Assignments

TRC has been involved in a wide range of assignments over the years. We hope this short list of projects gives a flavour of the work we do.

Experience sharing networks

From 2004-08, TRC ran experience sharing programmes substantially funded by the private sector which brought together early adopters of technology with those who wish to understand the issues. The programmes include lunches, dinners, training programmes, collaborative best practice development and regular group meetings.

Structured experience sharing generates a trusted space that senior players from the public sector, the private sector and service providers value. The outcome is dialogue, not just talk and organisational insights that are ongoing, not one-off.

eEnablement Strategy for Procurement in the NHS (2006 to date)

The NHS spends £17bn in purchasing goods and services across more than 500 independent NHS Trusts. Tom is currently engaged by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency to support the development and implementation of an eEnablement strategy to support cost effective procurement. Tom’s role focuses particularly on stakeholder engagement across the health economy including public and private sector providers of healthcare products, services and technology. He is key adviser to the programme manager tasked with rolling out the strategy across the whole of the NHS.

Digital inclusion communications research (2008)

We were commissioned to carry out a substantial research assignment which aimed to bridge the gap between the known and proven potential of digital inclusion to improve and public outcome delivery chains. Specifically, the research developed:

1. A recommendation on best practice stakeholder engagement for effective digital inclusion communications
2. A practical mapping of digital inclusion audiences and channels to help guide implementation of the communication plan

The research was well-regarded and forms a substantial part of the Digital Inclusion Consultation currently released by DCLG.

Local e-Democracy (2006)

The local e-Democracy project was tasked with helping all English local authorities understand how new and emerging tools could help increase citizen participation in the local life (including political elections, but spread more widely to local consultation and community engagement). We were asked by the local e-Democracy National Project to research and write a benefits report which would:

• Explain what e-Democracy is
• Pose the case for interest and usage
• Relate e-Democracy to mainstream agendas
• Personalise the scale of benefits to a particular LA, both quantitative and qualitative
• Quantify the level of investment needed
• Identify drivers of success
• Identify key risks

We interviewed a cross-section of early adopters and those who were finding citizen engagement a struggle. We then drew up benefits scenarios and provided specific recommendations for local authorities wishing to realise the benefits available. In summary, the report argued that the tools and techniques developed for e-Democracy had wider application at all points where citizens, councillors and officers interact.

eInnovations

We worked with the e-Innovations National Project (now the DC10plus group) on a multi-year programme:

• To promote and celebrate innovation in local government, by illustrating innovation as a benevolent force for positive change
• To communicate and market the most successful outputs (or products) from specific e-Innovation Projects – hence driving product take-up
• To provide a framework of support for individual e-Innovation projects’ communication and marketing activities.

We took an approach which was designed to have a ‘cascade’ effect of building interest and engagement around the topic of Innovation. It was important to balance the requirement for promotion of tangible e-Innovation products with more conceptual ideas around creativity, transformation and innovation.

We carried out a full programme for e-Innovations, consisting of establishing the overall strategy, defining the marketing matrix of activities and planning and implementing the campaign.

Other projects include:

• Digital Challenge winners (DC10) and Government Offices Network Leverage Review (Nov-Dec 2007)
• Corporate services transformation review for the Department of Communities and Local Government Family (July-September 2007)
• Local government Chief Executives’ regional efficiency, effectiveness and e-government strategy reviews (2004-6)
• Specification and implementation of £8m national communications programme for £675m local e-government National Projects (2004-6)
• Specification and Management support for National eProcurement Project (2004-7)
• National Business Process Architecture (2006)
• Framework for Innovation–development of collaborative operating model (2006)
• Regional e-Government Partnership implementation and operation (2003-6)