The Forrester report, which was based on a study of 14 government departments conducted last year, included interviews with staff and opinions from government technology suppliers. The departments were assessed and graded on a scale of A to F based on their long-term vision, how likely the department was to make that vision work and their understanding of what help they needed from commercial partners and their expected saving.
Forrester gave most departments failing grades with 9 of the 14 getting a grade D or E. They also report that only 13% of supplier companies questioned believed the government would achieve its 2005 deadline.
“The study showed that the government doesn't really understand how to work with fast moving, small e-commerce vendors and how to build partnerships," commented the author of the report, Caroline Sceats.
How the departments performed
Education and Employment - C
Trade and Industry - C
Inland Revenue - C
Culture, Media and Sport - C
Environment, Transport and Regions - C
Cabinet Office - D
International Development - D
Office of E-Envoy - D
Northern Ireland Civil Service - D
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food - D
Crown Prosecution Service - E
Social Security - E
Customs and Excise - E
Office for National Statistics - E
The report will not come as welcome news to Prime Minister Tony Blair who only recently appointed Andrew Pinder as the new e-envoy in the Cabinet Office last Wednesday. Mr. Pinder’s role is to drive the country into a more ‘digital democracy’.
The government has repeatedly made its on-line targets harder to achieve by setting such tight deadlines. Tony Blair has consistently pushed the 2005 implementation date for online services and pledged £1 billion to the effort.