WRITTEN ON September 30th, 2008 BY Sir Bonar Neville-Kingdom GCMG KCVO AND STORED IN Transformational Government

Sir Bonar writes

In my role as technology outreach Czar I’ve had a number of enquiries directed to my private office asking me whether the trade association Intellect actually exists or not. Several callers suggested it is in reality no more than an empty office with a coffee machine around which IT executives gather. One caller even dared to ask me whether Intellect was merely a satirical construct.

My instant response is to say that I’ve never heard anything so absurd in all my life. How on earth do people think government is able to devise, analyse, risk manage, procure and implement some of the largest IT systems in the world without being able to consult a cross-sectiom of the world’s leading IT suppliers behind closed doors? The very notion betrays a naivety about how government really works that I find breathtaking.

But we must be patient and courteous at all times, even with those who appear wilfully ill-informed.

So yes, I’m happy to confirm that the trade asociation Intellect does really exist, and does precisely what it purports to do. The success of our Transformational e-Government 1.0 Programme provides ample testament to this, as if any were needed. Anyone choosing to visit their offices will find a warm welcome and – indeed – an admirable coffee machine. But, as the quality of our technical professionalism and our Customer Insight demonstrates, they will also find a great deal more besides.