The Government Digital Service is a new team within Cabinet Office tasked with transforming government digital services.

Established in response to Martha Lane Fox’s report, ‘Directgov 2010 and beyond: revolution not evolution’ (download the PDF, 2.7MB), our core purpose is to ensure the Government offers world-class digital products that meet people’s needs.

There are two key implications of the strategy of Digital by Default which came out of the government’s response to Martha Lane Fox’s report. The first implication is that government itself needs to become digital in thinking in order to deliver services which are suitable for users. The second implication is that as digital by default comes into effect the scale of government service provision will grow dramatically and the quality and user centricity of major commercial internet properties should be our minimum goal. We aim to make the products and services built by GDS not just best in class, but stand shoulder to shoulder with the sort of digital experience that users come to expect from daily interaction with the giants of the web.

Our aim is to be the unequivocal owner of high quality user experience between people and government through being the architect and the engine room of government digital service provision.

Thayer has been central to the creation of the Government Digital Service. Sourcing and managing key people, creating and driving a team from scratch, not to mention playing a key part in knitting together a disparate bunch of outstanding digital people into a high performing team. Thayer’s insight, pragmatism and entrepreneurialism make her a standout digital advisor and partner.
Mike Bracken Executive Director, Digital at Cabinet Office, British Government