Managing Successful Programmes

Delivering successful IT-enabled business change (PDF), published by National Audit Office November 2006.

Summary

IT-enabled business change essential for reforming public services.

Many examples of failure, report examines 24 examples of success to draw out key factors, projects from £k20 to £M800+.

For the critical success factors identifies key questions to assess likelihood of success.

Critical Success Factors (and related questions)

Ensuring senior level engagement

• Is the board able to make informed judgements about the department’s capacity to manage change?
• Does the department have in place a decision making structure that will ensure strong and effective leadership of the IT-enabled business change?
• What incentives exist to drive performance?

Acting as an intelligent client

• Does the department have the necessary programme management skills?
• What is the natural division of duties between the Programme and Project Management Centre of Excellence and the Chief Information Officer?
• How will the department establish and promote an open and constructive relationship with suppliers?
• How clear is the department about the business process that it is seeking to change or develop?
• Does the technology exist to deliver the change?

Realising the benefits of change

• Beyond immediate technical success, how will wider benefits be secured?