The deputy director of the government’s digital service has said cloud will be a major driver for the UK economy over next few years
Cloud computing will be one of main drivers for the UK economy over the next few years, according to the head of the UK government’s project to rationalise its web presence.
In a keynote speech given at the Digital London conference in East London, Tom Loosemore, deputy director of the UK Government Digital Service said that ”everything that is a digital service is done in the cloud. It is easier and cheaper for start ups,” he said.
The UK government was at the forefront of driving growth in the new digital economy, according to Loosemore. He said the government’s new web portal gov.uk had used the cloud and new business models to drive innovative web services.
“World class digital skills are at the heart of government. We need to build the government’s web presence the way Google builds Google and Amazon builds Amazon.,” said Loosemore
But he stressed that in order to build up the economy and make London a digital hub, companies had to concentrate on four things. Loosemore said companies needed to be ”digital by default” and have a focus on users, putting their needs first. “We need to be agile and we need to be open.”
The former digital strategy adviser to media watchdog Ofcom said companies should be “using digital to make services work for users whether they are online, offline, mobile or assisted”.
In addition, Loosemore said the current education system should be overhauled so that the UK could create room for a new generation of digital talent. “Our challenge is teaching children how to program and not just how to use applications”.
But he also warned that the focus on technology in the country should not be limited to a small area of east London. ”The smartest people are beyond the boundaries of Hoxton and we need to adapt ourselves.”
