ALL FINNISH COUNCILS GET ACCESS TO JOINT PROCESS BANK - THE NUMBER OF MODELS ALMOST FIVE-FOLDED IN A YEARS' TIME

Finnish “CouncilIT” continues process co-operation with QPR Software

ALL FINNISH COUNCILS GET ACCESS TO JOINT PROCESS BANK - THE NUMBER OF MODELS
ALMOST FIVE-FOLDED IN A YEARS' TIME

KuntaIT (the “Council IT”), the joint organization developing nationally
interconnecting, customer orientated and performance improving IT services for
Finnish Councils utilizes the option to continue process modeling co-operation
with QPR Software until the end of 2010. QPR provides to councils the software
for process modeling and delivers related process bank as well as manages it.
The service has now been up and running for two years. Its user base expands
now as the all actors in local and central government get access to the process
model bank. 

KuntaIT (the Council IT) develops nationally interconnecting, customer
orientated and performance improving IT services for Finnish Councils. By
utilizing information and communications technology it aims to modernize the
best practices and service production in the public sector. With them the
councils and other local government bodies like federations of municipalities
can model their service processes in a unified way and share the models. 

The Process Model Bank has made possible to utilize models developed by other
organizations when developing one's own organization. Thanks to it different
organizations can easier co-operate when developing their operations and also
external parties get access to processes via the models,” comments kindergarten
teacher Päivi Heimonen her experiences as a process bank user. 

The joint process model service was launched in the beginning of 2008. Since it
the use has expanded drastically. Currently the process bank has approximately
500 users, as there were only approximately 300 users one year ago. The amount
of saved models has also increased substantially during the last year. In
December 2008 the bank contained c. 150 models, as it now has almost the five
times the amount, c. 700 models. The users come from over 120 organizations.
The majority of them create models, as the rest have a view-only access. 

The user-friendliness of the process bank has been improved during 2009 by
developing e.g. navigation and easiness of finding the models. Users may now
search and view process models by council or by industry based. 

“It is an advantage to have an opportunity to view models made by other
councils, as you can see how differently councils manage the same process, says
head nurse Vuokko Leirimaa. 

The agreement between KuntaIT and QPR Software Plc on delivering the process
model service and adjacent process model bank was signed in December 2007. QPR
was selected as the vendor by a tender. The agreement contained options for
two, one year long additional agreement periods each to be agreed separately.
KuntaIT has now utilized both of them. 

”The starting point for the KuntaIT development ventures is to produce customer
orientated and organizational borders crossing services and processes that
utilize information and communications technology. Using tools for process
modeling, analyzing and development, a joint view to development task in hand
is created for the persons responsible for the councils' operations and
development. Best practices from all over of the country are easily spread to
be utilized by others by publishing them in the process model bank”, says Tommi
Oikarinen, project manager at Ministry of Finance, managing the
KuntaIT-venture. 

The process modeling is done with QPR ProcessGuide software developed for
process management. In addition to Finland councils and cities, among others,
in Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Ireland, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom, South
Africa and Russian Federation develop their process and manage the quality of
services with QPR Software and Services. 

”QPR ProcessGuide has been widely welcomed globally. It adopts as well to the
needs of a small council as to those of a big city. Process bank includes all
councils who show willingness to develop their services. By utilizing the ready
models from the bank, it is possible to boost one's own development work. We
are naturally delighted that CouncilIT has decided to continue co-operation
with us now for the second time in a row,” says Senior Account Manager Anssi
Solala, responsible for the QPR sales to Finnish public sector. 

About QPR Software

QPR Software Plc is an international, highly regarded partner for enterprises
and public sector in process development and business performance improvement.
QPR's mission is to help people and organizations to take control of their
business processes and achieve their goals. QPR software has been implemented
in more than 1,500 organizations across the globe and is provided in more than
20 languages. QPR was founded in 1991, has its headquarters in Helsinki,
Finland and co-operates with an extensive network of talented partners in over
50 countries worldwide. 

For more information, please contact at QPR Software Plc:

Mr. Anssi Solala, 
Senior Account Manager, Software Sales Finland
Tel. +358 40 539 0005
anssi.solala(at)qpr.com

Mr. Matti Erkheikki, Vice President, Software Sales Finland
Tel. +358 40 717 2570
matti.erkheikki(at)qpr.com, 

For more information, please contact at Ministry of Finance: 
Mr. Tommi Oikarinen, Project Manager
Tel. +358 50 546 002
First name.last name@vm.fi

Mr. Ville-Veikko Ahonen, General Secretary
Tel. +358 9 160 33227
First name.last name@vm.fi