4. Data, data and more data
The open and collaborative municipality has many advantages. A major advantage is that much more information is available. One point of attention: all information is in different systems. Many civil servants therefore have to look in different systems before they can make a decision, make a change or provide the correct information. To make it easier for civil servants, more and more systems are being opened up and connected to each other. In this way, dashboards can be created and reports can be run, so that there is more overview.
Also read: First aid for online participation
Collecting all the data together offers the municipality a wealth of information – with which great efficiency gains can be achieved – so that the citizen can be served better and faster. Once all the data is clear, the next step is to link the processes together and automate them, so that for certain permit applications a civil servant is no longer needed. The system processes the application within five minutes.
With better and more reliable data, all overviews and linked systems, it is also clearer for municipalities what something 'costs' and what can be more efficient. How can the citizen be served better? What can be improved or even automated? Municipalities then serve the citizen better and processes run more efficiently.
For example, in a number of municipalities, the processes surrounding the application for a permit are already fully automated. Only the deviating cases are assessed by an official. All standard permits are processed directly by the system.
6. Security is becoming more important
Finally, securing information is very important. As a municipality becomes more open and transparent, it also becomes more important to better secure information. Municipalities are greece number increasingly hiring a Security Officer . Someone who looks at the systems, the design, the processes and the regulations.
The most important regulation that municipalities are currently looking at is the GDPR ( General Data Protection Regulation ) that will come into effect on 25 May 2018. This regulation describes, for example, how to handle personal data. And also guarantees the 'right to be forgotten'.
City of Rotterdam
First step towards a smart city: the digital workplace
These initiatives to make the city smarter all rely on the aforementioned trends. All data, insights and analyses need a central place: the digital workplace. This digital workplace collects data, links systems and regulates the access of the civil servant and the citizen. This provides more overview and transparency and processes can run more smoothly.
But how do you get to such a digital workplace? The five steps below are essential for a successful implementation of the complete digital workplace, as a first step to becoming a Digital Master.