Horizon Post Office scandal highlights the public sector's lack of control over IT
The following is an extract of an article written for PublicTechnology.net. For the full article PublicTechnology.net
The Post Office Horizon IT scandal is a human tragedy which has brought to light numerous issues which get overlooked in public sector IT projects, with all-too-familiar results.
Accepting that we do not have all the facts so are not in a position to know exactly where the problems lie, there are a number of issues which stand out in this case which are all-too-familiar.
We believe the Post Office Horizon IT scandal is a symptom of a much wider problem; the public sector often struggles with how best to procure services, which has resulted in it having very little control over its IT. When it comes to Horizon specifically, you have to question the operational structure behind it – there was seemingly no user engagement at any point during its development, or if there was, it was not taken into account.
In the era of digital transformation, where IT innovation can deliver both cost efficiencies and improved services, it is time for the public sector to retake control of its IT and its data. Prior to outsourcing anything, every public sector department needs to understand its role. In the case of Horizon, did anyone stop and ask what was the role of the Post Office? What values does it provide to the community and the country as a whole, and how could these be advanced further? If those questions had ever been asked, it would have been clear very quickly that Horizon was never going to be the answer. And a whole lot of heartache and misery could have been avoided.
