People encouraged to shape a new Digital Strategy for Wales

A series of blogs from guest contributors including Deputy Minister for Economy, Lee Waters and the Welsh Government’s Chief Digital Officer Glyn Jones will help shape the conversation.

The Welsh Government wants people to comment on the blogs and provide feedback, which will be crucial in the development of the strategy. The aim is to publish the final version next year.

The new strategy will help ensure people in Wales experience modern, efficient and streamlined public services and at the same time will stimulate innovation in the Welsh economy.

The strategy has six missions:

• Digital services
To deliver and modernise services to a common set of standards so that they are simple, secure and convenient

• Digital economy
Driving economic growth, productivity and resilience by embracing and exploiting digital innovation

• Digital skills
Creating a society and workforce that is efficient, informed, collaborative and able to interact securely in a digital world

• Digital inclusion
To equip people with the motivation, access, skills and confidence to engage with an increasingly digital world, based on their needs

• Digital connectivity
That services are supported by fast and reliable infrastructure

• Data and collaboration
Improve services by working together, with data and knowledge being used and shared

Blogs will be posted online about each mission over the coming weeks to help explain the outcomes the Welsh Government aims to achieve and some of the actions that have been identified to deliver these.

Deputy Minister for Economy, Lee Waters said: “It’s clear digital tools, ways of working and technologies are changing all parts of our lives – how we live, work and connect with one another – and that has never been more evident than during the coronavirus pandemic.

“This strategy will be crucial in shaping how we effectively harness digital, data, technology and AI now and in the future for the benefit of people in Wales.

“We have a real opportunity here to use the power of digital to improve our public services and create a culture of innovation and collaboration.

“We have made some progress in this area, but there is certainly a lot more to be done.

“While the Welsh Government has a clear leadership role in delivery, what is clear is that we cannot do this alone. That is why we’re encouraging our citizens, businesses and organisations to get involved and provide feedback and suggestions which will be important in shaping this plan.

“Change is happening at pace and by working together we can ensure that change benefits us as a nation.”