London Office of Technology & Innovation (LOTI)

💡Looking for a new impactful role in tech, digital, data or innovation? Visit our jobs board for more info! https://loti.london/jobs/ #jobs #data #tech #digital #innovation #localgov

My first LinkedIn weeknote inspired by a digital inclusion session I volunteered for this week at Camden's wonderful Third Age Project. (I've been writing weeknotes to my team at Camden for over a year and we recently had a session about working more in the open so - here I am.) Links included to how you too can volunteer to be a Digital Champion for Camden (or in your area).

🚨Job Alert!!!🚨 Hello everyone! I’m currently recruiting a Head of Service Design & Digital Experience to join our fantastic management team. This is a brilliant opportunity to lead a growing function and shape how digital and service design can drive meaningful change across one of London’s most dynamic and diverse boroughs. If you (or anyone you know who may be interested) are a strategic thinker with a passion for human-centred design, digital innovation, and improving public services, we would love to hear from you! Take a look at the role below or if you have any questions feel free to contact me or Ben Tuckfield who is helping us with recruitment. Thanks! Arsalan Engineer Omid Shiraji Sal Asghar Nathan Nagaiah Lauren White Damian Mayer Andy Harris Brett McKee Simon Putnam Gareth Charles Ayesha Hakim Rahman Gordon McFarlane Henrietta Curzon James Partis Tracey Graham Lyndsay Baker Faisal Gajia Justin Hutchinson Theo Blackwell MBE Tom Alexander Sarah Sturrock Professor Matt Bellgard Catherine Fitzgerald Ferzanah Ahmed Raf Patel London Office of Technology & Innovation (LOTI)Joanne Cumper Jay Saggar Sam Nutt Rehana Ramesh Kieran Johnston Darren Farmer Isa Kolehmainen Angeliki Koumani

Get Online London is a collaboration between us, the London Office of Technology & Innovation (LOTI) and Mayor of London, helping Londoners to get online. Since June 2022, we've supported many people with free data, devices and digital skills support. Find out how many we've helped in the image below! ⬇️

Our LOTI community is hiring! Visit our website for the latest tech, data, digital roles in London local government: https://loti.london/jobs/ #jobs #london #localgov #tech #data

"Innovation districts are an engine for growth, but can also work with communities to deliver tangible local benefits." Yesterday we were delighted to attend Bloomberg Associates launch of Innovation Districts and Local Communities: A Field Guide for Action, in collaboration with Greater London Authority, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Innovation District and Knowledge Quarter. We were also glad to see a few familiar faces from our LOTI community and partners! Check out the full report for: 🚀 Opportunities for local authorities 💡30+ innovation case studies from London and beyond 🤝 How the combination of civic leadership and close collaboration with local communities have been at the heart of London's three principal innovation districts https://lnkd.in/e_KHpu6t #innovation #innovationdistricts #london #collaboration #partnership #cocreation

Yesterday Bloomberg Associates officially launched its field guide for local government, developers, and innovation districts to deliver meaningful community benefit. With detailed case studies and interviews, this report is a rich, instructive resource for incorporating community voices into the development of an innovation ecosystem from the very outset. It highlights best practices from a variety of sectors to serve as inspiration. Thank you to our partners Greater London Authority Knowledge Quarter and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and to our content partners Richard Brown and Emma Frost for their collaboration and contributions to this important piece of work. Click through to read the report below. Thank you to all the policymakers, thought leaders, and community organizations who joined us for our launch event at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park yesterday. Todd Asher Katherine Oliver Richard Brown Emma Frost Shazia Hussain Jodie Eastwood Abdul Rahim Francesca Colloca Sandy Tung Howard Dawber OBE London Legacy Development Corporation Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Innovation District https://lnkd.in/gdceYp5R

Looking for an example of where regional data sharing changes real lives? Look no further than this initiative that aims to ensure no child misses out on free school meals due to the quirks of administrative boundaries... Super proud of my team and borough colleagues working on this 👇

Agree with all of these findings: Well-prepared Hackathons thrive! Participants emphasised the importance of setting teams up for success – with clear datasets, accessible tools and clearly defined, meaningful challenges. Although valid concerns around personal data and privacy were raised, there was real interest in the potential of synthetic data generated by GenAI (Generative Artificial Intelligence) to support early-stage innovation, with the important caveats that any synthetic data must be representative, free from bias and used within a framework of clear governance and ethical oversight. Innovation – yes. But always responsibly. Residents must remain as the North Star.  One of the key messages was that any innovation must keep residents at the heart of everything. We are not just about experimenting for fun but about solving real problems with real people in mind. Our participants suggested designating a dedicated team member as the “Voice of the Resident” – a person or persons who consistently champions the needs, perspectives and lived experiences of residents throughout the entire project. We discussed how the role would help ensure that innovation stays grounded in real-world impact and not only in technical solutions. Information governance is not an “afterthought”. Inviting external partners into these spaces means we must think carefully about data privacy and protocols. There were many suggestions on how to manage this, ranging from creating sandboxed environments through to establishing clear documentation and onboarding processes. We set up an IT & Information Governance Working Group for the Innovation space, but we recognise that there is still more work that needs to be done on this. A Changing Narrative in Local Government. Perhaps the most powerful insight wasn’t about tools or processes, but people. The passion, creativity and optimism in the room demonstrated that the old cliché of ‘local government is a decade behind’, no longer holds. Even with diminishing budgets and increasing demand for services, we are ready to try new things. We recognise that local government can be reliable and radical and that perceived “failures” are learning moments on the road to better services.

Great to write a blog for London Office of Technology & Innovation (LOTI) about our new Innovation Space! 📝 We tested our new approach at their Data Jamboree and got loads of insight, honest feedback, and things to take forward. 💡 ‘The Base’ is still in its early days but it’s already shaping up to be a space for bold ideas, new ways of working, and learning by doing 🚀