McKinsey on Government

IT: Challenge and Opportunity
Autumn 2011

report | McKinsey on Government

More transparency, less complexity: How to boost federal IT yield

To improve IT performance and productivity, federal CIOs must first do two things: get a detailed understanding of IT investments and reduce complexity in the IT portfolio. Only by pulling these two levers can CIOs consistently deliver higher yield per IT dollar. (PDF–348 KB)more

report | McKinsey on Government

'Getting stuff done': A conversation with America's first CIO

During his last few weeks in office, Vivek Kundra, the first-ever federal chief information officer of the United States, reflects on his tenure. (PDF–563 KB)more

report | McKinsey on Government

Capturing value through IT consolidation and shared services

Agencies should look beyond data-center consolidation for opportunities to streamline IT assets. By pursuing a range of initiatives, agencies can boost effectiveness while cutting IT costs by up to 20 percent—without reducing head count. (PDF–350 KB)more

report | McKinsey on Government

A city consolidates its data centers

The experience of one US city provides lessons on how public-sector organizations can design and execute a data-center consolidation. (PDF–291 KB)more

report | McKinsey on Government

Seven imperatives for success in IT megaprojects

To implement public-sector IT megaprojects successfully, leaders must pay close attention to process, people, and governance. We discuss seven imperatives that, although not technically difficult, require dramatic changes in mind-sets and ways of working.

report | McKinsey on Government

Transforming IT: A German success story

A once-underperforming IT function has become one of Europe’s leading public-sector IT providers—due in large part to the leadership of Klaus Vitt, CIO of the German Federal Employment Agency. In this interview, Vitt reflects on the challenges of IT transformation and how to do it right. (PDF–661 KB)more

report | McKinsey on Government

Can you hack it? Managing the cybersecurity challenge

To secure cyberspace, technology alone is not enough. Strong management plays an equally important role.

report | McKinsey on Government

Getting ahead in the cloud

The transition to cloud computing will be especially challenging for governments, given their myriad IT systems and their security, budgetary, and organizational constraints. We look at four critical actions they must take. (PDF–348 KB)more

report | McKinsey on Government

Better all the time: Continuous improvement in IT

By reorganizing its IT function and applying lean IT principles, the Netherlands’ largest public-sector agency has drastically improved its performance and reputation. The agency’s leaders talk about what they’ve done—and what still remains to be done—in their pursuit of IT excellence. (PDF–458 KB)more