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Right data, right place, right time

• Posted on July 16, 2019 by Yvonne Gallagher

  

  Have you ever had the frustration of having to provide the same information about yourself to different government services? Have you ever had to make decisions without information about what does and doesn’t work? Data is fundamental to delivering public services, improving systems and processes, and supporting sound decisions – but accessing accurate data is far from easy. Drawing from our recent report, Challenges in using data across government, I highlight here some of the difficulties, their implications and ways they can be addressed.

  more… Right data, right place, right time

  Tagged: Behaviour change, Business operations, Cross-government, Customer service, Digital transformation, Forecasting, Fraud and error, Good practice principles, Information management, Information sharing, Innovation, IT, Performance measurement, Public sector reform, Regulation & consumer protection, Risk management

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Major programmes – what are we learning?

• Posted on July 4, 2019 by Sandy Gordon

  

  Since we first published our Framework to review programmes in 2017 there has been no let-up in NAO reports on major projects and programmes, most recently on Crossrail, the Emergency Services Network and the Stonehenge by-pass road. From the need to manage the risks of untried approaches to signs warning of unrealistic cost estimates, this blog highlights some of the themes emerging from our recent work on major programmes, which have been incorporated into our updated guidance.

  more… Major programmes – what are we learning?

  Tagged: Civil service capability, Contract management, Forecasting, Good practice principles, Infrastructure, Investigations, Major projects, Performance management, Project management, Public sector reform, Risk management

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Contract management – challenges and consequences

• Posted on November 23, 2017 by Emma Willson

  Establishing solid foundations early in the contract and commercial relationship lifecycle is critical for contracts to work. But this process starts long before contracts are signed. Two recent NAO reports provide insights into the importance of getting both the procurement strategy and process right. Experience has shown that not doing so can result in millions of pounds in legal costs – £100 million in one recent case – or an uncompetitive contract leading to additional costs. This latest blog in our commercial and contract management series shares our recent insights across the market management and sourcing domain of our contracts lifecycle. more… Contract management – challenges and consequences

  Tagged: Contract insights series, Contract management, Cross-government, Forecasting, Good practice principles, International, Public finances

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A systematic look at major programmes

• Posted on October 10, 2017 by Sandy Gordon

  Major programmes are expensive, high profile and carry great uncertainties and risks. For most government bodies, undertaking a major programme will involve doing something new, with relatively little organisational experience. Many fall short of their objectives, in terms of cost and/or outcomes. So it’s not surprising that they are the focus of many NAO reports – about 100 since 2010. Our new Framework to review programmes shows the questions we typically ask, and brings together many of our recent findings. We hope it will show what we are looking for and what we expect to see when we examine major programmes. more… A systematic look at major programmes

  Tagged: Contract management, Cross-government, Forecasting, Good practice principles, International, Leadership, Major projects, Project management, Public finances, Public sector reform, Risk management

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Intelligent contract competition and risk management

• Posted on April 7, 2017 by Emma Willson

  When it comes to public sector contracts, running proper competitions simply isn’t enough. Government needs to act intelligently to take advantage of competition between potential suppliers, weighing up options and considering who carries the risks, and at what cost. Since launching Commercial and contract management – insights and emerging best practice we’ve reported on two contracts that shed further light on these issues. We explore the new insights from these reports in this blog-post, the latest in our series on key issues for contracts and commercial relationships. more… Intelligent contract competition and risk management

  Tagged: Contract insights series, Contract management, Cross-government, Forecasting, Good practice principles, International, Local government, Performance management, Project management, Public finances, Risk management

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Forecasting for ‘Saints’

• Posted on August 17, 2016 by Tom McDonald

  Ever wished to be a Saint – or to visit the world’s oldest land animal: Jonathan, the 184 year-old tortoise? To help the 4,100 ‘Saints’ – the residents of the UK Overseas Territory of St Helena – to become economically and socially sustainable, the UK funded the island’s first airport. But the airport’s opening has been delayed and our investigation highlights the challenges and risks to Realising the benefits of the St Helena Airport Project. This is an unusual and fascinating example of project decision-making. It also highlights common issues about managing high risk projects, potential optimism bias in forecasting, and the challenges of realising project benefits. more… Forecasting for ‘Saints’

  Tagged: Forecasting, Good practice principles, International, Investigations, Major projects, Overseas aid, Project management

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Beautiful models: robust and reasonable

• Posted on March 18, 2016 by Elliott White

  £5 billion: Potential underestimate of forecast costs in the Ministry of Defence 10 year equipment plan. 32,000: The over-estimate in the number of new homes the New Homes Bonus policy would deliver in its first ten years, as a result of an arithmetical error in a forecasting model. These findings in our reports Major Projects Report 2015 and Forecasting in government show that models really matter! So how can you be sure your model is producing accurate forecasts? more… Beautiful models: robust and reasonable

  Tagged: Cross-government, Forecasting, Good practice principles, Impacts, Performance management, Project management

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