For some years I've been working with the public sector on strategic projects. On more than one occasion I've encountered a shortfall in understanding as to the real implications of change, both in terms of ongoing costs and around the process of change itself, most notably in the cultural aspects. With change now happening so rapidly, the learning curve is a steep one.

ICT deployment underlines this issue. In the public sector as elsewhere, technology should be seen as just another enabler of change; for example, deploying CRM approaches via e-Government to improve access and deliver services more effectively. ICT is not an outcome in and of itself.

Working practices are just as critical. Taking a 'helicopter view' of a typical project, around 20% of the focus should be on IT, given that technology is now pretty much a commodity. It still takes effort but, with the right people and appropriate technology, the desired outcomes (in IT terms at least) should be achievable. The other 80% should involve looking deeper: understanding the cultural implications of change and, importantly, addressing working practices and business processes to ensure change is not only immediate but is also sustainable.

Here's another example. Creating a 'full service' contact centre can be daunting for any council. In many respects it is far more problematic than setting up a commercial call centre because, in effect, you have to deal with maybe 10 or 20 separate 'businesses' rather than one. The process has the potential to be disruptive which is why you need to examine and if necessary realign working practices. Having the technology is all well and good, but you also have to expect and plan for the 'unexpected' - an immediate 50% increase in call volumes, for instance.

As recent press reports have also shown, the NHS reform agenda may involve increased investment in systems and reorganisations but, for some Primary Care Trusts, the outcome is one of 'pain but no gain'. Many PCTs are deemed to be " desperately short of management capacity and expertise" and are therefore struggling to achieve the desired levels of change.

So, as a senior Information Services manager at a council commented recently, the importance and challenges of culture change and change management in general should never be understated. They require a sustained effort over time from a wide range of people, and can include everything from ensuring key stakeholder buy-in, organisational impact assessments and business preparation activities to internal communications and staff training. Expectations must be managed and delivered on. This is where the benefits of having access to specialised change managers come to the fore.