1. Changing the IT organisation at Statistics Netherlands
Why change IT? Another approach is needed because the requirements from the internal customers change
How come? The world outside is changing

2. What is going on outside (1)?
SN is becoming more and more a junction in a network of chained relations with suppliers and users of information
Use of registers in stead of questionnaires, i.e. less primary data collection and more secondary data collection  the driving force here is: lowering the administrative burden

3. What is going on outside (2)?
Government must not ask twice for the same data: if data are already available in digitized format, SN has to refrain from primary data collection
Society has more flexible needs for statistical information; the statistical office must react faster (not taking, say, a year for setting up a new statistical application)

4. How is SN facing this situation?
The changing situation and position of SN require a fundamental re-orientation on how to organize statistical processing
Modernization/innovation at a LARGE scale
doing away with “stovepipe processing”
making use of a more generic approach
Need for another, less interrelated, IT organisation, that has the ability to OUTSOURCE, if need be

5. Some other important issues
SN is moving to another building (both establishments, Voorburg and Heerlen)
The inevitable cutbacks in budget, leading to a reduction of staff ( , i.e. some 20%)
Ageing staff (average over 45)
Obsolete know-how and expertise
Quality issues; external audits

6. What are the problems, really (1)
No suitable model for steering the IT function (IT governance)
Involvement and commitment of the “business” are too low
No clear description available of the business processes incl. the mutual dependencies: chain management
Insufficient attention for adequate business analyses (making the business case), a prerequisite for the contemplated process transformation

7. What are the problems, really (2)
Too low level of professionalism on manage-ment processes (change management, incident management, capacity management, etc.: ITIL)
Insufficient delineation of projects in time (“a project must end”), hampering the optimum assignment of capacity to (i) innovation and (ii) maintaining existing applications
No clear separation between the development/ building of applications and the maintenance (e.g. making software changes or doing tests in the production environment)

8. What are the problems, really (3)
Mismatch between required vs. available know-how and skills (both IT and managerial), necessitates hiring people temporarily (both for projects and for -interim- management)
Too much focus on the work processes i.s.o. the content (relying too much on procedures, etc.). This is a culture problem.
Too low ability to change, e.g. the technical infrastructure (preference for consolidation in stead of innovation)

9. So much for the problems. Now, what are the solutions (1)?
Definition of the business architecture and derived from that the information architecture, the application architecture and the technical architecture
All new application systems to be developed “under architecture”, i.e. they must fit into and comply with the overall architecture
Splitting the current Technology and Methodo-logy division into an IT Services division and a Methodology and Quality division. Main reason: more FOCUS

10. Solutions (part 2)
IT Services will deliver services in stead of products
IT Services will be reduced to carry out three main activities:
building (statistical) applications,
application and database management and
infrastructure management;
Building applications will be strictly separated from maintenance. More generally speaking: introduce DTAP (Development, Test, Accep-tance and Production)

11. Solutions (part 3)
IT Services will be run more business-like (market conformity)
IT Services will be made more professional, a.o. by running an intensive development and training program
Capacity (quantity issue) and capabilities (quality issue) that are not available will be hired, either by hiring-in or by subcontracting entire projects. For this strategic partner(s) will be sought
Strategic partners will also assist with the rationalisation of the application landscape and the realisation of the generic approach

12. Solutions (part 4)
Setting up a demand/supply organisation, sitting between the internal customers and the IT- department
Takes care of the intake and decides on how projects and main IT activities will be run: in- house or externally (considering the possibility of outsourcing)
Currently being worked out with assistance from an external supplier

13. Solutions (part 5)
Investigate the application landscape and decide whether an application must be converted, re-developed or discontinued
Combining the two IT-centres into one and installing this in a remote location
Taking care of continuity by making arrangements for fall-back

14. Does any of this sound familiar? What are YOUR solutions?