I’m wondering if it would be useful to look through the other end of the telescope for a bit. What would be the result if we looked at UK government first, their information assurance issues, and then looked at technology? Right now, we’re looking at new technology, then information assurance implications, and then extrapolating effects on UK government. What would change?

The Department of Work and Pensions has a large number of employees, distributed offices, a vast field force, and manages a variety of sensitive interactions with broad swathes of the public. They have had publicised cases of data mishandling, and a recent IT transformation agenda that was broad-ranging and cost quite a bit of money.

Ultra-portable computing with mobile connectivity should spur productivity of their large field force. However, if these ultra-portable devices have large amounts of data on them, security arrangements of devices and information storage will have to be addressed. If these devices will communicate with central data warehouses, the communications will need a good level of security.

The physical security of these devices will need to be an order of magnitude better than what has transpired with laptops and Blackberries–leaving them on car rooftops and in trains just needs to stop happening.

Pensioners will require multiple channels of delivery, with silver surfers given web access to services while those who are content to let the Internet pass them by must be addressed either by cloaked devices, mobile or traditional delivery channels. People who are turning 65 now were in the workforce when modern telecommunications arrived. Those who are 80 were not. It is not sound to think that the needs of both can be addressed by the same systems just because both groups are receiving government benefits.

Is this approach helpful? Comments would be most welcome.