Short Abstract

Presentation to discuss DBT's new Digital Evaluator role, which applies multidisciplinary research methods to evaluate digital interventions and enable smarter decisions. We will share lessons, best practices and case studies to showcase how the role was developed and the benefits it has achieved.

Description

The UK public sector spends over £26bn annually on digital technology (gov.uk, 2025). While the Magenta book underlines the importance of evaluating government interventions, the digital aspect of public service delivery has thus far been under-evaluated. Addressing this gap in best practice, the Department for Business and Trade is the forerunner in establishing a team of evaluators at the heart of digital services. This approach enables smart policy making, embeds data-driven insights as a core value, shaping behaviours and decision-making across the organisation. Analysts in the department are embedded within digital teams, providing insightful and impactful evaluation to shape Government’s digital landscape.

Following the success of this initiative DBT led a cross government team, including members of the Evaluation Task Force, Government Economic and Social Research formally develop and launched a GDS "digital evaluator" role. Combining elements of social, statistical and economic research, this role underpins the unique skills required to effectively evaluate digital projects and tools. Compared to traditional evaluators, the digital evaluator is embedded in Agile teams to provide continuous insight to inform ongoing improvement, enable the measurement of the impacts and value for money of digital tools. The digital evaluator integrates ROAMEF principles with the product cycle, as illustrated by the DBT,’s Digital Evaluation Strategy enabling smart, reactive policy delivery, in a fast-paced environment.

This cultural shift will be demonstrated through case studies; notable success stories include the team’s evaluation of AI tools as well as public-facing digital services. By working closely with product teams, communications and senior stakeholders, DBT’s digital evaluators have conducted comprehensive evaluations of the two AI tools to understand their impacts, risks and the attitudes of colleagues. These evaluations have been crucial in enabling seniors to make informed decisions on the future of AI across the department.

For this presentation, we will explain how the digital evaluator works in digital teams, the key capabilities it covers and how it fosters a culture of evaluation in digital and technology settings – as well as the challenges specific to working within digital delivery. We will then cover case studies from our team, discussing how we have applied various evaluation methods to shape decisions and achieve stronger outcomes. To conclude, we will share lessons learned and practical advice for evaluators seeking to establish similar teams in their own organisation.