Mike Payne is CAP Delivery Programme’s Technical Delivery Manager
I work for the Government Digital Service and am helping Defra to realise the Government’s digital strategy, which in short means delivering digital services that meet users’ needs.
I’ve been working in IT a long time and it is my job on the Programme to ensure that all the pieces of IT and software come together to work as one, ready for our Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) applicants.
This is an exciting time for Defra as we take on this role of “systems integrator” rather than contract it out. This gives us greater flexibility to make changes quickly and react to changing requirements.
For the new CAP Information Service our approach to IT development – building in short bursts, working closely with users to review our outputs, growing skills in civil servants rather than using contractors – means we’re able to rapidly bring together all the bits of the previous application systems, data security, hosting for the new IT and a new accounting system into one service.
These are all the things that will make our users’ experience better.
I have regular frustrations and technical challenges to contend with, but I am continually encouraged by both the feedback we’re receiving from users; and the fact that we’re developing services that are re-usable across the public sector network. We own it, we can change it!
My ambition is that we deliver a highly-valued, easy to use and continually evolving service.
Video: watch a preview of the new CAP Information Service