The London Borough of Brent is one of the UK’s most diverse local authorities, in terms of its economic, environmental, ethnic and social breakdown. Brent Council also recently launched Infosys Springboard, a digital inclusion platform for residents and local businesses.
Enterprise Times met with Councillor Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council. Councillor Butt outlined the four key tips for a public sector enterprise planning a digital transformation project in their organisation.
1. Understand the audience
There are so many different elements and components that an organization must consider. However, the first and foremost is understanding the audience. In Brent, we made it our mission to understand our residents. That is the only way an organisation can understand and deliver the best outcomes for its residents.
2. Harnessing the energies of individuals
Be open to the residents and understand those communities. Brent is a diverse borough with more than 180 different languages spoken in the borough. There are people from virtually every country in the world living in Brent. So, that kind of diversity can be a nice challenge in trying to understand their key needs.
Brent council wanted to communicate what a welcoming place the borough can be. This involved harnessing the energies of individuals.
3. Having the right partners in place
It is important to have the right partners in place to support the project. Fortunately, for us, we had Infosys as a key strategic partner. Appropriate partners can support the organisation in the right direction.
Infosys is a global provider of next-generation digital services and consulting. That global nature of collaboration brought benefits to everyone, particularly to residents in the borough. If those people succeed, that means Brent succeeds. If Brent succeeds, it becomes a much better place for everyone.
4. The right people in place at the right time
It is important to have the right people in place at the right time. Some individuals are worried about AI and its impact on their jobs. As an organisation, we must explain to employees and residents that technology is there to support them. We must explore how to use technology in the right way and for the right reasons. Technology should enhance the life of residents and the interactions and conversations between the authority and local citizens. That is the nature of this partnership with Infosys and Brent – the spark of collaboration. It’s all about sharing and communicating within the borough.
Infosys Springboard aims to widen access to digital skills training and support local businesses’ recovery from the pandemic. The next phase of its Brent rollout will deliver continued access to digital skills training and mentorship for local businesses. Infosys suggests this helps SMEs unlock new opportunities to innovate and become digitally enabled enterprises. The collaboration is underpinned by an aim to support the building of a robust workforce. In addition to bolstering local economic growth via investment in digital skills.
