M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /1. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: HOW DO INDIVIDUAL MINISTRIES DO IT? The Learning Government Symposium 3-4 th February 2003 OECD, Paris Irma Nieminen, Head of Information Management M INISTRY OF EDUCATION, FINLAND

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /2. WHY IS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT? Information management offers basic infrastructure is in charge of IT knowhow offers data in IT systems and networks

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /3. Main goal is: to secure the right equipment and information as well as IT skills Expenditures: 10 % of ministry's operational costs Top managers committed to developing the most cost-effective IT systems Funds in the budget are reallocated to development

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /4. General situation well run programmes and IT systems efficient equipment and networks common standard for all workstations WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED?

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /5. e-World around us official documents in electronic archives personal unofficial documents in electronic files units' common material in common electronic files service: –the most used daily WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED?...

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /6. IT systems personnel has full access to IT systems and network services many IT systems like registration of in-and-out going documents intranet is the core of all internal information some common systems for whole government Focus on integration and data transmission between systems "Data is updated only once" WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED?...

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /7. The unit of information management Information management unit was set up in 1997 Advantages of an in-house unit Personnel: –has good knowledge of the ministry: processes, culture and tacit knowledge –has IT expertise –knows the staff, their skills and possible shortcomings in IT field The library operations is complementary to IT services WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED?...

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /8. The unit of information management... Important to know –what is possible and what is not –to see the ministry as one entity Knowhow of IT experts is needed: –to purchase IT services, –to assess the technological solutions –to control the quality of IT systems Without our knowhow good results are not achieved WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED?...

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /9. The unit of information management... External IT firms cannot provide tailor-made service IT training and service within the ministry: –the in-house teacher offers IT courses and personal training –Computer Driving Licence –helpdesk Challenges –difficulty to holding on to qualified IT personnel –too much knowledge in too few hands –maintaining a general level of high expertise WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED?...

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /10. Plans on information management First published plan in 1985 Updated yearly Requirements for IT systems, network services, equipment and office programmes IT training Projects and schedules

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /11. Plans on information management... Plans are –the basis of developing and funding for the next five years –coordinated and drafted by the information management unit –approved by the steering group of information management Projects generally carried out well –delays usually due to the change of project leaders or administrative changes Plan and a new strategy for network services will merge in one document in 2003

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /12. What should we expect and take into account? Programme versions change quickly The ministry personnel is not interested in new versions, new features or new IT systems Even new computers are not anymore on anyone's priority list Changes in menus confuse personnel, we try to bring about changes as smoothly as possible

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /13. What should we do ? to raise the level of IT knowhow to build an intranet environment favourable to e-Learning, IT training, administrative practices to train the ministry personnel and IT experts in project management change is implemented slower than planned, but can we afford it to be so in the future ?

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION Irma Nieminen /ea / /14. to promote networking by building public folders for working groups where documents, conversation, s are seen by all participants regular meetings for user groups after IT systems have been taken in operative use uniform and user friendly interfaces new methods for eGovernment and electronic transactions such as digital signatures regular meetings between young and more experienced civil servants