邁向敏捷政府–敏捷專案管理在我國數位治理的應用與影響

Abstract

在科技發展與網路普及應用的趨勢之下，資通訊科技已成為各國政府建構與推動電子化政府各項計畫以提升政府有效治理的主要途徑，隨著資訊業務日趨繁重，各級政府部門在人力、技術及成本的考量下，目前的資訊系統的開發與維護多為委外辦理。然而，資訊委外專案由於初期無法明確定義需求、外部環境變化日趨快速、資通訊科技日新月異、專案過程中易面臨需求變更、開發過程缺乏使用者參與、以及民眾對政府的需求與期待日益增高等原因，政府在數位時代面臨的挑戰日益棘手。近年來公共行政領域興起適應與敏捷治理（Adaptive and Agile Governance），其認為政府應透過外部服務與內部管理的數位化即時回應公共問題以及民眾需求，利用數位科技賦權公民能夠做更多的事情，提升處理和適應問題的能力以適應外部環境的劇烈變化，政府若能透過學習私營部門的敏捷開發（Agile Development）精神來革新公部門傳統的瀑布開發方式，將能有效提升政府的彈性與效率、並減緩投入大量資源卻經常失敗的問題。\n\n本研究採用多重個案比較法探討敏捷治理概念在我國脈絡下的發展情形，分別對「經濟部資訊中心」、「國家災害防救科技中心」、以及「台北市智慧城市計畫」進行實證分析以瞭解敏捷方法於實務上如何操作，期盼藉由所選擇的個案進行深入剖析後能夠對學理與本土經驗研究產生火花。本研究之目的如下：首先，本研究欲瞭解敏捷專案管理出現在公部門的契機為何，探討什麼動機促使專案機關運用導入敏捷開發，以及尋找敏捷為公部門所帶來的效益與影響。其次，探討公部門導入敏捷方法所遭遇的挑戰與困境，以及行政機關如何解決，並瞭解曾導入敏捷的專案人員對敏捷在公部門的看法與建議。\n\n本文發現在我國目前情況下，專案具有高度不確定性與變化性、難以排定期程優先順序、該方案為重點開發項目等性質皆適合導入敏捷方法。惟在公私本質有所差異的情況下，目前公部門導入敏捷所遇到的挑戰大於敏捷帶來的效益與影響，如何為公部門量身定做一套適合的敏捷方法，成為敏捷能否持續在公部門產生效益與影響力的重要關鍵。本研究認為根據成功應用過敏捷專案的機關經驗，我們將可以依據部門類型與專案特性找到合適公部門的方法，研究發現指出專案分階段導入敏捷精神能夠在公部門框架下運作順暢。另外，本研究亦討論了敏捷未來可能的方向，本研究認為從瀑布模式到敏捷開發之間是一段擺盪的過程，公部門在政府採購法的框架下無法避免瀑布模式的本質。其次，大規模推動敏捷雖然可以帶來在政府各級機關遍地開花的機會，但亦有可能面臨過去許多大型政策一開始大力推行，最後卻無疾而終的下場，如何在大規模通動政策的同時避免陷入形式化的結果，我們將需要政策制定者的智慧來判斷。

Widespread use of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in government has transformed the public services. Concerning the professional techniques, human resources, and monetary costs, governments usually ask the private sector to become involved in developing and operating IT projects through outsourcing. However, the performance-based acquisition process in IT outsourcing projects by governments has created many wicked problems. For example, the reasons for government IT project failure include the difficulty in identifying the requirements in the beginning; the rapidly changing external environment; the expeditious innovation of technology; the design shifts that the development process frequently faces; and the overreliance on external IT contractors. In addition, the citizens’ needs and expectations of their governments are rising. As a result, many scholars recently advocate that applying the concept of adaptive and agile governance in the public sector to solve the problems caused by traditional waterfall development.\n\nThe methodology is a multiple case study analysis of three public agencies that have conducted an agile project in Taiwan. This article aims to explore that how an agile model can be activated in a government`s acquisition and contracting rules. Results reveal that the appropriate conditions for an agile approach in the government of Taiwan include: projects with higher levels of uncertainty and risk, difficulties in prioritizing schedules, and priorities for the project director. However, the drawbacks of introducing and adopting an agile method to government are more than benefits. Given the fact that the essence between the private sector and public sector is significantly different, (such as the acquisition rules and standards, the culture of civil servants and contract teams, as well as the government-centric thinking), tailoring an agile method is a critical point for governments to decide whether an agile method could be sustained and exert influence in the long term. Last but not least, the scholars and political appointees have to realize that large-scale promotion in government could let all government agencies to adopt an agile method, but it also would cause the result of civil servants to place emphasis on formalizing an agile method rather than pursuing an agile spirit.