This document discusses the UK Department for Communities and Local Government's (DCLG) efforts around open policy making (OPM) regarding an aging society and digital inclusion. Key points: 1) DCLG was already engaged in some OPM initiatives like public consultation and evidence reviews. The Government Digital Service (GDS) and Government Office for Science prompted more focus on aging issues. 2) A major challenge is the high level of digital exclusion among older citizens and ensuring technology supports independent living. Opportunities include UK research and innovative digital solutions. 3) DCLG is convening practitioners and researchers to identify gaps between research findings and real-world applications to help shape policy and service design

1. Helping join-up the “Grey Cells”
OPM SPRINT – 19th
May 2014
“Operation Grey Cells”
Digital Inclusion and Ageing Communities

2. What DCLG were doing already around OPM
We already had some good OPM examples in the Department:
•Community Budgets and Public Service Transformation Network;
•Neighbourhood Budgets/Our Place!;
•the Knight Fire Review, conducted by an independent expert;
•National Planning Policy Framework, digital consultation;
•Neighbourhood Planning, mobilising local action and use of social media (linkedin,
twitter) to engage in local conversations;
•our localities role, which encourages colleagues to develop external relationships
which give us feedback on how policies are performing and what our stakeholders
are thinking;
•our active support for the What Works centres, particularly on local economic
growth, ageing and well-being.

3. DCLG progress to date on OPM
•Preparing and agreeing an overall plan for the Policy Profession;
•Contributing case studies, speakers and wider suggestions for Cabinet Office
open policy events and publications (and more generally helping to maintain the
Department’s ‘exemplar’ status and reputation for being pro-active with the centre
on this subject);
•Highlighting open policy as a priority in newly developed induction modules for
new staff, policy schools, Better Department task & finish groups, intranet
communications such as the Policy Profession blog;
•Developing a network of open policy practitioners in the Department, signposting
colleagues to case studies and experienced teams, and encouraging ‘word of
mouth’ to spread awareness;
•Trying to ensure join up with related initiatives such as Open Data, promotion of
digital (see below), What Works evidence centres, evidence peer reviews, the work
of other professional groups in the Department.

4. Permission
Constrained Opportunities to experiment
Ambition
LowHigh
Informed policy making
Developing policy with users at the heart
Collaborative policy making
Multidisciplinary team
Evidence
gathering
Expert engagement
Consultation
Public engagement
Multidisciplinary reference
group
Scenario testing
Testing
Coproduction
Public
experience map
Insight tools Call for challenge
Stakeholder map
Persona testing
Crowdsourcing
Where we think we are on the spectrum
Open Policy Making mindsetOpen Policy Making mindset

5. Big Issues
Ageing Society
Impact on Public Service
Budgets
High level of
Digital Exclusion
amongst the over 60’s

6. Big Opportunities
Living Longer
Digital and Technology
Innovation
World Beating Research base

7. DCLG Developing a Leadership focus on Ageing

8. OPM Big-Break came when
GDS set-up a Digital Inclusion Team
GO-Science was commissioned
to do a future options on ageing policy review.
…… and both came knocking at DCLG’s door

9. Big OPM Question ?
Do we face a perfect storm unless we get the
grey cells of government and beyond working
more smartly on the issues ?
But what do they tell us when we start to put
them together ?

10. OPM – Getting Started
“Falling off the Bandwagon” - Open Policy Making at Windsor Castle

11. The Wider Picture
• Older people’s views
• Policy makers and Practitioners – beyond the
usual Whitehall and Westminster suspects
• Tapping into the specialist research base
• Be Curious

12. Knowledge and
understanding
Learning &
engagement
strategies
Technical design,
HCI
Awareness
education &
supportUNIVERSITY OF
CAMBRIDGE
JUDGE BUSINESS
SCHOOL
Nagging question - how to link-up with Policy
Makers and Practitioners ?

13. Looking at Localities
Tweeting “Grannies” helping to
shape local service design
Online Dementia support pilot
Community Hubs
Promoting Digital skills to
combat isolation

14. Putting the pieces together
What’s going on out in the real world
Real cases in Real places
How that relates to the research picture
Looking for the joins and the gaps

15. Understanding Digital by Default
GDS real catalyst – real help – reality
checks
Digital Inclusion Team devising the
checklist and scale to help evaluate
projects and approaches
Assisted Digital Team - going out and
learning how older people access services
and how services can be designed with
them in mind
GDS Playbooks - highlighting the digital
tools and techniques we can use to enrich
our under-standing of the issues.

16. DCLG’s first “PiP” workshop
GDS – Digital Inclusion Strategy
Practitioners stories and NDA research findings
Shared mapping tool and policy-makers cycle
Social Media savvy - allowing us to capture the
bigger picture Building on the GDS Playbook .
“Policy into
Practice”

17. So what’s that telling us ?
• Many older people are enthusiastic and successful users of ICTs/the internet but
sustained digital engagement can be hampered/halted, by physical, cognitive,
personal/social changes that occur as we age and by technological change.
• Older ICT users want readily available, trusted and sustained support
(including ‘troubleshooting’), embedded in social activities / personal interests, free
of time pressure and assessments, impartial advice and ‘try before you buy’ of ICT
devices including telecare/self-care products .
• Appropriate design and ICT learning and support in the community to meet
these needs can extend successful use of ICTs to prolong independence and
autonomy
• Older people can be empowered to shape design of ICTs, make decisions and
enhance their quality of life within an ethical framework which ensures respect
for lived experience, nurtures and safeguards older people, and uses appropriate
methods
• There is an ICT learning and support void to fill beyond the workplace

18. What’s the possible gaps ?
• Research into ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘what would make a difference’ to
complement research in to ‘what’.
• Investment in knowledge translation/knowledge-brokering processes to
achieve ‘knowledge-into-action’. E.g. from the vast repository of
publically funded research freely available.
• Comprehensive, freely available technology learning and support in
communities and homes to promote adoption of technologies to
promote independent living and enhance quality of life.
• Tools/techniques methods for engaging the community in
requirements specification and in co-design and decision-making.
• Commissioned cross-project reviews/synthesis of findings from
research projects to inform policy decisions and strategies.

19. What’s Next
Joint DCLG/ GO-Science “Crowd-Sourcing” Seminar to
model “Connected 3rd
Age Plus”
to feed into
•Chief Scientist’s Review on Options for Ageing Society
•Centre on Better Ageing
•Public Service Transformation Network

20. OPM allows us to inject real new thinking around
“wicked issues”
Maps and Models what works and what is possible
Helps harness the "Grey Cells" - thinking and
finding solutions.