Civil Service Data Challenge Articles
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Unlocking data and AI for the public good tops agenda at GGF event in London
Delegates will come together in London today to share insights on how the public sector can capitalise on the full potential of data and AI to improve public services. Public Service Data.AI, which is organised by Global Government Forum and hosted by HM Government, will take place at the Business Design Centre. It is the…
UK Civil Service Data Challenge finale to showcase transformation ideas
GGF’s Digital and Data Monitor newsletter is taking a break in August, but we are still covering the latest government news in this area. Sign up to receive email updates and the newsletter when it returns. The upcoming finale of the UK Civil Service Data Challenge will showcase ideas on how government can use data to…
Senior US official defends telework policy – as Canadian government wants officials in the office three days a week
Welcome to this month’s Global Government Forum Management and Workforce Monitor This month, we cover the latest thinking on remote working, a payroll hack at the UK’s Ministry of Defence, civil servants’ ideas for data innovation, and more. In this edition: Senior US government official defends telework policy – as Canadian government wants officials in…
2024 longlist for Civil Service Data Challenge announced
The longlist for the 2024 Civil Service Data Challenge has been revealed, with projects setting out how the UK government could make better use of the data it collects. The competition sees civil servants produce the best ideas to improve data use across government and is run in collaboration between the Cabinet Office, Global Government…
Third edition of Civil Service Data Challenge opens for entries
The UK Civil Service Data Challenge, which aims to identify ways that government can improve how it uses data to deliver public services, has opened for entries for 2023-24. Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart has launched the third iteration of the initiative, highlighting that it has delivered tangible benefits for the public in the last…
Modern slavery detection plan triumphs in UK Data Challenge
A plan to use data to detect incidents of modern slavery has come first in the UK Civil Service Data Challenge, securing £50,000-worth of development support to take the project to the next stage. At the ‘Dragon’s Den’-style Data Challenge final on Thursday, the four finalist teams each had 15 minutes to present their ideas,…
UK chief operating officer tackles the constraints on innovation in government
At the Innovation conference in London on 21 March, UK civil service chief operating officer Alex Chisholm mapped out the barriers to innovation in government, and suggested ways to tackle them – without relying on the ‘lone visionaries who like to break things’ The UK civil service has demonstrated its ability to innovate, its chief…
2022 Civil Service Data Challenge finalists revealed
From policy experiments in virtual worlds to data dashboard to improving child maintenance compliance: 2022 Civil Service Data Challenge finalists revealed The finalists for the 2022 Civil Service Data Challenge have been revealed, with four groundbreaking ideas to improve the use of data in government now set to be developed by experts. A collaboration between…
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Civil Service Data Challenge Research
Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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