From Red Tape to Results - Delivering Outcomes and ROI in UK Government

UK government is under pressure; rising demand, tight budgets and intense scrutiny on value for money. In addition, citizens and Ministers increasingly expect services to feel as simple and intuitive as the everyday digital experiences experienced across the private sector.

Through my conversations I can confidently say that within the Public Sector, ambition isn’t the issue. The challenge is turning data, automation and AI into delivery quickly without risking live services or waiting years to realise benefits. No easy job!

Most Public Sector leaders recognise the blockers: layered governance, fragmented systems, duplicated processes and too much manual effort. A term coined by Microsoft, ‘Frontier Firm’, outlines the ambition – a desire to deliver outcome-led services, with data and AI embedded in everyday work.

So, the question is: how do we build for the future of public services while still delivering measurable outcomes and ROI now?

Why Value Leaks

In my experience, a series of familiar culprits show up repeatedly:

·       Long procurement cycles

·       Big transformational programme costs, but slow/uneven benefits

·       High run costs from manual work and duplication

·       Tool sprawl without clear impact

·       Delivery cycles measured in years

The net result? Plenty of activity, but not enough value. The job is to close that gap quickly and safely.

The ’Frontier Firm’ concept is helpful because it’s concrete. End-to-end services designed around outcomes, decisions powered by good data, AI that reduces admin and improves consistency, and platforms that continuously improve. The challenge is how to get there, while creating and demonstrating value along the way.

The Middle Ground: Progress That Pays for Itself

The best teams do not choose between ‘transform’ and ‘run the business’. They deliver the future in controlled increments that reduce costs, free up capacity and improve services. Here’s what I’d recommend:

1) Start where outcomes are clearest

Start where the value case is strongest (e.g. cashable savings or reduced manual effort) and where delivery risk is lowest.

2) Modernise fast with low-code (and shrink your app estate)

Low-code technologies help teams redesign and deliver better processes quickly, often while reducing tool sprawl and license/support costs.

To share an example from our customer base within national healthcare, we replaced an off-the-shelf line of business system with a tailored low-code solution in just eight weeks. In doing so we removed a substantial annual license spend (six figures) for a single board, while improving data quality and control. This build also provided reusable components that could then be used to drive accelerated return against future similar use cases.

3) Apply automation and AI where it changes the cost base

Use automation and AI where it genuinely changes the cost base. Remove work, improve decision quality, increase throughput - without adding headcount.

To pull from another customer example, we helped Durham Constabulary handle and promptly deal with increasing safeguarding disclosure requests via a new case management solution. The force was dealing with a 70% YoY increase in requests following the introduction of online requests. We enabled the force to handle this increase and decrease its turnaround time to 17 days (well within the 28-day guideline) without increasing headcount. More importantly, Detective Inspector Andy Phillips, who has been with Durham Constabulary for 27 years, stated he believes “lives are being saved” thanks to the solution.

4) Measure value relentlessly

Measure what matters:

·       Baseline cost, effort, cycle time

·       Track outcomes openly

·       Separate cashable savings from efficiencies

·       Review progress with operations and finance weekly

Where Robiquity Fits

Robiquity helps Public Sector organisations leverage low-code, automation and AI technologies to deliver outcomes quickly, with strong governance and clear value tracking.

To us being a ‘Frontier Firm’ isn’t about chasing shiny new tech, it’s about making services better and demonstrating the impact of your tech investments. This shouldn’t come with a long wait. Working with Robiquity, we enable you to see measurable results quickly and consistently throughout your engagement. Our Public Sector customers see momentum and benefits multiply quickly.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Robiquity could help your organisation to achieve ‘Frontier Firm’ status, get in touch with us today.