services among relevant audience groups.

Progress during 2014

DECC promoted digital services alongside offline equivalents and worked with important stakeholders to raise the profile of digital services among relevant audience groups.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will continue to raise awareness and encourage digital options.

Action 9: We will take a cross-government approach to assisted digital

This means that people who have rarely or never been online will be able to access services offline, and we will provide additional ways for them to use the digital services.

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

DECC will ensure that every digital service has an excellent offline alternative for those who really need it. It will also ensure that those who could reasonably be expected to use digital, but do not currently, are encouraged and assisted in becoming digitally literate and using its digital channels.

Progress during 2013

One of the workstreams in DECC’s Digital by Default programme is developing assisted digital, in line with the cross-government approach and guidance provided by GDS.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will aim to provide a consistent, high-quality service for customers across both digital and non-digital channels.

Progress during 2014

As DECC redesigned and designed new services it provided a consistent, high-quality service for customers across both digital and non-digital channels.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will continue to provide a consistent, high-quality service for customers across both digital and non-digital channels.

Action 10: Cabinet Office will offer leaner and more lightweight tendering processes, as close to the best practice in industry as our regulatory requirements allow

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

DECC will work with GDS and Cabinet Office to make best possible use of procurement frameworks, and attempt to develop services and commission work and projects using agile methodologies and small and medium-sized enterprises wherever appropriate.

Progress during 2013

DECC has worked with Government Digital Service and Cabinet Office to make best possible use of procurement frameworks such as G-Cloud and the new Digital Services Framework. The Digital by Default programme has been set up to provide guidance to develop services and commission work and projects using agile methodologies and small and medium sized enterprises wherever appropriate.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will continue to support the use of procurement frameworks, including G-Cloud and the Digital Services Framework.

Progress during 2014

DECC successfully implemented new procurement frameworks, such as Digital Services Framework, G-Cloud etc.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will continue to support the use of procurement frameworks, including G-Cloud and the Digital Services Framework.

Action 11: Cabinet Office will lead in the definition and delivery of a new suite of common technology platforms which will underpin the new generation of digital by default services

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

DECC will co-operate with GDS and other departments in the development of common platforms to help provide information and services. This will include adopting shared identity assurance tools, and potentially opening up data to third parties through application programming interfaces (APIs).

Progress during 2013

DECC has worked with GDS and other departments in the development of common platforms to help provide information and services. This included adoption of shared identity assurance tools, and potentially opening up data to third parties through APIs.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will continue to work with GDS and other departments in the development of common platforms to help provide information and services. This will include adoption of shared identity assurance tools, and potentially opening up data to third parties via APIs.

Progress during 2014

DECC successfully worked with GDS to implement common platforms.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will continue to work with GDS and other departments to develop common platforms to provide information and services. This will include adopting shared identity assurance tools, and potentially opening up data to third parties via APIs.

Action 12: Cabinet Office will continue to work with departments to remove legislative barriers which unnecessarily prevent the development of straightforward and convenient digital services

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

DECC will work with Cabinet Office and assist in assessing whether obstructive legislation is necessary and addressing any issues. When drafting new legislation, policymakers will work with digital service delivery as a consideration from the outset, in order to minimise incidents of unnecessary obstructive legislation in the future.

Progress during 2013

DECC’s digital strategy has a goal to “ensure that the principle of digital by default extends throughout all of its work, including policymaking and information service”. DECC is a policy-led department and its approach to implementing the Digital by Default Service Standard requires a change in the way policy is developed and services are delivered. A Digital by Default programme has been set up to provide digital service delivery guidance to policymakers and across the department.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will continue to provide guidance on digital service delivery to policymakers and across the department.

Progress during 2014

The Digital by Default programme has worked across DECC to build knowledge and capability. No legislative barriers were identified.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will continue to provide guidance on digital service delivery to policymakers and across the department.

Action 13: Departments will supply a consistent set of management information (as defined by the Cabinet Office) for their transactional services

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

It will make consistent management information available to internal teams and to GDS for all digital by default services. So far GDS has requested, and DECC will provide for each service: cost per transaction, user satisfaction, transaction completion rates, and take-up levels. This data will be made available to GDS and internal teams, as part of its effort to continuously improve its services.

Progress during 2013

DECC has set up a Digital by Default Programme making consistent management information available to internal teams and GDS. DECC has provided information for the Transactions Explorer, Government Digital Strategy progress updates and any other updates requested by Cabinet Office.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will continue to provide information for the Transactions Explorer, Government Digital Strategy progress updates and any other updates requested by Cabinet Office.

Progress during 2014

DECC collated transactional information on a regular basis, using the process to encourage performance monitoring.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will continue to provide information for the Transactions Explorer, Government Digital Strategy progress updates and any other updates requested by Cabinet Office. As new services are developed these will include performance management information.

Action 14: Policy teams will use digital tools and techniques to engage with and consult the public

Departmental digital strategy commitments (December 2012)

DECC will ensure that the principle of digital by default extends throughout all of its work, including policymaking and information services. It will therefore develop a digital toolkit for policymakers to ensure they are able to efficiently consult through digital channels.

Progress during 2013

DECC has actively encouraged policy teams to engage with users via digital channels.

Planned activities in 2014

DECC will ensure that the principle of digital by default extends throughout all of its work, including policymaking and information services.

The department will build on successes to date and use case studies to embed knowledge and understanding of the merits of digital engagement throughout the organisation. It will develop a digital toolkit and provide training, support and guidance for policymakers to ensure they are able to efficiently exploit all appropriate methods of digital engagement.

Progress during 2014

DECC has developed a digital toolkit and provides a full intranet package for policymakers to ensure they can use all appropriate methods of digital engagement.

The department has amended project management and policy documentation to prompt consideration of end-user implications.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will ensure that the principle of digital by default extends throughout its work, including policymaking and information services.

DECC will build on its successes and use case studies to embed knowledge and understanding of digital engagement throughout the organisation. Much of this will be executed through the Consumer First programme.

Action 15: Collaborate with partners across public, private and voluntary sectors to help people go online

Action 15 was added to the Digital Strategy in December 2013, so reporting on departments’ actions will begin with 2014.

Progress during 2014

Digital inclusion is embedded in individual digital projects. For example, in the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund users are first directed to the website, then helped to use it by the scheme’s administrators.

Planned activities in 2015

DECC will use their Consumer First programme to ensure that digital inclusion is embedded into future policymaking. The programme will do this by using:

• its external consumer testing panel, which quickly tests policy ideas, services and messaging
• the scrutiny of its investment committee, which challenges the consumer evidence of all policies that come before it
• its consumer eEngagement team, an advisory team of consumer experts, which supports policy teams in using engagement tools and techniques

Action 16: Opening up government data and transactions

Action 16 was added to the Digital Strategy in December 2013, so reporting on departments’ actions will begin with 2014.

Progress during 2014

DECC published 2 datasets of household level data covering domestic properties in England and Wales from the National Energy Efficiency Database (NEED).

In April a sample of 49,815 records (representative of the housing stock) was published through GOV.UK and data.gov.uk.

In July a sample of 4 million records was released on the UK Data Archive under an end user licence.

In November DECC surveyed its user list to assess the value of these releases and to identify potential changes to future data releases. The survey was promoted through the Open Data User Group and the Cabinet Office Transparency team.

Planned activities in 2015

Future work on NEED will depend on the November 2014 survey results. DECC will also work with Cabinet Office to identify data releases for the next revisions of the National Information Infrastructure.