In the pursuit of creating a Digitally Resilient borough aligned with our ambitious Digital and Customer Experience Strategy, we led a pivotal project to optimise our technology infrastructure. Recognising the challenges of managing a sprawling application portfolio, including numerous ‘Shadow IT’ applications not under IT department management, we sought a strategic solution to streamline our processes, enhance data security, and improve overall efficiency.
Our quest led us to partner with BetterGov, a decision made through a competitive procurement process. BetterGov proposed a comprehensive Application Rationalisation project that is central to a Discovery Audit. This audit was designed to scrutinise Shadow IT applications for security vulnerabilities and identify immediate opportunities for improvement. Over 12 weeks, we collaborated closely with BetterGov, engaging key stakeholders in an exhaustive analysis of our application inventory.
This analysis was not just a mere evaluation of what existed; it was a strategic assessment spanning functionality, technical aspects, cyber security, contracts, and support requirements for each application. Using the ‘TIME’ framework (Tolerate, Invest, Migrate, Eliminate), BetterGov provided tailored recommendations for each application, forming our action plan’s basis. This plan aimed to ensure a smooth transition of viable applications into our Business-As-Usual (BAU) support framework, incorporating resilience and business continuity planning.
The project’s outcomes were significant and multifaceted:
- A 30% reduction in Shadow IT applications, translating into £112K in annual recurring cost savings.
- Enhanced employee and customer journeys through streamlined technology use.
- A fortified stance against data security risks and cyber-attacks, bolstering our commitment to compliance and accessibility.
- Identification of opportunities for cloud adoption, aligning with our forward-thinking IT strategy and supporting future growth and digital transformation initiatives.
This initiative has set a precedent for IT cost optimisation within the public sector, demonstrating our commitment to not only achieving immediate efficiencies but also laying the groundwork for sustainable, future-ready digital infrastructure. Our journey with BetterGov has been a testament to the power of strategic partnership, meticulous planning, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in public service digitalisation.
