Don't Overreact!

Socitm's just-published IT Trends Report, which was completed before the recession hit, has geneerated headlines like "Local Authority IT Spend in 2008/9 reaches an all time high" and "Council IT spend to grow this year" that may seem optimistic given the financial environment in which we now find ourselves. However, the report highlighted that there needs to be a growing focus on using ICT to monitor and manage the business, and that's even more the case in a down-turn.

Security and privacy has rightly hit the top of the agenda, which brings additional challenges - of ensuring that solutions are pragmatic and that we don't overreact and disable the functionality that we have come to rely upon- especially as we look to flexible work-styles to to generate efficiency savings and facilitate more harmonious work-life balances.


After chatting with the BCS's Steve Coaker, this morning, I wrote to introduce him to colleagues in GMIS. The BCS is expanding its professional development business internationally, and Steve has account management responsibility for the US.


I was introduced, by Ian Dunmore, to Nico Macdonald (see www.spy.co.uk/ ) who came to chat with Richard Carde and myself about our Telecoms Convergence programme, and 2012 aspirations. Nico is working on the production of a Progress Summit in July, which will "focus on the short- and medium-term future of the city with an emphasis on re-establishing ambitious visions for the future, innovation and productivity, designerly thinking and humanism".

We explained our plans and objectives as best we could in return for which, hopefully, Nico has a wealth of connections he can share with us to help build support and sustain momentum in our programme!


Following a Caboodle Board meeting in the afternoon, and a meeting with HR on a staff matter, I made a point of getting home early so I could attend a TVR Car Club meeting to plan this year's Le Mans trip!


On Tuesday, I'm working at home, during the day, then off to a "CTO Community TechnoVision Event" pre dinner at Weybridge. Tomorrow's event, organised by Capgemini and the Cabinet Office, looks interesting. Information about the concept behind it is at http://www.capgemini.com/services/technology-services/technovision/