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Gov.uk is, amazingly and surprisingly, well run, and I think this advice is solid. But broadly speaking, it's not like the British government has done much bett

by Osmium 13y ago

Gov.uk is, amazingly and surprisingly, well run, and I think this advice is solid. But broadly speaking, it's not like the British government has done much better with large computer projects. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHS_Connecting_for_Health http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHS_Connecting_for_Health

DanBC 13y ago
Many UK government big IT projects have been disastrous. http://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280096822/Government-IT-disasters-a-clear-case-for-change http://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280096822/Government-IT-... > But in central government there is no such thing as an IT disaster: project names are usually changed or the failed scheme continues indefinitely. A project to deliver unified systems for magistrates has continued for about 17 years, complete with name changes. http://www.zdnet.com/the-top-10-it-disasters-of-all-time-3039290976/ http://www.zdnet.com/the-top-10-it-disasters-of-all-time-303... > Edward Leigh, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, was outraged when the National Audit Office subsequently picked through the wreckage: "Ignoring ample warnings, the DWP, the CSA and IT contractor EDS introduced a large, complex IT system at the same time as restructuring the agency. The new system was brought in and, as night follows day, stumbled and now has enormous operational difficulties." > It was the summer of 1999, and half a million British citizens were less than happy to discover that their new passports couldn't be issued on time because the Passport Agency had brought in a new Siemens computer system without sufficiently testing it and training staff first. http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/mod+system+unmitigated+disaster/1054057.html http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/mod... > Over £4bn is being spent on a huge new defence computer system designed to help Britain's troops operate more effectively in Iraq, Afghanistan and across the globe. > But a joint investigation by Channel 4 News and Computer Weekly magazine has uncovered internal emails from civil servants describing parts of the system as "an unmitigated disaster" and "not fit for purpose"

by Osmium 13y ago

DanBC 13y ago

Many UK government big IT projects have been disastrous. http://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280096822/Government-IT-disasters-a-clear-case-for-change http://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280096822/Government-IT-... > But in central government there is no such thing as an IT disaster: project names are usually changed or the failed scheme continues indefinitely. A project to deliver unified systems for magistrates has continued for about 17 years, complete with name changes. http://www.zdnet.com/the-top-10-it-disasters-of-all-time-3039290976/ http://www.zdnet.com/the-top-10-it-disasters-of-all-time-303... > Edward Leigh, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, was outraged when the National Audit Office subsequently picked through the wreckage: "Ignoring ample warnings, the DWP, the CSA and IT contractor EDS introduced a large, complex IT system at the same time as restructuring the agency. The new system was brought in and, as night follows day, stumbled and now has enormous operational difficulties." > It was the summer of 1999, and half a million British citizens were less than happy to discover that their new passports couldn't be issued on time because the Passport Agency had brought in a new Siemens computer system without sufficiently testing it and training staff first. http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/mod+system+unmitigated+disaster/1054057.html http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/mod... > Over £4bn is being spent on a huge new defence computer system designed to help Britain's troops operate more effectively in Iraq, Afghanistan and across the globe. > But a joint investigation by Channel 4 News and Computer Weekly magazine has uncovered internal emails from civil servants describing parts of the system as "an unmitigated disaster" and "not fit for purpose"