City of Espoo

A modern ICT model increases IT management performance

Espoo’s Information Management is developing its service and operating models in cooperation with Gofore Lead to meet the requirements of the constantly changing operating environment. The performance and customer and personnel satisfaction of Espoo’s Information Management have improved.

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CHALLENGE

Digital transformation supports the development of the city

Espoo, the second largest city in Finland, is a prime example of the successful development of ICT and digital services in the public sector. The progress in digitalisation is not accidental: determined work has been carried out for it for years.

“We identified gaps in the operating models and competences of our digital and ICT services that required extensive development. In addition, we wanted to be able to better scale capabilities and resources according to varying needs,” says the City of Espoo’s Chief Information Officer Maarit Waskilampi-Kuikka.

The City of Espoo was looking for a partner to support its ambitious digital transformation through competitive tendering. This marked the start of the shared story of Espoo and Gofore Lead. The aim was to develop the operating models of Espoo’s Information Management and improve customer satisfaction within the city organisation.

APPROACH

A flexible and scalable ICT operating model for the public sector

Over the years, the cooperation that started as individual contacts has deepened into a strategic partnership. Today, a team of Gofore Lead’s specialists are working under the guidance of the City of Espoo’s Information Management. In addition to leading large projects, Gofore personnel help manage the city’s ICT service offering.

“Through Gofore Lead, we can get competent specialists on specific subjects to support Espoo’s Information Management in developing and maintaining our ICT and digital services. This is a convenient way to acquire special expertise that is needed at a particular time and to scale our capabilities,” says Waskilampi-Kuikka.

The operating model has been created to meet the needs of a demanding and progressive public sector operator such as Espoo. The scaling of specialist resources helps Information Management to stay within the budget framework even in the middle of fiscal challenges.

Continuous development ensures success in an operating environment that is affected by, among other things, technological development, the expanding and tightening EU regulations, complex project law, and challenges in the recruitment of skilled workforce according to the needs at each time.

“This kind of productised model is well-suited for a modern, development-oriented public sector operator like Espoo. For example, we have together standardised the implementation of ICT and digital projects, which improves the efficiency of operations and helps to implement the projects within the planned frameworks,” says Jarmo Pitkänen, Executive Consultant at Gofore Lead.

Through Gofore Lead, we can get competent specialists on specific subjects to support Espoo’s Information Management in developing and maintaining our ICT and digital services. This is a convenient way to acquire special expertise that is needed at a particular time and to scale our capabilities.

Maarit Waskilampi-Kuikka / Information Officer, City of Espoo

RESULT

Three times more outcomes

According to CIO Maarit Waskilampi-Kuikka, the capacity and performance of Espoo’s Information Management have developed significantly during the collaboration.

“The number of completed ICT and digital procurements and projects has roughly tripled, varying slightly from year to year. In addition, we now stay well within the planned frameworks, and customer and employee satisfaction has increased significantly. Without the collaboration, this development would have been much slower,” says Waskilampi-Kuikka.

Thanks to the improved operating models, the city’s new ICT and digital services can be deployed faster and their reliability is on a better level. This plays an important role in ensuring that day-care centres, schools, infrastructure maintenance and other basic services are functioning in residents’ everyday lives as they should.

“There are several indications of the success of the collaboration. For example, during the COVID period, we were able to facilitate a smooth transition to large-scale remote working and studying. In addition, we have received praise for the open source eVaka information system for early childhood education and care. Espoo was also one of the first cities to implement the ICT changes required by the health and social services reform. In the TE24 reform for employment services, we received praise for the quality and efficiency of the ICT preparations,” Waskilampi-Kuikka says.

Satisfaction with the collaboration has been mutual, as Gofore Lead’s specialists are very happy to be working for Espoo. Personnel turnover has been exceptionally low compared to the general trend in the ICT sector, and the eNPS results are even higher than the excellent average at Gofore.

The number of completed ICT and digital procurements and projects has roughly tripled, varying slightly from year to year. In addition, we now stay well within the planned frameworks, and customer and employee satisfaction has increased significantly. Without the collaboration, this development would have been much slower.

Maarit Waskilampi-Kuikka / Information Officer, City of Espoo

Project highlights

Challenge

The goal of Espoo’s Information Management was to develop their operating models and improve customer satisfaction within the city organisation. In addition, there was a desire to improve the ability to implement ICT procurements and deployments within the agreed framework.

Approach

Gofore Lead’s scalable and productised partnership model meets the needs of a demanding public sector operator like Espoo. In addition to implementing development projects, Gofore employees are engaged in daily activities and support the development of the city’s ICT service offering.

Outcome

Customer and personnel satisfaction at Espoo’s Information Management has improved as flexibility and performance have been developed. The results are visible in the fact that the city’s new ICT and digital services can be deployed faster and their reliability is on a better level. This plays an important role in ensuring digital support for day-care centres, schools and other basic services, for example.

Important figures

~50 k users served by Espoo’s Information Management
9.2/10 Average customer satisfaction of Espoo’s Information Management for development assignments (2024)

Expertise