Almost half of civil servants questioned for an IT survey have reported that their department does not keep proper track of the success of digital and data initiatives.
The finding comes in a poll conducted by Civil Service World's sister company Total Research for global software and digital-services company Civica.
Forty-seven percent of the survey's 360 respondents answered "no" to the question: "Does your department/organisation effectively measure the progress or success of its digital and data initiatives?"
The officials, who ranged in rank from senior civil service to administrative grades, said their department struggled with "effective assessment of the impact of their organisation’s initiatives".
The survey was conducted in May this year and focused on civil servants at 15 major government departments. Its results are contained in a new Civica report tracking progress on the 2022-25 Roadmap for Digital and Data, which set out an ambitious vision for transforming digital services, improving operational efficiencies and providing better outcomes for citizens.
The report finds that departments have made "steady progress" with digital, data and technology initiatives. But it also underscores a need to prioritise action in several critical areas.
The report ranks challenges to effecively implementing digital and data initiatives, as reported by civil servants. The top five are: siloed working practices and budget limitations, both of which were cited by 60% of respondents, legacy IT infrastructure (47%), lack of data skills and knowledge (42%), and developing and retaining skilled staff (39%).
The top five digital and data priorities for civil servants include improving the user experience of public services (66%); resolving data-quality issues (56%); improving data-visibility and sharing (51%); using and sharing data ethically (44%); and improving the sustainability of technology (37%).
Civica CEO Lee Perkins said the report showed that the new government had a "generational opportunity" to transform digital services to better serve citizens and set new global benchmarks in productivity.
"The commitment we’ve seen so far has delivered encouraging progress," he said. "Now is the time to refocus efforts on maximising efficiencies and delivering citizen-centred innovation."