Interview with Mike Bracken

Mike Bracken, Director of the Government Digital Service (GDS), relates the mission of the Service as well as the challenges it has faced since its inception. Bracken explains that the GDS aims to redefine public services in the digital age and acts as the central digital unit for government. He discusses how the main challenge facing the GDS came from the reticence of government departments to cooperate, with some exceptions depending on the department leader in question. Bracken also describes how the digitization of transactions has resulted in a higher governmental efficiency as well as a decrease in ‘human cost’ for citizens. He finishes by briefly outlining the skill set required to work in the interdisciplinary team of the GDS.