Management of Technology: The Case of e-Voting in Estonia

Effective and efficient management of technology is indispensable to the implementation of software projects in the public sector. E-voting - which involves technological, institutional (legal and political), and societal risks - demands complicated risk management and can, as such, be considered one of the most, if not the most, ambitious field of application. Estonia has successfully implemented e-voting as remote Internet-based voting in several nationwide elections since 2005. Estonia's e-voting success story lies in the country's explicit and effective risk management and in addressing all expected risks by enhancing the capacities of the procurer, carrying out in-depth risk analyses, and endeavoring to generate trust through consistent dialogue and openness. In the case of radically new solutions, it is highly important to address societal risks by increasing absorptive capacities and generating public acceptance.