What UKGovCamp26 reminded us about building better public services
Digital • January 20, 2026 • Written by: Annie Birchall • Read time: 2 min
Methods attended #UKGC26 in Birmingham last weekend, and it was a genuinely valuable couple of days.
Through the sessions and just as importantly, the conversations in between, a few strong themes surfaced:
Staying user-centred in complex environments
There was a lot of practical discussion about holding the line on good discovery: working with stakeholders who have already “solutionised”, resisting the pressure to define answers too early, and creating the space needed to focus on real user needs and meaningful outcomes.
The reality of product leadership in government
Refreshingly honest conversations explored the good, the bad and the difficult parts of being a Product Manager in the public sector right from supporting services well beyond go-live, to the challenge of moving from project-based delivery to true product thinking and continuous improvement.
Designing responsibly for what’s next
From “defence against the dark arts” to agentic AI and non-human users of services, there was real energy around how we design, assure and govern public services in a fast-changing landscape and how responsibility and ethics need to keep pace with innovation.
Bringing policy, product and user-centred design (UCD) closer together
A shared view emerged that the best public services are created when policy and delivery evolve side by side, much earlier in the process, rather than being handed over in sequence.
“There was such a buzz throughout the day, and it reinforced just how passionate and motivated we all are about delivering meaningful user-centred services across government!” - Lauren Tombs, Methods
Events like GovCamp are a reminder of how committed the public sector digital community is about delivering services that genuinely work for people. The care taken by the organisers, including thoughtful touches like an on-site crèche, helped make the event more accessible and inclusive.
Huge thanks to the organisers, everyone who hosted sessions, and to our all our team members for representing Methods so well.
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