Commitment crucial for public sector IT

The first annual report on the Transformational Government (TG) technology strategy published by the Cabinet Office last week makes few headlines beyond some figures on government web site rationalisation (Computing, 11 January).

But it does chart the progress of three core TG themes – citizen-centric services, shared services and the public sector IT professions – since the strategy was launched in November 2005.

It also includes updates on more detailed work such as the development of a cross-government enterprise architecture and data-sharing standards.

Technology is not an end in itself, but is central to the government’s plans for public sector services, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden told the TG annual report launch conference last week. ‘The plan is ambitious but it is starting to pay off,’ he said.

‘It is hugely important as part of the government’s overall strategy for transforming public services so they meet the way people live their lives rather than around government priorities.’

Sir David Varney’s service transformation review, published by the Treasury alongside November’s Pre-Budget Report, is seen as crucial to the successful realisation of TG’s aims because it raises the political profile of technology-enabled change.

Ian Watmore, former government chief officer (CIO) and now head of the Prime Minister’s delivery unit, says IT issues are at the heart of government.

‘A few years ago politicians wanted to run a mile from technology programmes, now people at the highest levels see IT as pivotal,’ said Watmore.

‘The Prime Minister knows he cannot achieve the objectives he and his colleagues have for public services without high calibre and successful deployment of technology to support it,’ he said.

Despite its meteoric rise up the agenda, public sector IT still has a bad reputation.

Whitehall CIO John Suffolk says the defensive culture is undermining progress.

‘Whitehall programmes do stuff at a level and complexity that very few organisations do,’ he said. ‘The question is whether we are learning the lessons of the past, if we are only ever defending our mistakes.’

With the groundwork in place, the next 12 months will be a testing time, says Ovum government practice director Eric Woods. The development of a recognised IT profession in the public sector will be increasingly important.

‘It is getting to the point where the IT profession is taken with the same seriousness as any other in government, so when someone says it is not feasible to deliver a project on time the politicians realise it is not sensible to ignore them,’ said Woods.

IT strategy

• The Transformational Government annual report charts progress of public sector IT professions.
• Top-level political commitment will be crucial to successful IT-enabled public service improvements.
• With much of the groundwork in place, the coming year will focus on tangible deliveries, say experts

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Further reading

IT tops ministerial agendas

Government sets sights on IT-enabled transformation

Technology critical to Chancellor’s golden rule