Standard IT is the future, says eEnvoy

Standard processes and off-the-shelf software are the future for government technology investment, says eEnvoy Andrew Pinder.

Speaking at an event in London last week, Pinder outlined plans to avoid duplication and excessive consultancy fees by avoiding bespoke developments for routine functions such as human resources (HR) and finance.

'There are a lot of people re-inventing the wheel when they could just use something off-the-shelf,' he said.

The scheme was first reported in Computing last month following the leak of the Common Systems Strategy document outlining the plan.

Central government has many opportunities to standardise, says Pinder.

'There are dozens of HR systems around the public sector and because the basic rules of employment are the same they all do essentially the same thing,' he said.

'So let's work out what software can be made to match those requirements and then everyone can adapt their processes to that. We need to spend money more simply - spending the money once and then sharing it.'

The plan would not mean Whitehall becoming locked in to using a single vendor's products, says Pinder.

'The public sector is a pretty big machine and it makes sense to maintain several vendors in the market because we want to ensure competition, but there is scope for shrinkage in the variation and adaptation of products.'

It is legally impossible to mandate what software individual departments choose to use, but Pinder hopes the example will be persuasive.

'I hope that by pointing out the opportunities people will start taking more sensible decisions in the future,' he said.

Whitehall's approach to technology needs to catch up with the times, says Pinder.

'The government spends many multiples more in consultancy fees to adapt software to particular circumstances than it ever pays in licence fees.

'Technology is now so transformational that it's the business that has to change and where companies are successful they have used technology to transform themselves,' he said.