Estonia working on operating, maturity model for public sector's data entities

TALLINN – The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and KPMG, with the support of the European Commission's Directorate General REFORM, have set out to develop operating and maturity models for data entities suitable for the Estonian public sector.

The models will help organizations to understand what data they have, how to make the best use of it, and which competences, management tools or technologies should be developed.

Developments in the field of data and artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years have brought about significant changes worldwide, significantly influencing the functioning of public sector institutions. Tiit Riisalo, Estonia's minister of economic affairs and IT, says there is a need to move forward vigorously to achieve in Estonia a governance system that is data-driven in its operation. 

"By 2030, we must make all significant decisions of the state using high-quality data and utilize artificial intelligence in the public sector to make  processes more effective and provide better services. The prerequisite for all of this is that the necessary competencies and roles are present in institutions and that today's operating principles take into account the developments in the field," Riisalo said.

Ott Velsberg, head of data at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, says the operating model for data units helps to create a better picture of what a data-driven organization should be like and through which activities value is created for internal and external partners.

"The operating model will provide an overview of the processes through which the institution achieves the goals and ambitions set for itself, how  processes meet these expectations, and what the responsibilities and roles are. For example, it would help to design and offer support measures that better meet the needs of businesses and offer prevention and treatment assistance based on a person's individual needs," Velsberg said.

An important goal of the project is also to develop a maturity model for data management in public sector organizations, which will help the institution to identify which areas need more support in the context of data and where more resources should be directed to ensure the data-driven functioning of the organization.

"The maturity model covers the organization's capability, services, governance, organization of work, implementation of technologies and products, competencies, engagement, compliance with regulatory requirements and implementation of best practices," said Velsberg.

The project is funded by the European Union's TSI multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027. The most important results of the project will be completed in 2025. The activities contribute to the achievement of the goals of the Estonia 2035 strategy and the Digital Society Development Plan 2030.