Devon County Council is making plans for an internal digital and technology service to lead its design of new digital solutions.
It has pointed to a need to develop projects more quickly with digital experts being involved in the discussions at an earlier stage.
The council has issued a procurement notice for support in the development of the new service, following the completion of a discovery phase in-house. It said it now has a high level design for a digital technology service, along with a sketched programme of activities required for implementation, and wants a supplier to work with its management group on redesigning ICT processes in line with its new principles.
Devon has a digital strategy focused on five themes: skills and knowledge; connectivity and infrastructure; democracy and engagement; tools and transactions; and data and intelligence.
It has identified a potential using mixed and augmented reality in new services, citing Microsoft as a key partner and saying the technology could be applied in functions such as asset management, maintenance, mobility, wellness and sustainability.
It also highlights the scope for artificial intelligence, home assistants and hubs, and developing its data intelligence capability.
The council is also among the signatories of the Local Digital Declaration, developed by the Local Digital team in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and a collection of local authorities to support the design of services and obtain more flexibility tools from the technology market.
Image from devon.gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0
