From infrastructure to impact: How Bosnia and Herzegovina bridged critical gaps in parliamentary IT

A strategic assessment revealed what many parliaments overlook – and helped the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina chart a path forward. The revelation came not through technology itself, but from asking the right questions.

When the team set out to evaluate the Parliamentary Assembly’s IT capabilities, they expected to review systems, servers and service delivery. What they discovered instead was a fundamental gap in how they thought about technology itself. They had the infrastructure and the technical know-how. What was missing was the strategic framework connecting their technology investments to institutional value.

They were focused on keeping systems running but had not stepped back to ask whether those systems were actually advancing parliament’s mission. That insight became the catalyst for genuine transformation.

Understanding digital maturity

The Parliamentary Assembly turned to the IT Maturity Assessment Tool (IMAT), a comprehensive framework developed by the European Parliament and promoted through the Center for Innovation in Parliament’s (CIP) IT Governance Hub. Unlike traditional IT audits that focus narrowly on technical performance, IMAT examines how technology serves institutional objectives across four critical dimensions:

• Digital strategy: Does the parliament have a clear, validated vision for how technology supports its mission? Are governance structures aligned with that vision?
• Digital transformation: Are there clear strategic drivers connecting technology initiatives to organizational priorities?
• Key processes: Do IT planning, portfolio management, user support and enterprise architecture function as an integrated whole rather than as isolated silos?
• IT efficiency: Can the institution measure and optimize performance across its technology operations?

The assessment operates through a digital platform, hosted by the IT Governance Hub, that enables parliaments to benchmark themselves against international peers while accessing supporting documentation and best practices. Results place institutions along a maturity spectrum from “initial” (foundational but scattered), through “defined” and “managed”, to “optimized” (continuous measurement and improvement).

For the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the process did something more valuable than identifying weaknesses: it gave them a language to discuss technology strategy with non-technical stakeholders and, critically, provided credible evidence the team could present to development partners when seeking support for modernization.

What the assessment revealed

The findings were both validating and challenging. The IT team had been doing solid work maintaining systems and responding to immediate needs. But the assessment illuminated three priority gaps:

• They lacked a genuine digital strategy with measurable key performance indicators. Technology decisions were being made tactically rather than strategically. There was no clear line of sight between IT investments and parliamentary outcomes.
• Their IT planning and portfolio management needed strengthening. Projects were launched based on urgency or opportunity rather than strategic alignment. Resource allocation was reactive rather than deliberate.
• Enterprise architecture – the blueprint showing how technology, data, processes and people fit together – was underdeveloped. Without this foundation, even good initiatives risked becoming disconnected.

The assessment also identified promising opportunities: expanding digital processes such as e-signatures and workflows, and launching carefully scoped AI pilots where they could deliver meaningful value.

Perhaps most importantly, it gave the Parliamentary Assembly something many institutions struggle to articulate: a structured road map. Rather than trying to fix everything simultaneously, the team now had clarity about what to prioritize and why.

From insight to action

The Parliamentary Assembly’s approach demonstrates practical wisdom. The team is not attempting a wholesale transformation overnight. Instead, their goal is to move through the IMAT levels from “initial” to “structured” digital maturity by 2029 – a realistic time frame that acknowledges the complexity of institutional change.

The team plan to reassess in two or three years, creating a feedback loop that will document progress and recalibrate priorities. This iterative approach recognizes that digital maturity is not a destination but an ongoing journey.

The broader lesson extends beyond Bosnia and Herzegovina. Senior IT leaders in parliaments face a persistent challenge: justifying technology investments in institutions where the connection between IT spending and democratic outcomes is not always obvious. Sometimes the barrier to modernization lies not in not knowing what to do, but in not having the right argument to make the case.

Assessment tools like IMAT provide that very argument, translating technical capabilities into strategic terms that resonate with leadership, and showing not just where technology falls short, but how improving it strengthens the institution’s capacity to serve members, staff and, ultimately, citizens.

Why assessment matters

Digital transformation in parliaments is fundamentally about strengthening democracy. Technology that improves transparency builds public trust, while systems that help members work more effectively enhance representative governance. 

Assessment tools help keep that mission in focus. They compel institutions to answer fundamental questions: Where are we now in our ability to support our core functions? Where should we be? How do we get there? And how will we know we are making progress?

Whether a parliament is large and well-resourced or smaller with limited capacity, structured assessment approaches offer practical guidance. IMAT’s comprehensive framework suits institutions ready for detailed organizational assessment. The draft IPU Digital Maturity Assessment toolkit provides a lighter-touch alternative. Both help parliaments answer the same essential question: Are we investing in technology wisely to advance our institutional mission?

As parliaments worldwide navigate rapid technological change – from AI and automation to cybersecurity threats and rising citizen expectations for digital services – these tools provide essential grounding, transforming “digital transformation” from an abstract buzzword into concrete strategy.

For the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the journey is just beginning. But by taking the time to assess where they are before racing towards where they want to be, the team have demonstrated something valuable: that technology upgrades are not always about technical considerations. Sometimes it is case of simply learning to ask better questions.