Tom Loosemore
@tomski.com
Partner at Public Digital, co-founder Government Digital Service, ex-BBC. Expect occasional small boat sailing.
Wonderful interview with @kwastell.bsky.social in @designweek.co.uk which nicely captures the pragmatism, messiness and sheer human graft required to create the organisational, conditions for customer centricity. www.designweek.co.uk/there-is-no-...
www.designweek.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Wonderful interview with @kwastell.bsky.social in @designweek.co.uk which nicely captures the pragmatism, messiness and sheer human graft required to create the organisational, conditions for customer centricity. www.designweek.co.uk/there-is-no-...
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
These are really interesting reflections on what civil servants do to help create legislation.
And I've finally found out what my brother did for all those years...
And I've finally found out what my brother did for all those years...
November 16, 2025 at 9:53 PM
These are really interesting reflections on what civil servants do to help create legislation.
And I've finally found out what my brother did for all those years...
And I've finally found out what my brother did for all those years...
Guess the dataset in this chart.
October 20, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Guess the dataset in this chart.
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
Just want to shout out to @ntcouncilteam.bsky.social who’ve quietly launched the new website- from the confusing mess and collection of PDFs for bin day to this lovely little fella
October 16, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Just want to shout out to @ntcouncilteam.bsky.social who’ve quietly launched the new website- from the confusing mess and collection of PDFs for bin day to this lovely little fella
Excellent case study. TL;DR is that when offering common platforms to gov institutions, you have to think of your users as customers, and apply Lean/Agile toolkit to find product/market fit.
🎉 CASE STUDY ON GOVERNMENT PLATFORMS! 🎉
Scaling Digital Infrastructure in a Siloed State: How the UK government designed & financed GOV.UK Notify
Notify saves the UK gov millions but creating & financing gov platforms is challenging!
Big TY to Hannah White & @jordynfetter.bsky.social.
bit.ly/42FkBQr
Scaling Digital Infrastructure in a Siloed State: How the UK government designed & financed GOV.UK Notify
Notify saves the UK gov millions but creating & financing gov platforms is challenging!
Big TY to Hannah White & @jordynfetter.bsky.social.
bit.ly/42FkBQr
Scaling Digital Infrastructure in a Siloed State
Authored by Hannah White and David Eaves
www.ucl.ac.uk
October 16, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Excellent case study. TL;DR is that when offering common platforms to gov institutions, you have to think of your users as customers, and apply Lean/Agile toolkit to find product/market fit.
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
I wrote about what it was like to go online for the first time 30 years ago. How hard and complicated it seemed, and then how amazing this entirely new world was. Including some extracts from my 1995 diary.
www.gyford.com/phil/writing...
www.gyford.com/phil/writing...
My first months in cyberspace
Recalling the difficulties and wonder of getting online for the first time in 1995, including diary extracts from the time.
www.gyford.com
October 15, 2025 at 3:10 PM
I wrote about what it was like to go online for the first time 30 years ago. How hard and complicated it seemed, and then how amazing this entirely new world was. Including some extracts from my 1995 diary.
www.gyford.com/phil/writing...
www.gyford.com/phil/writing...
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
Today is the last day the IRS accepts tax returns.
It’s also the last day to use Direct File, the IRS’ beloved, free tax filing service, before it’s shut down.
💔 ✊❤️
It’s also the last day to use Direct File, the IRS’ beloved, free tax filing service, before it’s shut down.
💔 ✊❤️
October 15, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Today is the last day the IRS accepts tax returns.
It’s also the last day to use Direct File, the IRS’ beloved, free tax filing service, before it’s shut down.
💔 ✊❤️
It’s also the last day to use Direct File, the IRS’ beloved, free tax filing service, before it’s shut down.
💔 ✊❤️
"AI may be giving you a million prototypes, but if you listen, AI is telling you in quite a painful way that being able to get feedback on your artefacts is much, much more important than the artefacts themselves."
Much hard-earned test and learn wisdom in this post from @duncanjbrown.com
Much hard-earned test and learn wisdom in this post from @duncanjbrown.com
Why I don't believe in "small giants": mechanicalsurvival.com/blog/team-dy...
Team dynamics after AI
Small giants and real giants
mechanicalsurvival.com
October 6, 2025 at 9:37 AM
"AI may be giving you a million prototypes, but if you listen, AI is telling you in quite a painful way that being able to get feedback on your artefacts is much, much more important than the artefacts themselves."
Much hard-earned test and learn wisdom in this post from @duncanjbrown.com
Much hard-earned test and learn wisdom in this post from @duncanjbrown.com
Lee over Sands. One of my favourite places on a windy evening.
October 4, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Lee over Sands. One of my favourite places on a windy evening.
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
"When you’re trying to bring about significant change in any complex system, it’s impossible to know up front exactly what’s going to work, how the various risks are going to pan out or how the context is going to change."
'Being a leader isn’t about becoming great at everything': Civil service reform DG Janet Hughes sets out her priorities
Hughes, who became Cabinet Office DG for civil service reform and efficiency in June, on bringing the spirit of One Team Gov to her new role, test ...
www.civilserviceworld.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:53 PM
"When you’re trying to bring about significant change in any complex system, it’s impossible to know up front exactly what’s going to work, how the various risks are going to pan out or how the context is going to change."
Just seen this Texas TI30 Galaxy on eBay and I'm suddenly back at my comp, being bullied for not having a hideous Casio FX82 like literally everyone else.
No regrets.
No regrets.
October 1, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Just seen this Texas TI30 Galaxy on eBay and I'm suddenly back at my comp, being bullied for not having a hideous Casio FX82 like literally everyone else.
No regrets.
No regrets.
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
The Boring Fund will be open for applications in November.
If your small UK charity needs (up to) £200 to cover something boring like insurance or web hosting, take a look.
They welcome donations too.
If your small UK charity needs (up to) £200 to cover something boring like insurance or web hosting, take a look.
They welcome donations too.
The Boring Fund - Open Collective
We support small non-profit organisations (UK) by only funding the really boring (but essential) stuff like insurance, accountancy or admin
opencollective.com
September 29, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The Boring Fund will be open for applications in November.
If your small UK charity needs (up to) £200 to cover something boring like insurance or web hosting, take a look.
They welcome donations too.
If your small UK charity needs (up to) £200 to cover something boring like insurance or web hosting, take a look.
They welcome donations too.
Replit so very fun. (And so very dangerous.)
September 26, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Replit so very fun. (And so very dangerous.)
This new course on public sector strategy has piqued my interest. vaughntan.org/newpublicstr... Am liking the embracing of uncertainty, and the need to move beyond private sector approaches to strategy. @vaughn.bsky.social
A new way to teach public sector strategy - Vaughn Tan
tl;dr: After over a decade teaching strategy in private and public sector settings, I’ve developed a new public sector strategy course that flips
vaughntan.org
September 12, 2025 at 10:11 AM
This new course on public sector strategy has piqued my interest. vaughntan.org/newpublicstr... Am liking the embracing of uncertainty, and the need to move beyond private sector approaches to strategy. @vaughn.bsky.social
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
Kicking off *exactly* two weeks from now...
🚨 2 WEEKS TODAY 🚨
It's Data Bites #58 with @publicdigital.bsky.social, in London & online
6pm, Thu 18 Sept
Speakers include:
- @bothness.bsky.social, ONS
- Andrea Barry, Youth Futures Foundation, on their data dashboard
- Leonardo Mazzone, DBT, on matching companies across datasets.
Sign up!
It's Data Bites #58 with @publicdigital.bsky.social, in London & online
6pm, Thu 18 Sept
Speakers include:
- @bothness.bsky.social, ONS
- Andrea Barry, Youth Futures Foundation, on their data dashboard
- Leonardo Mazzone, DBT, on matching companies across datasets.
Sign up!
Data Bites #58 — Public Digital
public.digital
September 4, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Kicking off *exactly* two weeks from now...
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
It drives me a bit nuts that the left is just as bad for spouting misinformation and disinformation as the right. Just because "the good guys" are being economical with the actualite (at best) doesn't make it ok. This is a good delve into Curtis's latest nonsense.
Shifty stuff
A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest
bristoliver.substack.com
June 16, 2025 at 10:02 AM
It drives me a bit nuts that the left is just as bad for spouting misinformation and disinformation as the right. Just because "the good guys" are being economical with the actualite (at best) doesn't make it ok. This is a good delve into Curtis's latest nonsense.
"Proliferation... is not about copying prototypes wholesale, nor about enforcing a top-down model of “scaling.” Rather, it is about growing ideas through distributed leadership, learning, and iteration."
www.mutualventures.co.uk/post/sustain...
Worth a read, is this by @andrewlaird.bsky.social
www.mutualventures.co.uk/post/sustain...
Worth a read, is this by @andrewlaird.bsky.social
June 14, 2025 at 3:16 PM
"Proliferation... is not about copying prototypes wholesale, nor about enforcing a top-down model of “scaling.” Rather, it is about growing ideas through distributed leadership, learning, and iteration."
www.mutualventures.co.uk/post/sustain...
Worth a read, is this by @andrewlaird.bsky.social
www.mutualventures.co.uk/post/sustain...
Worth a read, is this by @andrewlaird.bsky.social
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
Sometimes good things happen to good people. Congrats @janethughes.bsky.social and @benterrett.bsky.social #BirthdayHonours
June 14, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Sometimes good things happen to good people. Congrats @janethughes.bsky.social and @benterrett.bsky.social #BirthdayHonours
"Transformation happens at the speed of trust" is a phrase we say a lot to @publicdigital.bsky.social clients. I thought I'd write an article explaining in more detail what we mean.
Improving trust within clients is one the outcomes we're most proud.
public.digital/pd-insights/...
Improving trust within clients is one the outcomes we're most proud.
public.digital/pd-insights/...
June 13, 2025 at 8:33 AM
"Transformation happens at the speed of trust" is a phrase we say a lot to @publicdigital.bsky.social clients. I thought I'd write an article explaining in more detail what we mean.
Improving trust within clients is one the outcomes we're most proud.
public.digital/pd-insights/...
Improving trust within clients is one the outcomes we're most proud.
public.digital/pd-insights/...
Much of interest in this detailed investigation into Amsterdam's failed AI welfare fraud risk scoring tool.
Fascinating data on how terrible *humans* are at assessing welfare fraud risk, not just AI.
Defend the status quo at the peril of the powerless.
www.technologyreview.com/2025/06/11/1...
Fascinating data on how terrible *humans* are at assessing welfare fraud risk, not just AI.
Defend the status quo at the peril of the powerless.
www.technologyreview.com/2025/06/11/1...
Inside Amsterdam’s high-stakes experiment to create fair welfare AI
The Dutch city thought it could break a decade-long trend of implementing discriminatory algorithms. Its failure raises the question: can these programs ever be fair?
www.technologyreview.com
June 12, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Much of interest in this detailed investigation into Amsterdam's failed AI welfare fraud risk scoring tool.
Fascinating data on how terrible *humans* are at assessing welfare fraud risk, not just AI.
Defend the status quo at the peril of the powerless.
www.technologyreview.com/2025/06/11/1...
Fascinating data on how terrible *humans* are at assessing welfare fraud risk, not just AI.
Defend the status quo at the peril of the powerless.
www.technologyreview.com/2025/06/11/1...
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
Very important and encouraging section that I'm sure will resonate with lots of public service folk. Hoping it's the start of something transformational.
Prevention. Devolution. People. Communities.
Prevention. Devolution. People. Communities.
June 11, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Very important and encouraging section that I'm sure will resonate with lots of public service folk. Hoping it's the start of something transformational.
Prevention. Devolution. People. Communities.
Prevention. Devolution. People. Communities.
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
It's kind of remarkable that this is possible in 2025. Hospital electronic health record systems are... hundreds of siloes. Hospitals have... between zero and a dozen EHR systems running at once. It's still an amazing tangle.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Loss of data relating to inquiry at NHS trust most likely deliberate, say police
Nottingham university hospitals is subject of maternity care investigation involving nearly 2,500 cases
www.theguardian.com
June 11, 2025 at 7:28 AM
It's kind of remarkable that this is possible in 2025. Hospital electronic health record systems are... hundreds of siloes. Hospitals have... between zero and a dozen EHR systems running at once. It's still an amazing tangle.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
My better half JoAngell.com is showing her paintings and prints at Hornsey Library, N8 this weekend.
They're amazing, although I would say that wouldn't I?
They're amazing, although I would say that wouldn't I?
June 7, 2025 at 10:11 AM
My better half JoAngell.com is showing her paintings and prints at Hornsey Library, N8 this weekend.
They're amazing, although I would say that wouldn't I?
They're amazing, although I would say that wouldn't I?
Reposted by Tom Loosemore
I’ve uploaded c. 1,000 new pieces of evidence recently added to the official site to postofficeinquiry.dracos.co.uk , making them searchable
Searchable transcripts of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry hearings — Searchable transcripts of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry hearings documentation
postofficeinquiry.dracos.co.uk
June 8, 2025 at 7:14 AM
I’ve uploaded c. 1,000 new pieces of evidence recently added to the official site to postofficeinquiry.dracos.co.uk , making them searchable
Stuff like this gives me hope. I have a lot of time for the folks at Capacity. thisiscapacity.co.uk/on-the-groun...
On the ground with hope and grit: what the centre can learn from the frontline | Capacity
What if the real breakthroughs in public service innovation aren’t happening in Whitehall, but in Wirral, Sefton and communities across the Liverpool City R ...
thisiscapacity.co.uk
June 7, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Stuff like this gives me hope. I have a lot of time for the folks at Capacity. thisiscapacity.co.uk/on-the-groun...