Partnering with innovation scale-up Wazoku, the government is leveraging Wazoku's platform to facilitate collaboration and track progress. The initiative aims to foster a culture of creativity and continuous improvement across the Civil Service.

"One Big Thing 2024 is about using our collective creativity to improve the way we work and how we serve the public," said Joe Torjussen, Head of Innovation at the Civil Service Strategy Unit, Cabinet Office. "Focusing on small, actionable changes creates a safe space for civil servants to experiment, learn, and grow. Ultimately, this drives a more ambitious and innovative Civil Service."

The need for such a programme was highlighted in the 2023 People Survey, which found that less than half of civil servants (42.6%) feel they have the necessary skills and knowledge to turn ideas into tangible results. To address this gap, One Big Thing 2024 will utilise Wazoku's AI-powered platform to capture, share, and celebrate all ideas, whether successful or not, as valuable learning experiences.

The programme unfolds in three key stages designed to inspire action and collaboration. First, civil servants will complete the Innovation Masterclass, a structured online course that teaches practical techniques for ideation and problem-solving. Following the course, teams will come together to brainstorm and decide on a "small change" to implement, with Wazoku’s platform providing support for discussions and tracking progress.

In the third stage, teams will test their chosen ideas, monitor the outcomes, and reflect on the impact. Wazoku’s platform will allow civil servants to submit case studies and share their successes, insights, and lessons learned with other departments, fostering a culture of shared learning.

"One Big Thing is about fostering a culture of ongoing improvement across the entire Civil Service," said Torjussen. "Empowering civil servants to think creatively is essential to improving service delivery and operational performance. Innovation isn't just for certain roles—every team, function, and department has challenges that demand fresh, bold solutions."

Now in its second year, One Big Thing has already made a significant impact. The 2023 launch saw over 212,000 civil servants’ complete data learning, contributing more than half a million hours of development. This year, the initiative aims to involve the entire UK Civil Service, building on the success of the inaugural programme.

Wazoku’s Innovation Ecosystem Platform underpins the initiative, supporting the company's Total Innovation framework. The platform helps organisations crowdsource, manage, and develop ideas, democratising innovation across departments. In addition to its work with the UK Government, Wazoku supports major organisations like the Ministry of Defence, HMRC, Sanofi, A2A, and Asda.

"Governments understand the importance of innovation, and One Big Thing is one of the most significant innovation programmes any government has undertaken," said Simon Hill, CEO of Wazoku. "By tapping into the collective knowledge and creativity of the Civil Service, this initiative can drive meaningful change and scale the best ideas to transform government operations."

As One Big Thing 2024 progresses, the programme is set to be a driving force for innovation across the UK government, empowering civil servants to take ownership of small, actionable changes that will have a lasting impact across all sectors.