Report identifies keys to IT project failures

Three-year-plus service-based projects have no "reasonable chance of success ", according to Lagan Technologies

Whitehall washout: Lagan cites a DWP official in claiming just 30 per cent of government IT projects succeed

With the main political parties stressing their commitment to localised IT procurement, research has singled out the factors that lead big government IT projects to end in failure.

A report from public sector technology specialist Lagan Technologies claims services-based projects face an exponentially increasing risk of failure after 18 months. The company added that three-year plus contracts with more than £50m in services had no "reasonable chance of success" .

According to Lagan, one senior Department of Work and Pensions official claimed just three in ten government IT projects currently end successfully. A number of high-profile projects have recently been scaled back, and a £1.2bn framework for voice, data and video technology was canned last week.

The Conservatives published their Techonology Manifesto this month, stressing their commitment to smaller projects and more autonomy for local authorities. Labour has also outlined its commitment to opening up procurement.

Lagan's chief technology officer David Moody said: "This may be disruptive, but it might bring an opportunity for smaller suppliers."