2.3.Organization
In view of the collaborative
and agile approach, the working group plays a key role in developing and implementing the Kosovo IT Strategy. Because of the complexity of elaborating such a strategy for the Kosovo IT industry, all relevant stakeholders were included in the working group, building on the paradigm of the so-called “Triple-Helix”, as illustrated in the diagram below:
Figure : The IT Strategy Working Group and the “Triple Helix”
For the purpose of developing the Kosovo IT Strategy, a self-organizing and interdisciplinary working group was established, including the following stakeholders:
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Kosovo Association of Information and Communication Technology (STIKK)
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Innovation Center Kosovo (ICK)
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Ministry of Economic Development
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Ministry of Trade and Industry
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Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
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Ministry of Finance
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Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports
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Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare
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University of Prishtina
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Kosovo Investment and Enterprise Support Agency
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German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)
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Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC)
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The main function of the working group was to serve as a platform for collaborative strategy development and exchange of ideas, experience and good practices. In line with the agile approach,
the strategy was developed, constantly reviewed and improved by the members of the working group in a collaborative, open manner. This experience clearly showed that close cooperation, as well as exchange of knowledge and ideas are essential for enabling consensus and optimal commitment to the strategy and its support measures.
Figure 7 below provides a concise graphic depiction of how the development and implementation of the Kosovo IT Strategy were organized and structured:
Figure : Organizational structure for the development and implementation of the Kosovo IT Strategy
In accordance with the above mentioned methodology, an agile team framework was applied within the strategy working group, placing great emphasis on face-to-face communication and close interaction between team members (see figure 8):
Figure : The agile team framework7
Through this agile team framework and the strategy workshops (modules), the awareness for collaboration and the systemic nature of competitiveness in the IT industry were established in the working group and the different expectations and views within the group were consolidated and channeled into a shared vision and goals for the Kosovo IT industry.
The allocation of roles and tasks within the agile team framework for strategy implementation will be explained in greater detail in chapter 5.3.
2.4.Processes
Collaborative development of an IT strategy within a multi-stakeholder setting is a highly challenging and complex task, as different stakeholders groups, partners and topics need to be coordinated and aligned. Therefore, the methodology for developing the Kosovo IT Strategy also included a comprehensive process model, comprising two key processes:
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The overall strategy development process:
This process is based on the cycle of the 6 iterative, incremental strategy
modules described above, ranging from module 1 “Strategy Analysis” to module 6 “Monitoring & Evaluation”.
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Process for individual strategy modules:
A specific sub-process was defined, with a view to conducting each of the individual modules of the strategy development process. According to this sub-process, each strategy module consists of pre-module activities, workshop activities and post-module activities. Pre-module activities include the dissemination of articles, studies and information material on the module subject to members of the working group, as well as workshop agenda-setting.
Workshop activities, on the other hand, aimed at specifying the content and outputs for each of the strategy modules in several Sprints (iterations). Presentations, discussions, group works and brainstorming sessions are some examples of such activities. Furthermore, workshops are followed by post-module activities,
comprising writing, revision and final approval of strategy elements and documents discussed in the working group. In accordance with the strategy’s agile model and the corresponding process model, individual modules are also developed and continuously improved within several Sprints (iterations).
Figure 9 illustrates the sub-process for each strategy module, from module initiation to the approval of module results.
The specific allocation of roles and tasks within the strategy module process is described in the following table, illustrating the different process stages:
It is worth pointing out that the overall IT strategy development process also encompassed an open innovation approach, whereby working group members’ ideas and inputs were complemented by those of external experts, academics, diaspora members and international strategic partners (e.g. IT clusters and associations from Germany and Norway).
The Kosovo IT Strategy will be elaborated, implemented, monitored, continuously improved and further developed by the working group according to the collaborative-agile approach suggested above. Thus, the development of this strategy is an ongoing process which includes all relevant actors of the Kosovo IT industry.