NAO presents challenge for government ICT

There is little of comfort in the new National Audit Office (NAO) report on how government has used its ICT assets in recent years. Those who have come in with the coalition can take refuge in the fact that most of the shortcomings did not arise on their beat, but those who were active under the previous administration must have feel that they have had a thumbs down from the Whitehall auditor. The report, titled Information and Communications Technology in Government: Landscape Review , is characterised by a stream of criticisms of the record of the past 10 years, many with references to long standing policies that suggest they have not been fulfilled. Some of these involve pointing at areas in which the NAO believes that government could just do better. A failure to match the private sector's performance with online services, deriving from the lack of a strategic approach, and insufficient use of business intelligence systems are thrown into the spotlight. There is also criticism of a failure to mandate the use of the Skills for the Information Age framework. Others derive from a fragmented approach to procurement and systems implementation. The report says there are still too many bespoke systems, too many departments working to their own agendas, too much duplication of infrastructure, limited incentives and no strategic direction for the adoption of shared services, and a fragmented approach to IT governance. Government still retains an uncomfortable legacy of old systems that are difficult to integrate and costly to maintain – a situation that will be difficult to remedy under the spending cuts regime – and there is not enough re-use of systems. While it is not explicitly stated, there is a strong implication here of the need for more centralisation. Government is not going to get the full benefits of ICT until it is coordinated across departments with a clear view of the business value of any new investments. This reflects earlier criticisms from other quarters that the Cabinet Office struggles to exert enough influence over other departments, and that the government chief information officer has had to rely on cooperation rather than any mandatory power. It paints a picture in which the sky, although not black, is a deep shade of grey. But there are a few positive signs in the report. These include achievements in a few specific areas, such as the popularity of the Civil Service Technology in Business Fast Stream, and the fact that a large number of online services have been made available. More importantly, the government now has a more complete picture of the whole portfolio of ICT projects, and can use the information to reduce duplication and identify efficiencies. Also, while it is too early to evaluate the effect of initiatives from the Efficiency and Reform Group (ERG), set up within the Cabinet Office in September 2010, it is clear that senior people in organisations are now much more aware of ICT spending. The NAO makes clear that it is going to keep up the scrutiny, with plans to investigate the soon to be published Government ICT Strategy, online services and shared services, and outlines an approach that takes in investments against savings, cost-effective delivery, the practicalities of technical solutions, the capacity of government to achieve objectives, and governance arrangements. Realistically, this is unlikely to dictate how many organisations approach their ICT investments, but it is part of a wider move, spearheaded by Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude and the ERG, suggesting that the levels of scrutiny are going to increase. Auditors' reports can often cause short-term embarrassment, and sometimes provide the catalyst for a change for the better. In this case the potential for the latter may be limited by the fact that it is not directed at any one organisation but at a general trend. But it does note the big change in government's approach to ICT over the past year, and it will increase the stakes on whether this does turn out to be a change for the better. This article is published by Guardian Professional. To receive regular emails on developments in government computing sign up here .