Cabinet reviews IT errors.
Government launches comprehensive survey to reduce mistakes.
A new Cabinet Office study of public-sector IT projects will be linked to the first-ever comprehensive review by the government of its IT projects. Cabinet Office minister Ian McCartney said last week that a partnership between the Computer Software and Services Association and the government would break new ground and drive up the standard of major IT projects in the public sector. The move followed a series of embarrassing government IT problems, including the Contributions Agency’s NIRS2 fiasco and Siemens’ botched project at the Passport Office. The CSSA will conduct a study to gather IT-industry views on large IT projects, drawing on experience not only from dealings with government, but from other sectors as well as internally. The association will offer expertise and recommendations to the Cabinet Office Major IT Projects Review team that is already working to ensure future government systems run effectively, deliver value for money and apply best practice from previous projects. ‘This is a significant step with government and industry working together,’ McCartney said. ‘This reflects our joint determination to improve the development and management of our major IT projects. Suppliers share responsibility for ensuring that projects are delivered on time, on budget and provide the promised service improvements. Both sides suffer when things go wrong.’