Recent policy U-turns seem to have got civil servants thinking about their duty to question poor decisions – even when that means challenging a minister. Matt Ross hears top officials exhort them to stick to their guns.

This government has made a lot of noise about its commitment to transparency. But Matt Ross hears key figures complaining that much of the public sector data published so far has been pretty much useless.

The HR profession is adapting to help other parts of the civil service respond to challenging times. Suzannah Brecknell reports on a session exploring the likely future of the civil service's HR systems and staff.

Civil servants face danger on a daily basis in Afghanistan. Joshua Chambers hears two explain their roles liaising with military colleagues and departments back home, and the challenges of returning to life in the UK.

The government intends to compel all public service providers to use a common communications infrastructure, facilitating the sharing of data and software and encouraging joined-up thinking. Joshua Chambers reports.

With gargantuan computer projects a thing of the past, 'agile' development is very much the buzz word in government. Suzannah Brecknell reports on two sessions at Civil Service Live which explored the new approach.

The coalition wants more public services to be provided by businesses and charities – but what if service quality collapses or contractors go bust? Joshua Chambers explores civil servants' duty to produce continuity regimes.

The coalition wants to buy a quarter of its goods and services from small and medium-sized companies. Suzannah Brecknell listened in at a discussion on how departments can achieve this aim in the field of IT.

The Stabilisation Unit is already a well-established cross-departmental partnership, and its role is set to grow. Suzannah Brecknell meets its head to discuss conflict prevention – both overseas, and within Whitehall.

An employee of a British embassy in the Middle East struggles with telecommunications during the Arab Spring.

Whether civil servants are pursuing external policy goals or internal reforms, they are dropping regulatory methods in favour of a different approach. Suzannah Brecknell reports on the spread of behaviour change.

As departments seek to make more use of payment by results contracts, a panel of experts at Civil Service Live discussed the elements which will decide whether they're a success. Suzannah Brecknell listened carefully.

The National Security Council's first big test was the Arab spring, which – according to FCO director Dr Liane Saunders – changed the demands on both the council and the Foreign Office itself. Joshua Chambers reports.

Seven officials have been appointed as crown commercial representatives, and asked to oversee cross-Whitehall relationships with a set of key suppliers. Martin Bennett interviews them, and assesses the significance of the initiative.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has fought many political battles in his long career – and now he’s picking up a familiar set of themes for a reformist tussle with the civil service. Matt Ross catches up with him.

Ministry of Justice permanent secretary Suma Chakrabarti has achieved big savings while focusing on evidence-based policy and payment-by-results – but now a political squal has upset his plans. Matt Ross meets him.

Leadership guru Steve Radcliffe has spent years coaching the cabinet secretary, and is now working with several permanent secretaries while planning a series of free lectures for civil servants. Ben Willis catches up with him.

A university lecturer discusses the importance of good decision-making and a holistic education

Phil Bartlett is leading the formation of the coalition’s first joint-venture mutual. With ministers keen for others to follow suit, he tells Joshua Chambers how his civil service organisation will shortly be leaving the public sector.

After a year of frantic reform and restructuring, cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell tells Suzannah Brecknell that he wants civil servants to focus on developing skills for the future, staying creative, and learning from failures.

This week’s interviewee says the coach of NHS reform is heading broadly in the right direction, but wishes the driver would take more care

Changing the face of the civil service to reflect British diversity has been a key priority for civil service leaders recently – but cuts and job losses present a real threat to the progress made so far. Suzannah Brecknell reports.

Like his secretary of state Iain Duncan Smith, DWP permanent secretary Robert Devereux has a quiet manner. This cannot, however, conceal the vast scale and ambition of the organisational change and policy delivery projects that he’s pursuing. Matt Ross meets him.

As chief executive of the National Archives, Oliver Morley stores many government records – and publishes many more. He talks to Joshua Chambers about transparency, revenue generation, and the connections between them.