Defra AI SDLC Playbook

Version 1.0

This playbook provides guidance on best practices for integrating AI into the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), specifically tailored to Defra’s needs and challenges. It serves as a living document, continuously updated to reflect emerging practices and lessons learned.

Table of Contents

1. Welcome
2. Getting Started
   1. Workflow
   2. The Four Pillars
   3. Project Setup
3. Feature Development
   1. Product Requirements
   2. Development
   3. Testing
   4. Refactoring
   5. Documentation
4. AI Working Mindset

Overview

The UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) manages a broad portfolio of responsibilities across environmental protection, food production and rural development. The organisation operates through multiple sub-departments and arms-length bodies, each with distinct mandates and operational frameworks.

The scale and complexity of Defra’s operations create opportunities to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) throughout the software development lifecycle. AI can enhance processes from design through to maintenance by automating routine tasks, optimising resource allocation and providing predictive insights. These capabilities support improved cross-departmental collaboration and evidence-based decision-making.

This playbook guides teams in realising these opportunities through practical ways of working, tools and techniques. It provides actionable guidance to help teams harness AI effectively, leading to reduced development costs, accelerated service delivery and improved operational efficiency. This approach enables innovation while ensuring Defra’s diverse operations can meet their objectives sustainably.

Contributing

We welcome contributions from the Defra community. Please see the CONTRIBUTING file for more information on how to contribute to this playbook.