• What is the most important result achieved in this 2017?

What we have defined and started to develop is a national platform compliant with the most advanced models and rules. For Cloudify NoiPA we have collected the latest tools and frameworks for a digital platform in the contemporary PA. Starting from the user, guarantying its centricity in the program approach, with the aim of gathering user’s needs. This has allowed us to create a real network of administrations: a network of partners, in which recently joined the Italian Armed Forces, that will now be present in all phases of the project. We have also developed new skills and we have integrated the entire framework: from security and privacy, compliant with the latest regulations, including the EU regulations, up to the guidelines of design for the user interface. We have already set up the entire cloud infrastructure and the layers of the platform. Various project teams are involved: a large structure organized according to the new methodologies of Agile Development that involves today approximately 200 people.

• If you would summarize the Cloudify NoiPA program in three words, which would they be and why?

The first key idea of this project is definitely “network”, to work in an integrated way. Both in a practical sense to create the system adapted to the PA network throughout the country, also to involve everyone in order to win as public administration the innovation challenge.

The second focus is on people and their value, current and their perspective values. We are working very hard to spread awareness of the digital transformation; consequently, there is a need to learn new skills, study, share knowledge and experiences gained in each single PA. A network that, starting from MEF connects relevant actors focused in technology or public administration.

The third concept is to invest in efficiency: investing well at the service of the country, creating a return, i.e. a platform that can be effectively used by the entire PA, that can be an example of development for the PA itself and for the public employee. If we consider that users served by the current service are about 2 million and that in the future the overall target is over 3 million, it is as if we were talking about small or even a large city, to which we need to ensure services and we should make their life easier.

• What will be the main impact of Cloudify NoiPA on the everyday lives of the Human Resources Departments in the public administration?

The main impact is certainly the availability of a platform highly customized on the user. Cloudify NoiPA was born, in fact, to meet the needs of all the administrations: the centralization of the service was carried out in such a way as to allow the full respect of the diversity of each structure, its requirements and organizational needs and process.

In addition, the platform was born in order to be accessible by different organizations, for number of employees, the members of the management of staff and the amount of contracts managed. Therefore, differences will be valued and indeed, the best practices at local level will have the possibility to be applied at national level. We hope that this platform will really facilitate everyone’s work, thanks to its modular structure and to its high level of customization in both processes, data and information.

• Which is the most positive feedback that you have received since the beginning of the program?

We have worked in a situation where we had to work with a very strict schedule: the risk was very high. We found a very fast and efficient response by all the project streams: The alert were handled very well. And all this was done while working on the ordinary business activities. We have developed new and old methodologies in harmony, from the technological and business processes point of view and by working  together with different working environment and different approaches.

•  Did you face resistance to change during the project?

Although we were already used to working on horizontal projects, which required cross skills, it was accepted to encounter some difficulty when introducing new methods and techniques. However, we have also seen a positive response, reactivity, and desire to embrace the cultural change. An enthusiasm that overcomes the expectation. Not quite a resistance, I consider it a normal complexity in adopting new techniques, processes until it becomes "a working habit".

All this requires time and it is a typical "cost of reintegration".

• And what is the most relevant objective to address in the 2018?

Today we are developing the system and designing its components. The current goal is to have the system ready for the month of June 2018. In the upcoming six months, we will be testing the payments and from January 2019 there will come the first salaries for enrolled administrations.