Weakness in managing risk is often a major cause of failure in implementing IT projects as well as in more general change management programmes. In a move to understand how risk can be managed better the National School for Government is leading a project to find out more about outstanding practice in risk management. The sponsors of the project include DTI, DWP, ODPM, Food Standards Agency, Revenue and Customs, Home Office, IDeA, Cabinet Office and OGC.The study will bring together what is known about the management of innovation and risk in public service, the private sector and academic fields. The learning will then be checked out in organisations that consistently innovate and achieve extraordinary performance. The team will find out how decisions are taken to initiate change in these organisations, how the options are weighed up and how innovation is started.

The National School for Government will be partnered in the research by the European Centre for Business Excellence and the Research and Education Division of Oakland Consulting plc.

The results will be published in December 2005 and a scheme will be launched to support public service organisations to make the best use of what has been learned.