A $389,000 inquiry into the police's Incis computer project has found that almost everyone is to blame for its failure.
The report, made public yesterday, said Incis was sound in concept but, despite great time and effort, it did not achieve any of its key objectives.
No one person or organisation was to blame for the failure, which was due to "numerous, interrelated and complex" reasons.
The inquiry, by former Tranz Rail chief executive Francis Small, found that police were over-ambitious, other agencies failed to monitor what was going on and the many changes to the system failed to set off alarm bells.
The $107 million project was abandoned a year ago, after software developers IBM pulled out, with the scheme two years over deadline and more than $20 million over budget.
"No single cause resulted in the failure," the report said, "but the combined effect of the causes meant that Incis would almost certainly fail."
The report's recommendations include that:
* The business case for IT projects should reflect overall business goals and address technology resources and risks.
* Projects should normally use proven technology.
* Care should be taken over contracts and any conflict should be dealt with promptly.
* Management needs to be tight and effective.
* Ministers should be given all the information they need.
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