A new warning note about the risks of outsourcing IT appears in a briefing from Socitm Insight, the research arm of the public sector IT managers' association.
Costs of Outsourcing - Uncovering the Real Risks accepts that there are good reasons for outsourcing, especially for SMEs. However, outsourcing a major component of the ICT service, or even the whole service, "is a major commitment and fraught with risk".
According to the report, Socitm's benchmarking service, which has compared costs and user satisfaction over a decade, shows that, when comparing the costs for any service, most elements will be more expensive if outsourced. The briefing also counsels public services to avoid the mistake of outsourcing information assets alongside their technology.