2. 2
First steps
• BIS had a history of experimenting digital policy making – but it had
been disjointed and we hadn’t always learned from experience
• Digital colleagues across BIS have implemented:
– Weekly digital surgeries
– Annual ‘digital fortnight’
– Digital champions
– Working group
– Embedding digital help in policy teams
– Blogging publicly about what’s worked and what hasn’t
– Digital outreach with online influencers
– Policy packs
– Internal communications campaigns
3. 3
Going beyond Twitter
• We decided to use our Digital Leader to engage with senior management
• To distract the attendees from their Blackberrys we asked the BIS DGs and Directors meeting this
question;
• Barack Obama has the 4th highest number of followers on Twitter in the world. Who are the 3 people
above him?
• They answered:
• The Queen
• The Pope
• Nelson Mandela
• The genuine answer was:
• 1st
Justin Bieber
• 2nd
Lady Gaga
• 3rd
Katy Perry
• Not everything on Twitter is worth listening to!
• Digital policy making is about more that consulting on Twitter, we’re working with
communication and policy teams to explore new ways of moving to digital by default and
genuinely improving policy making.
4. 4
Creating digital advocates
• We formed a Digital and Policy Working Group
• Mix of sceptics, enthusiasts, novices and experts
• Tasked with finding ways of embedding digital and
open policy methods across the Dept.
• Participants have self assessed their digital skills
• They take tasks away each time we meet: online
listening, blogging their experiences, running team
sessions
5. 5
Principles
• The web gives us access to existing data from our
audiences about the policy and services BIS and partner
organisations are responsible for. We should be using this
data to make better policy.
• Digital is about listening to what people are saying or doing
online, first and foremost. Engagement comes later.
• Digital is way more than social media: website statistics,
transactional data and discussion forums all constitute
forms of digital that can play a role in policy making.
• Digital is also a way of working more effectively; collating
and sharing information.
• Technology helps us do more online, but we only need the
basics to apply digital approaches in policy making.
Waiting for new IT need not be a blocker!
6. 6
Embedding digital
• Spending time sitting with teams during live
projects has been valuable
• Sharing data in the moment: comments, tweets,
forum conversations
• Helping colleagues use dashboards
• Understanding who the fans and who lacks
confidence
• Producing guidance for staff
7. 7
Surgeries and fortnights
• A weekly surgery, no question too great or small
• Helps identify upcoming projects, skills gaps,
concerns
• External speakers validate what we’re saying
• Mix of hands-on teaching, presentations and
discussion
• Opportunity to promote our guidance and training
8. 8
Case Studies
• We have blogged, Yammered and posted on out
Intranet, Top Tips, Myth Busters and Case studies
to show the good work and good practice that is
already going on around BIS.
9. 9
Online consultation
• The online consultation
generated over 250
responses (more than
double that of the off-line
version)
Q: Do you think 30 days is a reasonable period to return faulty goods for a full
refund?
o Yes
o No
o Not sure
If you think a different period should be set, either longer or shorter than 30
days, please use the comment box to say what you think the limit should be
and why.
[COMMENT BOX]
11. 11
Online consultation
• The online consultation
generated over 250
responses (more than
double that of the off-line
version)
Q: Do you think 30 days is a reasonable period to return faulty goods for a full
refund?
o Yes
o No
o Not sure
If you think a different period should be set, either longer or shorter than 30
days, please use the comment box to say what you think the limit should be
and why.
[COMMENT BOX]
12. 12
Consumer Bill of Rights
• From digital surgery to impending Act
• Online consultation
– Team responding in real time to consultee
questions
– Breaking down content into plain English
• Digital outreach continues through life of Bill
– Asking “what if questions”
– Online polls
– Listening to online conversations
– Using previous insight to inform digital outreach
13. 13
Online consultation
• The online consultation
generated over 250
responses (more than
double that of the off-line
version)
Q: Do you think 30 days is a reasonable period to return faulty goods for a full
refund?
o Yes
o No
o Not sure
If you think a different period should be set, either longer or shorter than 30
days, please use the comment box to say what you think the limit should be
and why.
[COMMENT BOX]
14. 14
The Bill
• Our “Tweetreach” exceeded over 1 Million accounts: due to outreach
• Beyond Twitter: forums, blogs, Linked In & Facebook
15. 15
Science and society
• Conducted online reviews of strategy – enabling
comments to shape vision
• Social listening key part of major public attitudes
survey
• Blog and tweet on survey results – eg taking part
in #scicommlit Twitter chat
• Listening via Netvibes
16. 16
FELTAG
• Advisory group looking at use of technology in
Further Education colleges
• Invited comments via use of Google Drive
• Further shaping strategy with use of external
commentary facility
17. 17
Labour Market Listening
• Listening to online conversations on zero hours
contracts- during consultation & review
• Online listening informs ministerial briefing
• Listening results in Employment Law
“mythbusting” blog
18. 18
Shameless Publicity
• “What public consultation can look like”
• “What BIS has done with the
consultation on the Consumer Rights Bill is
magnificent, and I hope they get a response to
reflect that.”
(postbureaucrat.com; September 10 2013)
19. Digital policy-making in BIS’s Labour
Market Directorate
Paula Lovitt MBE
Henry Green
Employment Status and Employment Contracts Policy Team, Labour
Market Directorate
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
20. What do we mean by
digital?• Two main uses: engagement and listening.
• Engagement – publicising consultations online,
tweeting policy announcements etc.
• Listening – reading industry blogs, tracking public
mood etc.
21. Engagement – why?
• Share good news and
announcements
• Reach a wider audience
• Target specific audiences
• Test and challenge our
approach
22. Listening – why?
• Hear from new people
• Research and identify MP or
campaign group arguments
beforehand
• Target specific audiences
24. Case study 2 – Zero Hours Contracts
consultation
• Vast majority of
consultation responses
via. Survey Monkey
• We asked stakeholders
to circulate the link for us
(i.e. Mumsnet and Saga)
to ensure it reached all
stakeholders
• 38,000 responses –
biggest in BIS history
25. Be prepared!
• Digital engagement means more people know
about your policy and consultation
• More awareness = more responses
• Zero Hours consultation got 800 substantive
responses and 37,000+ emails from the public
• One group’s successful internet campaign can
shift the outcome of the whole consultation
26. The future?• Faster responses – need to
respond quickly to people in
the digital age
• Re-evaluate our approach
to open-policy making –
how do we analyse and value
them?
• A more digitally literate
Civil Service
