Digitize administration and make it simpler and more citizen-friendly? A difficult task, say scientists from Hof. Because a recent survey shows sobering results.
Hof (dpa/lby) – In order to further advance digitization in public administration, fundamental changes are needed – and not just new hardware and software: This is the result of a study by the Competence Center for Digital Administration at Hof University. “If you summarize the results of the study, the greatest challenges are not in the technology, but in the structures, the administration-specific culture and the qualification of the employees, which is largely limited to legal content,” said the scientist Thomas Meuche.
“Changing this requires much more than the release of funds for the purchase of new hardware and software. That is why the discussion about the digitization of the administration does not go far enough, it is about its modernization. That is the mammoth task that the state is facing stands.”
Meuche and his colleagues asked 360 local authorities in Germany for a self-assessment and asked them questions about strategy, leadership, processes, control, data, employees and technology.
For example, the qualification and motivation of employees with regard to digitization has great potential for improvement. “However, this area in particular is essential. Digitization cannot succeed without a broad, fundamental understanding of data and processes as well as the functionality of digital solutions,” wrote Meuche, who heads the competence center together with Heike Markus.
Another problem lies in the structures of the administration. “The strong hierarchy and delimitation of responsibilities makes it difficult to organize lean, comprehensive processes. And the more complex the processes, the more complex their digitization is.”