Preface

These guidelines have been developed following Cabinet agreement earlier this year that the regime for monitoring major IT projects should be consolidated and updated to incorporate all of the recommendations from the INCIS Inquiry.

The monitoring regime consists of directions by Cabinet as to what is required of departments and monitoring agencies with regard to major IT projects, and guidance material setting out what is expected of departments and monitoring agencies. The regime applies to all Public Service departments, and to the New Zealand Defence Force, the New Zealand Police, the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Parliamentary Counsel Office and the Parliamentary Service. The regime may be applied to specific projects undertaken by Crown entities or by the intelligence agencies where so directed by the responsible Minister.

The guidelines are organised by broad subject to cover strategic alignment, business case development, governance and management, project management processes, and the technological environment. The principles to be followed in each of these areas are identified, with general guidelines for applying those principles to a particular project. The key points for monitoring agencies to look for are also outlined, reflecting the view that there are clear advantages in having guidance material for both departments and monitoring agencies amalgamated into a single resource.

The guidelines emphasise the need for departments to link their major IT projects to their business strategy as well as to broader Government strategies, including E-Government. The importance of risk management is stressed, as is the importance of the contractual relationship with vendors and the need for effective peer review and independent quality assurance. In this way the guidelines, taken with the requirements set out in Cabinet Office Circular CO (01) 4, implement all of the recommendations of the INCIS Inquiry, as well as picking up the elements of previous guidelines and requirements, e.g. those relating to the development of business cases.

While these guidelines inform chief executives, monitoring agencies and others of best practice, they do not transfer accountability away from Chief Executives for planning and implementing major IT projects, or from monitoring agencies for providing assurance and advice to Ministers. Guidelines notwithstanding, IT projects remain a relatively risky activity - issuing guidelines is one way to reduce the risk - but the guidelines need to be acted upon by Chief Executives, monitoring agencies and IT professionals if they are to make a difference.

The guidelines are available online at the State Services Commission website, which should be used as the most up to date source of information, see http://www.ssc.govt.nz.

Any questions or comments on these guidelines can be forwarded via the feedback form on the front page of this website (http://www.ssc.govt.nz/display/feedback.asp ).

State Services Commission and the Treasury

August 2001