The Radical How: Why one big bet is government’s riskiest move

Jul 21, 2025

Exploring a transformative approach to government reform, the hosts discuss 'The Radical How,' emphasizing small-scale trials over large bets. They highlight the importance of multidisciplinary teams and focus on real-life outcomes for citizens. Key examples include COVID testing in the UK and education experiments. The conversation delves into the challenges of political appetite for experimentation, accountability misalignments, and the need for procurement reform. With insights on federalism as a testing ground, they advocate for a culture of learning and adaptability in public service.

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INSIGHT

Cross The Delta Not Build A Motorway

Multidisciplinary teams combine policy, digital and delivery to solve complex problems holistically.
Treat reform like crossing a delta, not building a motorway; paths shift and require adaptive teams.

ADVICE

Keep Re-Testing Evidence Over Time

Re-measure what works as contexts change and evidence evolves, rather than assuming past methods remain valid.
Continuously re-interrogate sacred cows and adapt campaigns to new communications environments.

ADVICE

Invest In Team Communication

Build multidisciplinary teams and invest time in learning to speak across disciplines.
Appoint strong leaders or mechanisms to translate between digital, legal, comms and policy experts.

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What if the real problem in public service reform isn't what we're trying to do, but how we're trying to do it? Caroline, Danielle, and Alison dive deep into a revolutionary approach to government change by examining The Radical How – a framework published by UK innovation foundation Nesta.

The conversation unpacks three core principles that could transform public service:

start small and test assumptions early rather than pretending to know all answers upfront;
build genuinely multidisciplinary teams instead of working in silos; and
focus relentlessly on outcomes for people rather than system outputs.

Through concrete examples like COVID testing in the UK and reflections on infrastructure projects that changed course mid-development, we illuminate both the potential and challenges of this approach.

But implementing this "radical how" faces significant barriers – from political imperatives that demand certainty to procurement systems that reward the wrong things.

We grapple with tough questions about experimenting in people's lives, gaining social license for change, and communicating complex approaches in simple ways.

We reflect on how federalism already offers a natural experiment in policy diversity across Australian jurisdictions, though we rarely harness its full potential.

Referenced in the episode

NESTA The Radical How
The radical 1960s schools experiment that created a whole new alphabet - and left thousands of children unable to spell
Rick Morton Smoking data taken down after link to vape ban
Our previous episode on Pink Batts and Robodebt - lessons not learned

This podcast was recorded on Kaurna land, and we recognise Kaurna elders past and present. Always was, always will be.

Now for some appropriately bureaucratic disclaimers....

While we have tried to be as thorough in our research as busy full time jobs and lives allow, we definitely don’t guarantee that we’ve got all the details right.

Please feel free to email us corrections, episode suggestions, or anything else, at thewestminstertraditionpod@gmail.com.

Thanks to PanPot audio for our intro and outro music.

'Til next time!