Failures of digital systems cause service outages and data breaches that have ­major negative effects both on the economy and on society, internationally. The number and scale of these issues continues to grow.

This book brings together data and thinking from more than 200 experts to provide both an understanding of the consequences of failures in digital systems and an approach to reducing these failures and their impacts.

Written in accessible language it aims to be a ‘go to’ guide for decision makers in the private, government and not-for-profit sectors. Beginning with the question ‘What is the impact of these failures on real people and the economy?’, it brings together ideas from management, financial services and the IT industry to create a framework and language for leaders in organizations to enable them to identify priorities, align objectives and take action.

The authors have wide and deep experience. Gill has had responsibility for software businesses and for strategy in the IT industry, and is an author and consultant on foresight. Ed has been a researcher and teacher at Stanford, Maastricht and Sussex Universities, consistently engaging with emerging issues spanning both IT and economics.


As the reliance on digital systems increases through the use of AI, smart infrastructure and robots, it becomes ever more important to plan for and manage the inevitability of outages and errors. This book provides both the motivation to take action and the methods to achieve IT service resilience.