The Digital, Data and Technology Playbook

What is the Digital, Data and Technology Playbook?

The Cabinet Office’s Playbook sets out how government should plan, procure and manage digital, data and technology (DDaT) projects. Eleven key policies run through the document, from publishing 18-month commercial pipelines and carrying out market health checks to embedding open, interoperable data standards and requiring resolution plans for suppliers of critical DDaT contracts; all are designed to help departments act as service integrators, balance in-house and supplier expertise, and avoid future legacy IT.

What does a planning service stand to gain from implementing the DDaT policies?

Planning services buying IT can leverage a wealth of good practice from the Playbook. For example, its guidance on exit planning explains how to set up contract breakpoints, knowledge transfer clauses and clear timelines for returning data to the planning service from the start. This approach reduces the chance of long-term supplier lock-in.

Putting the Playbook in practice

Putting it into practice will involve planners working closely with corporate procurement, IT and digital governance teams. The Playbook’s preparation stage calls for a market capability assessment, a delivery model assessment and a should-cost model, tasks usually led by procurement and finance but reliant on service input to define outcomes and user needs. Planners can prepare by identifying any digital contracts that expire within the next 18 months, supplying user journey data to inform agile backlogs, and checking that new project briefs align with the Playbook’s open data and cybersecurity policies. Engaging with IT colleagues on legacy system risks and with procurement on publishing pipeline information will position the planning service to benefit fully.