Why Keir Starmer’s plan to rewire Whitehall needs an IT-rethink

In my personal experience, I have encountered certain institutional barriers that hinder the successful delivery of major projects in government. It is possible that the mechanisms put in place to mitigate delivery risks and prevent wasted funds may actually be increasing the likelihood of failure.

One of the main challenges faced by government IT programs is the disconnect between the Agile approaches advocated by the Government Digital Service (GDS) and the top-down project approval and oversight processes. These processes often require a predetermined design, a fully defined set of outputs and benefits at the project’s outset, and a detailed budget outlined in a business case – all characteristics of Waterfall project planning.

While I understand the need to regulate spending and allocate resources efficiently, the current approach does not align well with Agile project delivery. These formalities may hinder the iterative and flexible approach necessary for successful project completion, especially in the government’s aim to adopt a start-up’s test and learn mentality.