UK Prime Minister David Cameron is currently trialling a mobile app that is designed to assist in decision-making and regular government issues. Mr Cameron, who assumed his current role in May 2010, is using the app that follow live data concerning key parts of the UK's beleaguered economy, including the job market and the housing sector. Additionally, the app helps the Conservative Party leader to gauge his standing in opinion polls by keeping track of social media.
Boasting the working title of Number 10 Dashboard, it has been announced that the app is set to be offered to more government leaders in 2013. It was developed by the Cabinet Office's digital team and relies on data from a number of internet sources, including Google and Facebook. In a statement, the Cabinet Office explained that it is currently developing a data visualisation dashboard to provide ministers with information on key public services. "The dashboard," the statement explained, "is in working form and is now undergoing further development."
Speaking to the BBC, a Cabinet Office source confirmed that the new app - although it is officially in its testing phase - is now active on the Prime Minister's iPad. "It's been presented to the PM in person," he said. "He's used it, given feedback on it to help improve it - and there is now great demand for it right across government."
And according to the source, the app is set to be rolled out across the government in 2013, thereby giving ministers an immediate overview of goings on in the UK. "If you want to provide ministers and officials with information about performance of government, you can look at government data - but you can also look at data from the real world," he said. "All we're doing is bringing government into line with what leading companies, big and small, have been doing for several years. It's radical for government, but it's not radical for 2012."
Recently, President Obama's 'four more years' Twitter message became the most retweeted post in history, underlining the increasing importance of social media to modern day politics.