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The UK government blazed a trail on digital innovation, but others are catching up fast and it would be all too easy to squander the advantage of earlier work

The argument for government to use business cases is they force a structured conversation about spending, says Andrew Greenway. This is a good idea, but where government puts its money is based on belief as well as analysis

Following news of Olly Robbins' likely departure, Brexiteers must stop treating civil servants like parents turning up at your first Glastonbury and act with level-headedness

As Tory hopefuls set out their stall for the role of PM, the civil service had better prepare for deckchair shuffling and another round of pointless departmental name changes

Civil servants have always worked under pressure, but Brexit has upped the level considerably. Sneering at departments helping staff deal with stress benefits no-one, says Andrew Greenway

Lord Adonis's calls for permanent secretaries to resign are "an unwelcome reminder about the dearth of knowledge most politicians claim to have about the civil service"

The civil service is not immune to “new year, new you” delusions, and HM Treasury is the main offender, says Andrew Greenway

The role of private secretary is a well-beaten path to power. but what’s so special about being a secretary? Andrew Greenway explores

Public spending on tech and consultancy is so dull as to be invisible – but failing to measure it is a mistake

The civil service values two types of knowledge, writes former senior civil servant Andrew Greenway, and understanding of policy is trumped by the skill of navigating Whitehall itself

With no way to relieve the pressure of secrecy, a closed government is "fundamentally unsustainable, and guaranteed to fail", argues Andrew Greenway

Automation has squeezed out the creatives that used to harbour in administrative grades – but this tacit subsidy programme has arguably simply shifted to large firms

Many internationally lauded ideas for improving how government work have come from the UK – but even when they are copied many in the civil service view central reforming units like the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit to the Government Digital Service as irritants. This should change, says Andrew Greenway

It’s too early to say if shared services are coming of age or another false dawn. But I’d probably keep the champagne in the fridge for now

Describing GDS as "well-meaning but increasingly peripheral", departments are starting to take back digital responsibilities. This is a mistake

The prime minister’s reshuffle gave a number of policy areas increased prominence in the government landscape. But it is not clear what changing a department’s name will achieve

A cabinet minister’s first day at their new department can set the tone for years to come. Andrew Greenway recalls those early encounters

Parts of the civil service have spent 2017 developing bold new ways to do things in government. They must prosper in what will be an uncomfortable year ahead

Behind the chaos, The Apprentice offers lessons for civil servants that a government version of the show could bring to Whitehall

It is time for government to acknowledge why the desired outcomes for public services are not being delivered. But this will require challenging Whitehall’s survivors

The recently merged department lacks strategic coherence and authentic leaders – civil servants won't take it any more

Public sector pay has been in the headlines, but there’s a lack of innovative thinking on changing the reward package across government. It’s time to try more radical solution

Civil servants fear uncertainty and, these days, a lack of direction is a real challenge for government, says Andrew Greenway

Group chat services can make civil servants more efficient by reducing email overload. If government does not embrace them, it will lose out

Civil servants across Whitehall are preparing day one briefing packs for new ministers. Andrew Greenway recalls it as a dubious honour

Submissions to ministers are integral to how government works, but the system may not lead to the best decisions

The latest round of efficiency savings demanded by the Treasury will set civil servants off on a merry dance. Given the official hours devoted to such reviews, is it time for rethink?

Most of the challenges the Workforce Plan purports to tackle are ones that Whitehall has bumped up against for decades. Perhaps it's time to start interrogating the civil service's Victorian structures – rather than simply adding layers of reform on top, argues Andrew Greenway

The recent attacks on the civil service paint it as being incapable of making Brexit work. But senior officials are increasingly alarmed that the government is forcing them into positions that make them look stupid and out of control

Whitehall has retained its objectivity as beyond dispute since the referendum result. But in 2017, officials will need to help ministers manage public expectations of what Brexit will achieve

Short stints in top jobs make firefighting a more rational career plan than pushing for systemic changes – and may make it harder for outsiders to break in

Opinion: By dictating the conversation about money, HM Treasury exerts an enormous influence over how Whitehall thinks about answering problems

We must challenge the assumption that every civil servant wants the same bundle of rewards or a career for life

The big leadership changes in government digital seem like a triumph for those who believe a government organised along Victorian lines is still fit for fixing today’s problems, argues former senior civil servant Andrew Greenway