Helo bawb! Hi everyone!

Spring is in the air, and with the Senedd election fast approaching, it feels like now is the time to start preparing and planning for the year ahead.

We’re seeing such an appetite in our community for real change in the Welsh public sector, and we’re hopeful the next Welsh Government will deliver.

(If you haven’t already, don’t forget to register to vote and encourage your friends and family to do so - you have until 11:59pm on 20 April 2026.)

TransformGov Talks is coming to Cardiff

We’re excited to be running an event next month in partnership with TransformGov Talks and BBC Cymru.

We’ll be sending out a special newsletter soon with the event details, so keep an eye on your inbox.

From the Transform Wales blog

We’ve published 2 new blog posts exploring how Welsh public services can move beyond staying busy and start making a real difference.

In From outputs to outcomes, we argue that success should be measured by the change people experience, not just by what gets delivered.

In A mission-led model for Welsh public services, we build on that idea and set out why long-term missions, outcomes and stable teams are key to better delivery in Wales.

Support the National Conversations initiative

Transform Wales is proud to be part of the National Conversations initiative, and we’re seeking support to help fund a “digital future” bookshelf for every newly elected Member of the Senedd and Scottish Parliament in 2026.

The collection includes:

  • Platformland - by Richard Pope
  • Transforming Public Services for a Modern Wales - by Ann Kempster, Dai Vaughan, Jo Carter and Nia Campbell
  • The Foundations of the Digital State - by Gordon Guthrie

Read more about the initiative and support the crowdfunder.

This month’s digital news in Cymru

A decade later – launching the ONS website in 2016
Ten years on, Matt Jukes looks back at launching the new ONS website in 2016. He shares what it took to rebuild a widely criticised service, what the team learned about digital delivery, and the personal cost of doing high-pressure transformation work.

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Building user-centred design skills at DHCW
Sally Wong shares her experiences as a User-Centred Design apprentice at Digital Health and Care Wales. She reflects on learning across user research, graphic design and content design, and shows how the apprenticeship is helping her build confidence and practical skills to create more accessible, user-centred digital services.

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Why internal users matter in service design
Monika Mani Swiatek argues that user-centred design in Wales must focus not only on the public, but also on staff who use systems every day. The article shows how poorly designed internal tools create workarounds, delays and frustration, and makes the case for better user research to improve services for everyone.

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Lessons from Wales’ new eye referral service
Ayala Gordon reflects on the work to deliver a new national optometry e-referral service for Wales. The piece highlights the need to design around real user journeys, involve technical and clinical teams early, and measure success by the difference the service makes to patient care.

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Hacathon Hanes brings Welsh data to life
The National Library of Wales’ 2026 hackathon brought together people from different backgrounds to explore Welsh-language and historical datasets in creative ways. Projects ranged from AI-powered photo tools to a Welsh-learning app and new analysis of crime records, showing how open data can spark learning, research and new digital ideas.

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How service blueprints can support better services
In this CDPS post, Loubna Elharrif explains how service blueprints help teams see how a service really works, from the user’s point of view to the work behind the scenes. The article offers practical advice on using blueprints to spot problems, align teams and make better decisions about service improvement.

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Preparing for visitor accommodation registration
The Welsh Revenue Authority shares how it is getting ready for a new visitor accommodation registration service due to open in autumn 2026. The post by Registration Lead, Gareth shows that good service design is about more than the online form, with work also happening on guidance, staff training, support routes and internal systems so people can get things right first time.

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A year of weeknotes and working in the open
Another great post from Monika Mani Swiatek, who reflects on a year of writing weeknotes about user-centred design work in Wales. She shows how the practice has helped her think more clearly, speak more openly about challenges, and build understanding of UCD across health and public services.

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Who Cares About Wales?
Will Hayward’s new book is an accessible but hard-hitting look at how Wales has been let down by both Westminster and Cardiff Bay since devolution. It argues that the current system is failing people in Wales and calls for the public to demand better.

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Civic Punks world tour
The Civic Punks world tour is a global project spotlighting people who are working to make government more effective, just and people-centred. Through visits to places including Ottawa, Singapore, Australia and Japan, it aims to connect changemakers and build momentum for public sector reform. We’re hopeful they’ll stop in Cymru later this year - watch this space!

Upcoming events

Service Patterns UK community - Online, Thursday 26 March, 12:00pm
Adrián Ortega and Liam Collins will share how service patterns were developed at the Centre for Digital Public Services in Wales, from defining pattern categories to creating reusable flows for multiple organisations. They’ll describe how the work has evolved and where it’s heading next.