In a boiler plate response, an HMCTS spokeswoman said: "The Common Platform Programme is a partnership between HMCTS, the Crown Prosecution Service and police and has strong support from the judiciary.
"It provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to design and build a fully connected criminal courtroom by 2020.
As so frequently the case, laudable aims. As frequently the case a shame no one had the nouse to plan it properly. Without any attempt to to do any sort of rapid prototyping either (with there intention of throwing away the prototypes rather than incorporating them into the end design, I would be prepared to bet that the requirements developed over 18 months(!) will be a long way from optimal, and when the have to be redeveloped will further add to cost and delay.
It reminds me about talking with some of the people tasked with speccing and delivering part of the crashed & burnt NHS system. I was flabbergasted to discover that at this point they had not even discussed them with the medical staff who were due to use the damn thing. "we wanted to get it right before we showed them". Honest not making it up.
The management consultants responsible (I have no reason too suppose they were lying) know who they are - as do most of the readers of this piece.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
