Comments for Mission Creep | Neil Williams

Comment on If you started today, you would never build what we’ve got. You would build Alphagov. by Boot up: Microsoft ‘to buy Skype’, Anonymous divided, and more | Richard Hartley

Boot up: Microsoft ‘to buy Skype’, Anonymous divided, and more | Richard Hartley — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:52:22 +0000

[...] already [video] >> ReadWriteWebAndroid is presently streets ahead, but this is a great idea.If you started today, you would never build what we've got. You would build Alphagov >> Neil W…"We're mere days away from the big reveal of Alphagov, the prototype 'single domain' website which [...]

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by Jonathan Craymer

Jonathan Craymer — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:53:22 +0000

Hi Neil I’m hoping Alphagov will solve the security problems of “username & password”. We think we can provide a solution that’s ready to go.

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by John Fox

John Fox — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:40:33 +0000

Paul, have you looked into Socitm Insight’s cookie directive offering. That could be just what you (and your IT guys) need. http://www.Socitm.net/insight.

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by Paul Greene

Paul Greene — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:18:33 +0000

Hi Neil,

I work in the Communications department at a borough council, we are working on our social media strategy and want to make better use of our website to promote this.

How are you going to address the EU Cookie regulations? i keep hitting a wall as our IT guys keep quoting it as a reason not to keep developing our site(despite deferred for a year). Any help appreciated.

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by Gov.uk – From Alpha to Beta | Government Digital Service

Gov.uk – From Alpha to Beta | Government Digital Service — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 08:59:03 +0000

[...] is very fortunate in having been loaned Neil Williams from the Department for Business to lead development of this aspect of the beta. He’s got a [...]

Comment on Guest post on alpha.gov.uk’s vision for online consultation and policy engagement by Linda

Linda — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:47:12 +0000

Hello,

As I own a private music lecture and so at this moment creating a web site to aid our kids here http://readmusic.org

Will you mind if in case My partner and I quote a couple of of your content articles as long as I gives credit plus references back to your blogs? My blog is actually in the exact same area of interest as yours and our students would certainly certainly gain by a lot of the information you provide in this article. Please let me know if this okay with you.

Regards!

Comment on If you started today, you would never build what we’ve got. You would build Alphagov. by The power of the disinterested | GDS blog

The power of the disinterested | GDS blog — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:52:07 +0000

[...] different pool, from outside of government web circles. The idea is to give a blank sheet of paper (as others have said) to people who are approaching the conundrum, not the situation. The whole approach to the project [...]

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by Bryn Morgan

Bryn Morgan — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 07:52:29 +0000

Neil, this is a really exciting project and there is scope for real improvements in the presentation of government on the web. My interest is in ensuring policy development and analysis is accessible as possible so hope this is looked at as well as the “transactional” side of government. Also, there are valuable lessons in old policy discussions, so please make sure archived consultations etc do not disappear. We’re big users of all government websites, so happy to help out.

Bryn

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by Edwina Osborne

Edwina Osborne — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:42:05 +0000

Neil, Congratulations on your new role. My comments for you at this stage is:
- I fear that less high profile parts of government will risk getting lost and buried even further then presently.
- need to involve specialist users as early as possible in your thinking. You are welcome to present initial thinking to our Executive Board consisting of export professionals.
- single domain is useless and can actual hinder day to day work if the CMS is old fashioned and in flexible.

Happy to share web insight and background on how our web content is used and types of content published separately. Too little space here.

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by Graham Higgins

Graham Higgins — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:33:02 +0000

Hi Neil
if we’re going to get UK government to think and act digitally we need to find a way of releasing the shackles so that people can be creative digitally at work. At the moment we all act digitally at home, but as soon as we get to work everything is so locked down we can’t express ourselves digitally where it’s actually needed most. A case in point is the fact that no-one in government can watch a video on YouTube. If Microsoft can build an internal ‘YouTube’ so staff can communicate digitally (via Flip cameras/Zoom sound recorders) why can’t UK govt do the same? We need not only digital by default, but easy digital – imagine someone saying, ‘government digital, it just works’ – now that would be music to my ears

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by Michele Ide-Smith

Michele Ide-Smith — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 21:56:43 +0000

Congrats Neil! What a great opportunity for you – and the team. I second Vicky’s comments about linkages with local gov services and would also be happy to input if I can be of any help.

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by Vicky Sargent

Vicky Sargent — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:48:19 +0000

Pleased to hear this Neil.
As with all centrally-sponsored projects there is a certain amount of fuzziness about where local gov fits in to Alphagov …..give us a shout if you need any of our inputs. We’ve already sent in quite a lot of data from Socitm Better connected and Website takeup service.

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by Simon Dickson

Simon Dickson — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 08:31:26 +0000

A great appointment from their perspective Neil; not sure about from yours! Holding down a proper job whilst reinventing the whole of online government, not to mention domestic responsibilities… I don’t envy you. But I guess it’s one of those offers you can’t refuse. And the pain will only last so long.

The representation of government departments was probably the weakest area of the alpha. A solution needs to be found which meets the underlying objectives of the alpha/betagov initiative, but doesn’t make it impossible for departments to do their job. And indeed, the basis of said solution is almost certainly an evolution of what you’ve done at BIS, and what we’re doing with Defra: namely, devolved responsibility within a centrally managed framework, and at modest-to-low cost.

Best of luck, mate. And in case it doesn’t go without saying: we’re here to help.

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by PaulG

PaulG — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:19:19 +0000

Re: bringing in SMEs. Keep an eye out for enablers like this

http://paul.kinlan.me/web-intents-a-fresh-look

Provide the infrastructure which enables lite-touch hooks such as this, or (god forbid) WP extensions – in one direction and the base data which drives most gov websites/apps in the other.

Comment on Alphagov fanboy turns Betagov infiltrator by John Fox @x333xxx

John Fox @x333xxx — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:48:36 +0000

Good luck in the new role … I think you’re just what the project needs. I’d be very pleased to help out in any way that I can, just ask!

I believe a focus on customers’ top tasks, identified through hard evidence gathering, needs to be a key priority. Each section of the site needs to be prioritised appropriately to meet the needs of the majority in order to maximise take-up.