IT in the Federal Administration is subject to two types of controlling: Strategic Controlling and Operational Controlling.
Federal strategic ICT controlling
Strategic ICT controlling solely has a steering function. Aside from the strategic level, it focuses in particular on controlling implementation of the Digital Federal Administration Strategy. The DTI is tasked with producing a controlling report on the implementation of the Strategy at periodic intervals, and if necessary proposing appropriate measures.
Operational ICT controlling at all levels
With IT controlling (ICO) at the operational level, the economic efficiency, goals and resources of ICT solutions are monitored and documented over the entire lifespan. It creates transparency, ensures uniform assessment criteria and gives decision-makers (project committee, portfolio managers) important information. ICO focuses in particular on ICT projects, programmes and applications and is conducted at departmental and office level by an IT Controlling Delegate. The ‘Instructions on IT Controlling in the Federal Administration’ ensure that ICO is conducted in a uniform manner.
Federal ICT portfolio
In order to ensure that the information required for steering and managing ICT is available and both uniform and complete, the Federal Council decided that all ICT projects (with the exception of small projects) and all specialist applications (with the exception of small-scale applications) have to be incorporated in the federal ICT portfolio and specifically in the ICT Cockpit, the Federal Administration’s portfolio management and controlling tool.
Assessments prior to release of major ICT projects and key projects
The ‘Federal Council Instructions on ICT projects in the Federal Administration and on the ICT portfolio of the Confederation’ also stipulate that an independent project assessment must be carried out before the release of ICT projects with a total cost exceeding five million Swiss francs.
ICT projects or programmes are also classed as key projects if, due to their resource requirements, strategic importance, complexity, impact or risks, they require a higher degree of management, steering, coordination and control.
