Automating for the people

Dave More from Defra’s Digital Robotics Automation Centre of Excellence (DRACoE) shares his reflections on a year which has seen his team turn a fledgling robotics capability from concept to reality.
Dave More from Defra’s Digital Robotics Automation Centre of Excellence (DRACoE) shares his reflections on a year which has seen his team turn a fledgling robotics capability from concept to reality.
Defra Chief Digital and Information Officer Chris Howes reflects on the results from the 2020 Sustainable ICT Annual Report and shares his thoughts on where ICT can play its part in addressing the climate crisis.
Lead Content Designer Jeni Street shares her tips for anyone out there who's considering applying for content design roles at Defra.
Tracey Friday, a product owner in the Digital Transformation team at Natural England working on delivering digital services for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), shares her experience of being on the ‘other side’ of the customer-supplier fence.
To mark World Blood Donor Day, Digital Technology Standards Manager Charlie Beckett explains his motivations for giving blood on the occasion of what will be his 100th donation.
To mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day today, Dan Leech (Interaction Designer) shares his experience of designing accessible maps for the check for flooding service.
James Alderman is a Programme Manager in Defra’s Digital Data and Technology Services (DDTS) function, working under a supplier arrangement through James Harvard. James has been working on a major project to upgrade and migrate a key IT system that manages Environmental Stewardship (ES) agreements for the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). The project has generated valuable information and insight that will help projects in the future.
All IT solutions have limitations, but if clearly communicated, those limitations can help explain design intent and highlight strengths, as Oliver Tearne from the Department of Epidemiological Sciences at the Animal and Plant Health Agency discovered.
Lead Delivery Manager Alex Knell tells us how a Defra Digital delivery team has played a significant role in the introduction of the UK’s first Clean Air Zone, which launched in Bath this week - the first step towards tackling Bath’s air pollution problem.
We’re celebrating National Careers Week with a post from Defra Digital fast streamer Sean Crotty who reflects on a rollercoaster year-long posting that’s seen him build robots, wear pyjamas for work and come to the realisation that the Civil Service is better than working in telly.