Digital State: Ten Lessons From The Corona Crisis

Digital State: Based on the experience in the Corona crisis, the digital association Bytom now has a plan for the. “During the Corona crisis, politics and administration switched from zero to digital in many places. The state made a virtue out of necessity and enabled digital applications, abolished the written form requirements and let its officials and employees work in the home office,”. “Now, it is a matter of stabilizing this digital change and making it sustainable. The state and all of its institutions must learn their lessons from the Corona crisis. “How a digital state can be implemented” can be found in Bytom’s position paper” In 10 steps to a digital state “with ten specific suggestions.

Digital State: Modernize Administration In A Concerted Way

The modernization of federal, state and local administrations must take place in concert. This process should be subordinated to the guiding principles “digital-first” and “user-centered”. As announced, the Online Access Act for the digitization of all 575 administrative services must be implemented by 2022.

Enable Digital Democracy

Parliaments must remain fully quorate even in times of crisis. Therefore, the legal basis for fully digitized voting should be created. In parties, statutes should be further developed so that election and nomination processes and other voting processes can be carried out online. The security of electronic voting must come first.

Create Framework Conditions For Smart Cities And Intelligent Regions

As an intelligent country, it needs first-class infrastructure. A nationwide competence center aimed at digital cities and regions should be set up to promote the best possible public services of general interest. Over-indebted municipalities should be offered a haircut – on the condition that the financial leeway gained is used for digitization. In addition, must invest more in the network infrastructure of cities and municipalities and make innovative mobility ecosystems an integral part of public infrastructure.

Digital State: Digitize Public Procurement

An end-to-end digitized procurement process is required for a solid digital state, from tendering to electronic invoicing using e-tendering platforms.

ALSO READ: Marketing Strategy: Use Big Data Efficiently With Automation Tools

Expand Digital Infrastructure

The digital state must mobilize investments for an infrastructure boost and improve the framework conditions for expanding communication networks. The expansion should be accelerated and reduced red tape, for example, through simplified approval procedures, openness to innovative laying methods and the provision of public properties for the expansion of mobile communications.

The Digital State As An Attractive Employer

In the competition for IT specialists, the state must become more attractive as an employer and facilitate the permeability between the private sector and the public service, for example, by enabling unbureaucratic lateral entry. In addition to the modernization of technologies and processes, organizational structure and culture change is also required. The state should allow its employees nationwide teleworking – both in terms of equipment and work processes.

Digital State: Making Open Government Data Usable

The state must provide more open data and make it widely usable. Available handling of data is increasingly becoming a competitive factor, for example, regarding the establishment and further development of critical technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence. Interfaces should be standardized and opened to enable the provision of open government data via available data formats.

Strengthen Cross-Level Cooperation

To avoid media breaks in the communication of government agencies, technical standards should be created. For this purpose, an IT architecture board should be set up to promote joint networking and development.

Digital State: Enable Secure Digital Identification

Secure digital authentication and identification channels are the basis for effective digitization of our state and prevent successful attacks. Concerns about the security and data protection of digital identity solutions must be taken seriously and addressed. Modern encryption technology allows the implementation of a digital authentication standard in complete anonymity and without unauthorized data access for third parties.

Advance IT Security As The Basis Of Administrative Digitization

In the interests of digital sovereignty, similar to the USA, a switch to quantum computer-resistant processes should be sought as soon as possible for security-critical applications.

Smart Country Convention: Accelerate Digitization In The Public Sector

Digital administration and the development of intelligent cities are the central themes of the Smart Country Convention. This year it will take place on October 27 and 28, 2020, as a unique virtual edition and is a combination of congress and networking. The first day focuses on the digital state and e-government, and the second day is on the smart city. The event is aimed at representatives from the federal government, states, districts, cities and municipalities, and subordinate authorities and municipal companies. Further information on the event is available here.

ALSO READ: Digital Transformation In Companies: Which Strategy Leads To Success