techUK has launched an initiative to create ‘meaningful engagement’ between technology companies and the public sector, to help overcome ‘a fear of failure’ it believes is prevalent.

The ‘Three Point Plan’ lays out a set of aims for the industry around reforming public services to better meet citizens’ needs. “We believe what is missing is a real and meaningful engagement between the industry and the public sector”, said Naureen Khan, Associate Director at techUK’s Public Sector programme.

The plan is based on three tenets: ‘better engagement’, ‘better information’ and ‘more innovation’. A key feature of the ‘better engagement’ stream is to provide technical assistance to civil servants before they develop policy. 

“techUK members are to engage much earlier in the process, ensuring officials develop policy with a proper understanding of what technology can do”, said Khan. She said this could lead to better public services which “use the very best digital innovation available”.

The organisation is also offering the chance to test out new projects “in a risk-free environment” by inviting civil servants to use its ‘innovation den’. Khan said this was “designed to overcome the problem of public sector innovation being strangled by the fear of failure”.

A launch event that took place on Monday saw 100 representatives from the UK technology industry gather with ‘opinion formers with an interest in public service delivery’. Speakers included George Freeman MP, Minister for Life Sciences who discussed the role of the plan in the delivery of affordable and quality healthcare services. 

techUK members have discussed the plan with key Government departments, including the Government Digital Service, said Khan.