Digital Local Authorities – a collaborative project
Digital transformation is about improving services and working methods through technological innovation. This is a very large-scale change project for both the public and private sectors, but the benefit is to simplify the lives of citizens and improve efficiency and operations. Improvements through the use of technology make it easier for residents to access services, reduce manual handling, increase transparency and traceability, and enable better use of information and data.
The benefit is to simplify the lives of residents and improve efficiency and operations.
Digital transformation is about improving services and working methods through technological innovation. This is a very large-scale change project for both the public and private sectors, but the benefit is to simplify the lives of citizens and improve efficiency and operations. Improvements through the use of technology make it easier for residents to access services, reduce manual handling, increase transparency and traceability, and enable better use of information and data.
Digital cooperation projects of local authorities
The Association of Icelandic Local Authorities appointed a change manager for digital transformation at the end of 2019 to work on digital cooperation among local authorities, in line with the strategic direction set by the association's national congress for the term of office that is now drawing to a close. The change manager began by establishing a professional group on digital transformation, composed of digital specialists from the municipalities. Subsequently, the association's board of directors approved the appointment of a Municipal Digital Council, with representatives from all regional municipal associations and the City of Reykjavík, to act as a liaison with municipalities and support the development of their digital cooperation. In June 2021, the association's digital transformation team was then established, with three specialists to work on the implementation of digital collaborative projects for municipalities. The board of the Association of Icelandic Municipalities also approved the association's membership of policy on digital public services.
Support and information page on digital collaboration
The website stafraen.sveitarfelog.is is a support and information page about digital collaboration between municipalities. There you can see which Joint project of local authorities which are underway. There is also toolbox for the digital transformation of municipalities with templates and guidance, e.g. on risk analyses. In addition, the following have been added to the site Technical solutions which local authorities can easily set up on their own sites, such as a calculator for nursery fees, a rubbish collection calendar, etc. In addition, there are Case studies of local authorities to transfer digital experience between them. The website is also a news source about what is happening in the digital transformation of municipalities. In addition, a monthly publication is issued. Newsletter which you can subscribe to or follow The Digital Local Councils Facebook page .
Digital transformation is here to stay – farewell to old ideas
Foresightful local leaders around the world are now focusing on leaving behind decades-old ideas about processes and services and are increasingly looking towards a new era where services for residents and businesses are largely digital, staff work in a project-oriented environment, data is utilised to improve decision-making, and sustainability is prioritised. Digital transformation is here to stay. Local authorities need to formulate a strategy on these matters and follow the developments taking place all around us. Municipal IT systems need to support increased development speed, automation and data processing, and consideration must be given to the interoperability of internal and external systems. .