Yesser (which is an Arabic word that literally means “facilitate”) is a government organization that is tasked with regulating, facilitating, and expediting the development of e-government services for 164 government agencies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They ensure that agencies are planning and implementing the e-government services in an integrated and consistent way, from agency to agency, and according to a uniform set of standards and practices. By a council of ministers decree, Yesser is provided the power to approve and to partially fund critical e-government programs.
Yesser thus provides strategic direction to e-government programs that impact the whole Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by guiding how, when, and where the government agencies invest in, and implement, e-government programs. Yesser’s work directly impacts the level of satisfaction among the citizens who benefit from tangible government services and Yesser’s success directly impacts KSA’s international image, measured by the ranking by the UN with regards to the country’s effective use of IT among all nations.
When a government agency wants to launch an e-government program, their initial request for Yesser’s assistance comes to the e-Services department. The e-Services department reports directly to the CEO of Yesser and is expected to represent the “Voice of the customer.” e-Services department employees play at once a sales role, a consultative role (consulting with their client agencies on e-government services roadmap, activities, etc.), and the client’s advocate role.
e-Services Department Design Improvement Initiative (EDDII)
The Challenge
Department was challenged to define a clear mission and vision, to understand their strategic role within the context of Yesser, and to execute an effective go to market strategy that successfully engaged clients. As a result, the e-Services Department Design Improvement Initiative (EDDII) project was launched to help the e-Services department redefine its goals, refine its organizational framework, and realign its processes, policies, and capabilities.
The Solution
Delegata partnered with Yesser on the EDDII project to refine the organizational structure and the business architecture for a new-and-improved e-Services department, identify and develop the appropriate set of policy frameworks, business processes, engagement models, and plans for the new e-Services department and define and standardize the set of skills and decision-making tools required to empower the e-services department employees to commit Yesser resources and to recommend Yesser’s services to the client agencies.
Project Deliverables included:
- Strategic Context Document
- Market Segmentation
- Department Design
- Knowledge Management Model
- Key Performance Measures
- Client Engagement Model
- Business Planning Model
- Operational Model
- Human Resource Transition Plan
- Competency Area Definitions
- Individual Human Capital Development Plan
- Training and Education – Orientation in Business Planning and Performance for Managers
- Knowledge Transfer Plan
The Benefits
At the completion of the project, the e-Services department was better positioned:
- To be relevant: To be driven in all business activities by the relevance between their processes and operations on one hand and Yesser’s values, mission, and strategies on the other hand
- To be focused: To demonstrate and to sustain priority-based focus on, and better service to, client agencies
- To be capable: To embody higher capabilities and skills in their actions, decisions, and self-assessment
- To mature: To utilize more mature and standardized processes
- To perform: To perform at increased levels of efficiency, sustainability, and scalability in their interactions with clients and with other Yesser departments
- To improve: To learn and to apply, for their own benefit as well as for their clients’ benefits, the organizational transformation and continuous improvement methodologies and techniques used by Delegata during this project
Key Success Factors:
- Strong executive sponsorship and management support of the project mission and project team
- Yesser subject matter experts available per the project schedule
- Availability of other key team members, including reviewers/approvers
- Commitment to a rigorous scope control program
