Public official advocates against blind digitalization of administrative procedures. - Admin processes not being digitized, according to Minister.
Thuringia's Public Sector Digitization Under Scrutiny
In a recent statement, Steffen Schuetz, the Digital Minister of Thuringia, questioned the need for the complete digitization of all administrative processes. According to Schuetz, if a company has dysfunctional procedures, they should either be reformed or abolished altogether. However, in the public sector, such processes are often maintained and even digitized, the minister pointed out, adding that digitizing a mediocre process only results in a digitized version of it that remains mediocre.
Schuetz emphasized the importance of discussing the work processes themselves during the digitization process. He believes it is crucial to clarify which regulations and reporting obligations are truly necessary, what the state must provide, and what it should not.
Recent indices reveal Thuringia lagging behind other German federal states in terms of digitization. The Bitkom State Index 2024 ranked Thuringia last with 49.6 points, while the leading Hanseatic city of Hamburg scored 73.5 points. Thuringia's performance in the Germany Index of Digitization 2023 from the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems was also relatively poor.
The challenges of digitization are not unique to Thuringia, with issues such as infrastructure, funding, and bureaucratic processes being common across Germany. Rural areas often lack robust digital infrastructure, which hinders full digitization. Smaller states may face budget constraints compared to larger states, and the complexity of existing bureaucratic systems can slow down digitization efforts.
Despite these challenges, Schuetz's insights suggest a focus on improving work processes rather than solely pursuing digitization for digitization's sake. Balancing technological advancements with the practical needs and resources of each region will be key to successful digitization efforts.
- To address Thuringia's lagging digitization performance, the community policy could focus on vocational training programs for Civil Servants, enhancing their skills in business, technology, and process efficiency.
- In the effort to ensure effective public sector digitization, it's paramount to question the relevance of existing regulations and reporting obligations, as well as assessing the need for vocational training in business and technology, in order to streamline and optimize work processes.
