Description

Understanding ICT governance

As background to our advice, we describe a template for the work of the governance function, identifying the many different facets of the role. We conclude with the results of our survey into the current maturity of ICT governance in the public sector.

Securing engagement

We have referred to service managers lacking enthusiasm to engage with ICT, and to the ICT function needing to work with them to increase their understanding and commitment. Here we provide a self-assessment framework to help readers to gain a deeper understanding of the outlook of those that they need to influence, and the style of the organisations in which they work.

Designing a governance framework

Having analysed the existing position, we can now design a rigorous governance structure that will fit with the existing culture, yet secure the benefits of a corporate, even extra corporate approach to exploiting information and technology assets.

Learning from case studies

Our case studies represent those who come out best from our survey. As it is no longer possible to limit governance arrangements to a single organisation, we look in detail at different types of partnership, including examples of large multi-agency working, strategic partnerships with the private sector and emerging shared service arrangements.

Implementing ICT governance

Using the practical experience from our case studies and research findings, we provide advice in implementing the governance function so that organisations can see what that function should actually do, and how it might do it. We also present the advice within the framework of general governance set out by the Audit Commission’s ‘Key lines of enquiry’ for corporate governance inspections in England and relevant across the UK public sector.

Conclusions

We conclude our advice by providing a checklist of actions to take to ensure comprehensive and appropriate governance of the organisation’s ICT assets.

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