Much has been written about artificial intelligence over the last two years: Government strategies, industry reports and technology suppliers all point to a future in which AI plays an increasingly important role in public service delivery and organisational efficiency.
The opportunities for improvement using AI functionality are definitely there, but in conversations with senior leaders across government, I often see a disconnect.
Organisations are discussing AI but far fewer feel able to move ahead in earnest because of the quality, governance and consistency of the data that AI depends upon.
The Conversation We Need to Be Having
When AI is discussed in government, we need to be considering if the conditions that allow AI to deliver meaningful outcomes are being created.
Because AI does not create certainty from poor-quality information, it amplifies whatever data environment already exists. Good data produces useful outcomes and poor data produces poor outcomes.
The Hidden Importance of the Programme and Project Data Standard
This is one reason I believe the Programme and Project Data Standard is one of the most strategically important developments in government delivery.
It focuses attention on something government has wrestled with for years: Consistency.
The standard encourages organisations to use common structures, common definitions and common approaches to capturing programme and project information, which could be thought of as operational on the surface, but in reality, it is highly strategic.
Consistent data creates the foundation for:
- Better governance.
- Better assurance.
- Better reporting.
- Better interoperability.
- Better decision-making.
- Better AI outcomes.
All roads lead back to the same principle, that data quality really matters.
Governance Matters Just As Much As Technology
When organisations talk about AI readiness, technology often dominates the discussion but governance is equally important.
- Who owns the data?
- How is it maintained?
- What definitions are being used?
- How are changes controlled?
- How do leaders know they can trust the information they receive?
These are governance questions before they are technology questions.
The organisations that gain the greatest benefit from AI are those with the strongest governance structures supporting their information.
Awareness Remains Lower Than It Should Be
One of my concerns is that awareness of the broader relationship between data standards, governance and AI remains relatively low with many organisations looking at each challenge independently.
A data standard initiative.
An AI initiative.
A reporting initiative.
A governance initiative.
They're often owned by different teams and discussed separately.
I see them as deeply interconnected - The Programme and Project Data Standard provides an opportunity to bring these conversations together. To stop viewing data as a by-product of delivery and start recognising it as a strategic asset.
Looking Beyond Compliance
In Beyond Project Portfolio Management, I argue that organisations achieve greater value when they move beyond simply managing projects and focus on creating integrated systems of decision-making.
The real question isn't: "How do we become compliant?"
It's: "How do we create a trusted portfolio data environment that enables better decisions?"
Compliance is one outcome of that journey, with improved governance being another, AI readiness is another and better portfolio oversight is another. But the common thread running through them all is data.
Helping Government Build the Right Foundations
At Verto, we're working with government organisations that are trying to navigate exactly these challenges.
We understand the implications of the Programme and Project Data Standard, can help to assess maturity, improve governance and prepare departments for the future use of AI. Our focus is helping organisations build stronger foundations rather than simply implementing technology.
The conversations I'm having today are rarely about software, and much more about confidence in data, governance, decision-making and ultimately, confidence in delivery.
For government leaders, that feels like a conversation worth having.
