[LINK] Gershon recommendations adopted

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Tom Worthington wrote:
> At 07:43 PM 24/11/2008, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
>> Maybe I'm thick, but I don't understand how the government can get 
>> "efficient and effective expenditure and management." and at the same 
>> time "... improve the use of ICT in public administration and service 
>> delivery." ...
>
> Seems pretty simple to me: If you make the use of ICT more efficient, 
> you can reduce the cost of the ICT and also improve the service provided.
there is always an easy solution to every problem — neat, plausible and 
wrong.
H. L. Mencken

In this case the reason this simple solution is wrong is because ICT 
delivers no business benefits on its own, it is the applications that 
run on the ICT infrastructure that deliver the benefits.

The current government is only concerned with procurement of ICT. If 
they don't understand the applications and business benefits, which they 
don't and which the Gershon review did not cover, then the unintended 
consequence will be to reduce efficiency at the business level - which, 
not being measured, will not be observed or understood.

While I'm quoting H. L. Mencken:
The most dangerous man to any government is the man
who is able to think things out for himself, without
regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos.

-- 

 
Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au