Blackberrys not providing value for money

originally by: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16753318
published:  27 January 2012

The National Audit Office (NAO) criticized an 80 million pounds Home Office program that was developed to provide police forces Blackberrys and other devices. The aim of the program was to shorten time spend at doing paperwork. NAO concluded in a report that the new equipment was used ineffectively because only one in five forces used the new technology. Secondly, too many mobile devices were distributed and they were not equally divided among forces. The only benefit seen from robust analysis is that some forces spend less time in accessing information. In conclusion, the program is not providing the value of the money spend and more forces have to use the new technology and implement it in their processes to increase the value.

My reactionFirst of all, the NAO is doing good work to critically evaluate government programs. Because it one step to provide money and distribute equipment, but on the other hand it has to be effective and the goals have to be accomplished. This however, is not the case. To my opinion it is the fault of the government, which started the program, that just a few forces are using the new technology. Identifying mistakes in the program earlier could be evident for a valuable working program. In addition to mistaken distribution, I think that officers also were not educated properly how to use the mobile devices in order to fasten work processes. I agree with the next step providing the other forces  as well with the devices and fasten the processes all together.