We want to make the service smarter

Sigurjón Ólafsson took up a new post as Director of Services and Development for the City of Hafnarfjörður at the beginning of the autumn. Sigurjón has been involved in the digital journey of many organisations and companies, managing large projects, assisting with changing their digital presence and with implementing new working methods and mindsets. His team has been busy these first few months, for instance, enhancing the flow of information to residents through online news, a podcast, and the recent launch of the Granni town map. The local newspaper Hafnfirðingur recently spoke with Sigurjón.  

This new department, the Service and Development Department at Hafnarfjörður Municipality, operates across all the council's departments, and Sigurjón says that as its director, he is tasked with digitising the council's services. „The intention is to streamline it, make it more efficient and move more towards self-service for residents.“ says Sigurjón, who has also taken good time to get to know a large group of his colleagues, as around 2,000 people normally work for the City of Hafnarfjörður. „I've been doing a lot of meeting people, building team spirit and the team. Also, gaining a greater understanding of the incredibly diverse services that such a large local authority provides.“

Interest in people is important

When asked what qualities are needed for a job like this, Sigurjón replies that an interest in people, knowledge of digital media and a passion for service are important. „A local council is a service organisation, and if you don't have an interest in serving people, then you're not in the right place. It's therefore important to enjoy working with people, to have an interest in a variety of subjects, and to take the time to understand things.“

The council's responsibility to mediate

In mid-September, the Municipality of Hafnarfjörður began production of podcasts which Sigurjón says is part of increasing understanding of the town's services through interviews with town staff and getting to know their side of the work. „We are putting a face and a voice to the service. In these areas, we try to have an equal gender balance, a wide age range, and cover these six areas for the town. We want to make the service more human.“ He adds that some wags have called his team the news agency of the City of Hafnarfjörður, but points out that it is the responsibility of the town to provide information. „There are frequent complaints about a lack of information, and we believe it is our duty to provide regular news and information on our channels. It is becoming increasingly difficult to reach everyone through a single channel. That is why we use the City of Hafnarfjörður's website, municipal media, social media, video media, and podcasts, and try to get coverage in the major media outlets.“ 

Slim In-depth information portal

Sigurjón also mentions the importance of transparency. „We are opening up data, have open books, people can access live data on how our website is being visited and more dashboards are in preparation. We are strengthening participatory democracy through portals such as Betri Hafnarfjörður and we are in the process of establishing a citizens' council on the town's services. We intend to have a good dialogue with the residents and I encourage town residents to take a look. the new version of the Granna town web-camera. It contains a wealth of information, including the town's layout, building plans, and pipe drawings, as well as details on its institutions and services, and statistical data on transport. It is an almost infinitely deep information portal.“ Looking ahead, Sigurjón and his department will be working on strategy and project prioritisation, working in teams with the involvement of experts both within and outside the municipality.. Residents should be able to handle as much as possible for themselves, and we use information technology and smart solutions to do this. The only way to do this sensibly is through good cooperation with other local authorities. This way, it is possible to coordinate and utilise knowledge and experience. There is work to be done.„ Sigurjón says in conclusion. 

An interview with Sigurjón was published in Hafnfirðinginn on 19 December 2019.