Government ICT strategy - concern about level of interest from public sector

Aug. 5, 2011 - PRLog -- The recently published Government ICT strategy requires public sector organisations to improve expenditure and performance through benchmarking and performance measurements.

But organisers of two free ICT seminars offering guidance on how to use measurement feedback to deliver better performance have questioned public sector commitment to the Government strategy.

The seminars, organised by business consultants Orchestrated Knowledge in conjunction with the IT Metrics and Productivity Institute, take place at the British Library on 13 September 2011.  One seminar is specifically for the public sector and the other for the private sector but organisers have been surprised to find that private sector registrations currently outstrip the public sector by 2:1.

“Delivering better value-for-money from ICT, particularly in an outsourcing context, requires a sea-change in public sector attitudes and behaviours,” said measurement guru Grant Rule, partner at Orchestrated Knowledge and seminar speaker.

“I’m afraid the lack of interest public sector CIOs show in measurement and effectiveness indicates that the necessary change in thinking is simply not happening.”

The seminars feature case studies and guidance from practitioners who have experienced the benefits of effective performance measurement, including John Keith, former CIO of Unilever who is coming out of retirement to fly over from the US to share his experience.

The public sector seminar also directly addresses the need for IT staff to re-acquire the skills and knowledge they have surrendered to suppliers, which was highlighted as an area in need of urgent and critical attention in the latest report by MPs on government ICT.

“Sound measurement practice is crucial to the client organisation’s ability to check and challenge what suppliers and partners are doing,” says Grant Rule, who is speaking at the seminar on the subject ‘Targeting Value for Money and Avoiding Dysfunction’.

“Without such a foundation of measurement know-how, you are indeed creating a ‘recipe for rip-offs’, as MPs claim in their recent PACT report.”

ITMPI’s UK Managing Director, Gavin Martin, is concerned that the enthusiasm of the agile development lobby will obscure the vital role programme management, project planning, architectural infrastructure and governance has to play in improving outcomes from public sector ICT.

“Measurement underpins the intelligent feedback loops and cross-team co-ordination which is vital to the successful adoption of agile practices,” said Gavin.

“The case studies we present at this seminar show how US public services have used measurement to achieve significant increases in functional value without a commensurate increase in costs,” says Gavin. “I’m surprised that there isn’t more interest from UK government stakeholders in this proven approach to achieving more for less.”


For further information on the free public sector seminars, go to: http://www.thehubevents.com/all-events/public-sector-cio-...


For further information on the free private sector seminars, go to: http://www.thehubevents.com/all-events/every-cioa-s-guide...



ENDS



Notes to Editors

For further information, please contact:

Michelle Drapeau, PR Executive: Tel +44 (0) 1525 237599

OR

Sue Rule, Consulting Partner at Orchestrated Knowledge on: Tel +44 (0)1732 863760 or +44 (0)7939 241644


Facts about:

Orchestrated Knowledge
Orchestrated Knowledge is a newly formed consortium of independent thought-leaders in effective systems performance. OK provides public and private sector executives seeking to create more sustainable and robust business systems with a source of reliable know-how and verifiable, evidence-driven advice.
www.orchestratedknowledge.co.uk


The IT Metrics and Productivity Institute
The IT Metrics and Productivity Institute was founded by Computer Aid, Inc to improve the practice and management of software development and maintenance.  The ITMPI promotes best practices in the areas of software process, software metrics, software estimation and IT governance and runs free webinars accredited by the Project Management Institute.
www.itmpi.org
www.compaid.com