The National Audit Office has published a report on how
central government and the general public sector can plan and
manage major IT projects.
The report is designed to help project management teams avoid
the IT fiascos that have consistently plagued government IT
projects over recent years.
The report also gives a wide range of examples of public sector
projects that have been successfully rolled out. The examples
include projects undertaken by the private sector, including one by
Norwich Union.
To avoid problems, the NAO lists nine questions which department
managers must consider before embarking on major IT projects.
These include: is the board able to make informed judgements
about the department’s capacity to manage change, and does the
department have in place a decision making structure that will
ensure strong and effective leadership of the IT-enabled business
change?
In addition, what incentives exist to drive performance, and
does the department have the necessary programme management
skills?
The NAO also said departments must ask what is the natural
division of duties between the programme and project management
centre of excellence and the chief information officer, and how
will the department establish and promote an open and constructive
relationship with suppliers?
In addition, departments must consider how clear they are about
the business process they are seeking to change or develop, and
does the technology really exist to deliver the change?
Finally, departments should ask themselves, beyond immediate
technical success, how will wider benefits be secured?
The full report can be accessed here:
http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/06-07/060733es.pdf
Comment on this article:
computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk