I&AM Requirements Analysis: A Method for Collaborative Solution Development

NHSE CTO #Sonia Patel is leading a large initiative across the NHS and its ecosystem under the banner of #let's talk architecture . This effort promotes the development of communication channels and effective collaboration across all levels of our stakeholders, service and technical teams, obviously including our Enterprise and Solution Architecture teams. To contribute to … Continue reading I&AM Requirements Analysis: A Method for Collaborative Solution Development

The Mission of Enterprise Architecture

The "end" of NHS England is being interpreted as a problem or as a solution from various perspectives. That discussion certainly has its place, but the current situation should be also a moment of serious enquiry into the problems our organisation has.Financial/budgetary considerations and wider policy directions led the UK Government to decide this enormous … Continue reading The Mission of Enterprise Architecture

Interoperability and Consolidation of Identity Services

I am covering three key themes in these postings: Governance, Interoperability and Consolidation. In the previous article I described how a “way of working” based on autonomous programmes and platforms determines a peculiar governance culture which mixes financial and design (architecture) governance, so that, essentially, we have a "product/programme-centric" strategy and ultimately a lack of … Continue reading Interoperability and Consolidation of Identity Services

Understanding NHS Centralisation and Decentralisation

As we progress at NHS England towards the merger with DHSC, our new tasks and the continuation of long-sought improvements, we can see the need to clarify, to "right the wrongs" that have blocked for so long the digital agenda. One of those blockers is the pervasive misunderstanding and confusion about the respective roles of … Continue reading Understanding NHS Centralisation and Decentralisation

A New Beginning for Decentralised Credentials

About ten days ago we received confirmation of the cancellation of the NHS Digital Staff Passport programme. The news were received with sadness and concern by many teams, local and central, dozens of colleagues who had been working for approximately 5 years on this initiative. There were calls to reflect on the learnings, and signals … Continue reading A New Beginning for Decentralised Credentials

Identity Data Model

Third part of the Series: "Identity Modalities and Personas" In previous articles I described how the tendency towards "point solutions" and narrow "use cases" block the solution to long-standing identity and access management problems in NHS England (and --in reality-- in most other institutions and organisations). It is evident that organisational and "cultural" factors have … Continue reading Identity Data Model

Modalities of Identity and ‘Personas’ (2)

The issues described in my previous article call for a comprehensive solution combining Enterprise and Solution Architecture, but also organisational changes at the level of IT and Architecture Governance. Any experienced professional I am sure will agree that the problems faced by Identity Management are not due to the lack of technical expertise, but to … Continue reading Modalities of Identity and ‘Personas’ (2)

Modalities of Identity and ‘Personas’ (1)

Introduction: A catalogue of User Journeys “putting the person first” in Identity Management strategy and solutions- Updates on the NHS England Technology Forum and Lab Over a year has passed since my last article here, a delay due to wide-ranging organisational changes and relative uncertainty in the NHS and its context. As a consequence of … Continue reading Modalities of Identity and ‘Personas’ (1)

Enterprise Architecture and Identity Management

In the context of a very productive discussion with NHS England colleagues, I keep looking for good references and ideas to support Enterprise Architecture governance. The basic framework is clear, considering we have great materials to guide us like the TOGAF standard; but as we progress in the conversation, it becomes increasingly clear that some … Continue reading Enterprise Architecture and Identity Management