Stronger oversight of IT investments needed – BC Auditor

Oct. 4, 2016

VICTORIA – Auditor general Carol Bellringer has released her latest report, Getting IT Right: Achieving value from government IT investments. The report will help decision-makers guide IT projects toward better success.

It includes how much government invests in information technology (IT), an overview of current oversight practices and common IT project challenges.

IT is critical to government operations and service delivery. “It’s the fundamental, yet invisible foundation that allows government to function,” says Bellringer. “From delivering healthcare and social services to processing billions of dollars in transactions, technology is embedded in government’s activities more than ever.”

IT projects tend to involve substantial change in technology and more importantly, in the very way organizations function. This makes IT investment inherently complex and risky. A recent global study of about 5,000 IT projects found that 29% were successful, 52% had challenges, and 19% failed outright. The largest and most expensive projects tend to carry the greatest risk of failure. All jurisdictions in the private and public sectors face challenges in achieving value from IT projects, including British Columbia’s public sector.

“Successful IT investment isn’t just about being on time and on budget. It’s also about achieving value,” says Bellringer.

Oversight is critical to the success of IT projects. Currently, central government oversight is focused on ministry IT projects, even though broader public sector IT projects account for the bulk of government IT investment. This report includes three recommendations to improve oversight and accountability across the public sector as well as 20 questions for project success.

The full report is available on the Office of the Auditor General website at: www.bcauditor.com/pubs

Bellringer will answer questions pertaining to the report via a news conference and in-person should a visual be required after the news conference.

News Conference Date: Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016

Time: 11 a.m. (Pacific time)

Dial-in Information:

From Vancouver: 604 681-0260

From elsewhere in Canada and the USA: 1 877 353-9184

Participant Pass Code: 44848#

During question and answer period, to ask a question: Press 01

During question and answer period, to exit the question queue: Press #

About the Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia

The auditor general is a non-partisan, independent officer of the legislature who reports directly to the legislative assembly. The Auditor General Act empowers the auditor general and staff to conduct audits, report findings and make recommendations.

Contact us:

To speak to the auditor general, call Elaine Hepburn: 250 419-6108

For general questions, call Colleen Rose, manager, Communications: 250 419-6207

www.bcauditor.com

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