Abstract
This article examines the special requirements that public administration places on the use of information technology (IT) resources. From the findings recommended actions are derived, which enable IT officers in public administration to prepare themselves for the IT community of the future. The development of conceptional principles as well as their presentation in three practical examples shows that a balancing act is needed between the political-administrative demands, the necessity for long-term planning and the technological requirements to achieve successful IT. This challenge can, however, be met with a stable foundation. This requires sufficient resources for long-term planning, crossdepartmental allocation of responsibilities, the standardisation of IT solutions as a guiding principle, a reliable cost and performance analysis as well as the continual consideration of legal issues.