IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

In the realm of information technology, all roads are leading to cloud computing even if the road maps are not yet complete. The government’s G-Cloud strategy is a prime example of where organisations are heading and what they hope to achieve.

Key benefits of cloud computing, whether evolutionary or revolutionary, are scalability and shared computing. Scalability is critical when organisations experience growing demand for data storage. For example, hospitals face skyrocketing storage demand due to advances in imaging technology. In a traditional set-up, electronic picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), storing ultrasounds and radiography, are housed on individual machines or external drives. Capacity needs to be managed to ensure sufficient space and personnel are at that particular location for retrieval.

The creation of a head of shared services is a momentous event for government IT.

It is significant not just because David Myers, the man appointed to do the job, says billions of pounds will be invested in such schemes over the next five years, and ideally billions more saved.

Does David Myers, newly-appointed director of shared services for government, have the hardest job in public sector IT?

At the moment, departments and agencies across the civil service all have their own individual systems for administrative functions such as human resources and finance.

The Home Office’s national identity cards programme has come in for considerable criticism since it was first proposed as a benefits entitlement scheme in 2002.

Quite apart from the civil liberties issues, questions about both the technology and the ability of the government to successfully deliver IT-enabled projects have not been answered satisfactorily.

This is a much more complex endeavour than simply opening virtual service access points on the Internet, and poses fundamental questions about the core mission and processes of governments, as opposed to the frills and thrills of web sites and portals.

One of the finalists in this year's e-Government national awards to be presented next month is a project called e-Borders. It is up for a gong in the category "innovation in strategy at a national level". This involves "delivering innovative strategies which have demonstrated above-average results in improved services, processes and effectiveness within the transformational government agenda".

"When ODPM asked us to lead on the National eService Delivery Standards (NeSDS) programme to deliver a range of e-service delivery standards we were happy to do so. It is important that we all help each other as local authorities to provide efficient and consistent levels of service to our customers.

Professionalism may be summarised as 'doing things right and doing the right things'.

Professional organisations create confidence and trust among their customers. They attract the best people and have loyal and dedicated workforces. Professionalism is an essential component of any organisation enjoying long-term success.

There are two crucial econ-political reasons for the government to support the expansion of broadband. The coalition has emphasised repeatedly that broadband infrastructure and access to services, particularly for the UK’s business community, will drive the UK economy out recession. Widening access to next generation broadband will hugely enhance the reach and ability of businesses to expand their markets and act as a much needed catalyst for wider economic growth. Second, broadband will become one of the principal mechanisms for delivering socio economic growth.

The UK Government is the biggest single spender on IT services in the country and every major project, successful or not, is subjected to intense media scrutiny. But despite notable disasters such as those concerning tax credits and criminal records, there are also Government successes - the NHS Direct Call Centre service, for example. This article looks at the development of new guidance designed to ensure the future success of Government IT procurement.

Piecemeal implementation of ICT initiatives, in any sector or environment, leads to a fragmented end-product.

Components which are meant to support and enable each other end up as separate non-cohesive units that are clunky and awkward to use, with varying degrees of obsolescence and interconnectability. Worse still when viewed separately, few components are truly viable.

Nearly 50% of first-time voters have voted for a Big Brother contestant, but only 40% plan to cast a vote in next month's general election, according to political research firm YouGov. This lack of engagement is certainly not down to a lack of interest: YouGov found that 70% of young people are "very interested" in issues such as taxes, the environment and healthcare. So why can't young voters be persuaded to take part in public elections?

Paul Bettison, leader of Bracknell Forest BC, said SIM (subscriber identity module) cards could replace the chips that are used on smart cards. He predicted this would be the next big step in the development of smart cards for public services.