Michael Krigsman points to a report released by the UK National Audit Office, on the subject of IT project failures.The NAO report features some two dozen IT-enabled programmes and projects, from both the public and the private sectors, within the UK and overseas, which demonstrate how success can be achieved.

From analysing these examples of IT-enabled change, the NAO identified three core principles which contribute to delivering successful IT programmes and projects:

• Ensuring senior level engagement: clear and engaged board leadership, keeping senior decision makers informed of progress and risks and, for example, not creating undue pressure by making premature and unrealistic announcements about delivery dates
• Acting as an "intelligent client": understanding the business process the department is aiming to change, having the right programme management skills, training the staff and creating effective and equal relationships with suppliers
• Realising the benefits: selling the benefits to users, winning wider support for the change, and assessing whether the programme or project has achieved what it set out to do

Please find the report here.

Prashanth Rai