UK Government

We learned the language of digital. Now it’s time to learn the practice.

I’ve spent most of my career helping teams move from talking about user-centred design (UCD) to actually doing it, often as part of digital transformation programmes. And one thing I’ve learned is this: transformation doesn’t stall because people don’t care. It stalls because we treat “digital” as technology, rather than a way of working and thinking.

A better way

If Wales wants to rise to the challenge of improving public services, we have to change how we design and deliver them. That means putting people first, adopting modern and open ways of working, drawing on the best digital practices to build services that are simple, efficient, and designed around real life-needs.

Invest in modern skills and expertise - How we get there

Better public services start with the right people. Modern, user-centred services require skills that still aren’t widespread across the Welsh public sector – especially in user research, service design, content design, delivery management and engineering.

Thanks and acknowledgements

We’re deeply grateful to the many people whose insights and feedback helped shape this report. This includes current and former public servants, ministers, academics, industry experts and Senedd watchers.

Who we are

We’re a collective of digital transformation and design experts with decades of experience leading change across Welsh public services and UK Government.

Why this matters

Welsh public services haven’t kept up. Technology has transformed how we live, work, and connect with the world. People expect public services to be simple, fast, and user-friendly – just like everything else in their lives. But too often, government services are slow, clunky, and frustrating.

"UK Government"