System Error: Fixing the flaws in government IT

Despite spending around £16 billion per annum, Whitehall and Westminster often see IT as a necessary evil: a risk to be mitigated rather than an opportunity to be exploited.

Information technology should be a transformational force, a tool to enable government not only to improve public services but to dramatically improve the relationship between citizen and state.

System Error: fixing the flaws in government IT sets out the case for a new approach to IT in the public sector, and recommends tackling two important aspects simultaneously:

1. platform - delivering government-wide efficiencies of scale and interoperability
2. agile - facilitating rapid response and innovation at the front line.

Our report demonstrates that by implementing both of these elements, government could see cost and time savings whilst delivering a more effective and flexible service.

System Error has been welcomed by government CIO Joe Harley:

"As Government CIO I find the report very helpful. The approach to platform and agile is useful and constructive. Government has a large and complex IT estate and the majority of it works efficiently and effectively. However, we are always looking for ways to improve and this report has a number of very useful recommendations for us to consider as we formulate our ICT Strategy. I look forward to working with the Institute in the future."

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