eVaka: a public IT project on time and on budget

This autumn, we had the pleasure and honour of receiving recognition, together with Espoo, Oulu, and Turku, for the development of the eVaka early childhood education system. As a result of collaboration between four major cities, a functional system was created within a few years, adhering to the agreed budget. This system is now available to all municipalities in Finland. During this year, eight surrounding municipalities in the Tampere region have adopted eVaka and contributed to its further development.

I have been involved in the eVaka Tampere project from the very beginning. Below are some reflections on what, in my view, contributed to our shared success.

Development in Stages

Developing incrementally and adhering to the MVP (minimum viable product) approach has been a key principle of eVaka from the start. The City of Espoo developed the first version of the system, which included minimal functionalities such as the daycare and preschool application process, customer fee processes, and monitoring of children’s attendance.

When Tampere joined the development effort, features such as communication between early childhood education staff and guardians, real-time monitoring of children’s and staff’s attendance, and other critical functionalities were added. Oulu and Turku, in turn, introduced features tailored to their specific needs. The MVP approach has helped us to focus on the essentials, i.e. compared to building a house, we have built the foundations first, then the walls and only lastly the roof. This type of development has also helped us to stay within budget and has ensured all along that we are doing the right things that add value to the business. 

Light Administrative Structure and Agile Decision-Making

In the eVaka project, the funds allocated for development have been primarily directed towards the system itself, rather than administrative overhead. From the outset, the municipalities collaborating on eVaka have been committed to smooth cooperation, reflected in swift decision-making and flexibility in adapting their practices. No time has been wasted arguing about which municipality's approach is best and right. 

Each municipality’s product owner has been entrusted with sufficient authority and managerial confidence to steer the daily development work effectively. Major decisions were first reviewed by each municipality’s management and later decided upon by a joint steering group.

User-Centric Approach

User-centred planning has required seamless and continuous joint discussion with the early childhood education and care management of each municipality and other early childhood education and care experts. Listening to users, customer feedback and joint discussion have been the basis for all development work, both within and between municipalities. 

There has not always been full agreement on everything, but a common thread has always been found in the end. Each municipality has not only introduced new functionalities and processes to eVaca, but also further developed existing ones, which has led the system to continuously improve and improve. 

Teamwork

Trust and belief in our collective efforts and success have propelled us forward throughout the journey. Developing eVaka has required a team effort, where everyone has played a vital role and taken responsibility for progress. It has also demanded openness and courage to innovate and reform practices.

In Tampere, this has been exemplified by the reform of the preschool application process: moving forward, guardians will no longer need to register their children for preschool. Instead, they will receive a proposed placement decision based on the school pathway.

Close Collaboration Between Product Owners and Development Teams

Close collaboration between product owners and development teams has been crucial. Daily meetings, numerous discussions, and jointly established structures have driven the system’s development forward. Together, we have built a community of trust, shared direction, and common goals, which are now embodied in the eVaka system and will continue to bring benefits in the future.

The development of eVaka, and our shared journey with the 4-pack cities and surrounding municipalities, continues. The future will show how far we can go together.

Lastly, I’d like to share a piece of wisdom that I believe applies to both my personal philosophy and the development of eVaka:

"All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better."
– Ralph Waldo Emerson