Following the apparent derailment at Connecting for Health, let’s hope that another prestigious national project fares rather better with its systems delivery. The Olympic Delivery Authority is said to be close to selecting an information systems supplier, with Accenture amongst the contenders (better luck this time). I hope that the ODA will research the NHS experience as a case study in how not to do things, and ensure that proper IT governance processes are put in place and adhered to.
If Health Service IT systems run two years late, we give a weary shrug and sort of expect it. If the Olympic systems aren’t ready on time, it will be national humiliation on a global stage. IT governance is about managing that sort of risk.
