John on Repetitive Failure Syndrome - or RFS. Spot on as ever:

"IT systems fail because those who design them don't understand the organisations into which the IT has to fit, seem incapable of involving the organisation's people meaningfully in the design process, fail to keep them informed of progress and pay little attention to training and support. It's laughably simple - yet time and again nobody does any of these things properly."

I'd just add that the decision makers within organisations who commission these IT systems get dazzled by vendors claims of magic and singularly fail to specify what they actually want them to do.