Kemi Badenoch’s recent ridiculing of the prime minister over a supposed U-turn on digital ID plans (Keir Starmer denies change to digital ID plan is yet another U-turn, 14 January) is the latest example of a frustratingly narrow view of leadership. To the Conservative leader, adapting a policy is a sign of “no sense of direction”; to those of us who work in product management, it looks like necessary iteration of the process.
Of course, the accusation is bipartisan. When in opposition, the Labour party was just as quick to weaponise the U-turn label. We have created a political culture – fuelled by the media and a public that seemingly demands unwavering consistency – that treats flexibility as a character flaw.
In tech, we have long since abandoned a rigid “waterfall” approach, where a plan is often set in stone at the start, requiring everything to be mapped out to the nth degree before any real progress can be made. This not only delays delivery by months or years but is a notorious recipe for expensive, high-profile disasters as the plan is followed regardless of changing circumstances or new data.
Instead, we champion “lean” and “agile” methods. This doesn’t mean starting without a map; you still need a strong vision of what you are building and why. We build, we listen to feedback, and we pivot when the evidence suggests a more efficient path to the goal.
Whether one supports or opposes the specific digital ID proposals is almost beside the point. What matters is the methodology of governance. In any other professional field, a refusal to adapt to new feedback or technical reality is considered a failure. Why do we insist that our politicians remain lashed to the mast of an underperforming feature just to avoid a headline?
Parliament would be far more effective if the opposition worked to help the government adapt and improve these “products”, rather than simply waiting for a chance to shout “U-turn!” We should be far more worried by a government that refuses to listen than by one that is willing to refine its plans. A change in course shouldn’t be seen as a sign of a weak heart – it is usually the sign of a working brain.
Alan Ogilvie
Product manager, Manchester
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