End-to-end digitalisation is transforming public administration. It enables processes to be handled completely digitally and offers enormous advantages for both public authorities and citizens. But what exactly is behind it? This article explains the basics, highlights the main advantages and highlights the challenges on the way to an efficient, digital public authority.
Introduction to end-to-end digitisation
End-to-end digitisation (E2E) describes the complete digitisation of all steps in administrative procedures within a public authority – for example, from the submission of an application to the creation of a decision. The term is often used to refer to the switch from manual, often still paper-based, processes to fully digitised workflows in which media disruptions are avoided. Media disruptions occur when analogue documents have to be processed in an otherwise digital process or when there are incompatible data formats between different IT systems. The end-to-end digitalisation of such administrative processes aims to make the entire workflow consistently digital and interoperable, and thus more efficient, faster and more cost-effective.
In public administration, the term end-to-end digitisation primarily refers to simplifying the interaction between the administration and the population: too many administrative processes were and still are paper-based, which leads to long processing times and a high administrative burden.
Advantages of end-to-end digitisation
The advantages of end-to-end digitisation in public administration are manifold. One of the most important aspects is a significant increase in efficiency through automated sub-processes. Dr Alexander Fronk, Business Developer in the Public Sector division at Materna, explains: ‘Digital, automated processes not only reduce manual work, but also shorten processing times and reduce the number of sources of error.’
E2E digitalisation also offers clear advantages for the population. Dr Alexander Fronk explains these advantages further: ‘Applications and forms can be conveniently completed online at home and submitted from there. A procedure that is geared to the applicant saves telephone queries to the authority and also often eliminates the need to go to the authority, which is only possible at certain times.’ In addition, citizens can track the processing status of their requests in real time, which leads to more transparency and better service. Confidence in the administration increases when it is clear that requests are processed promptly and the process is transparent.
Another important advantage is cost efficiency. The digitalisation of processes results in significant long-term cost reductions. Resources such as paper, printing materials and postage are saved, and the administration can use personnel capacities more effectively. In addition, IT systems and infrastructures are used that are designed to achieve long-term savings, which is particularly important for the public sector.
2 Important building blocks of digitalisation
1. Integration of IT systems
A central component of end-to-end digitalisation is the integration of IT systems. In public administration, there are often a large number of IT systems for specialised procedures, each of which is used for different tasks. The challenge is to connect these systems in such a way that data that passes through several procedures can also be seamlessly exchanged between them.
One example of this is the connection of form systems for application entry to a digital file management system (e-file), both of which are already in use in many administrations. The integration of these systems makes it possible to digitally capture, process and file all documents and information for a process. The integration of such systems thus ensures that data does not have to be entered multiple times and is therefore available in a single source.
2. Modern technologies
In addition to the integration of existing systems, modern technologies are playing an increasingly important role in E2E digitisation. Artificial intelligence (AI), for example, can be used to automatically check applications or to categorise and forward citizens’ enquiries to the right places. This is made possible by AI-supported chatbots that assist citizens with their applications by answering frequently asked questions and guiding users through the process. Chatbots are available 24/7, thus improving the accessibility of public administration and helping to make administrative procedures more efficient.
Cloud solutions are also becoming increasingly important as they help to make the use of IT systems more flexible and increase their scalability. Authorities can move their data and applications to a BSI-certified sovereign cloud and access them securely. This not only simplifies the administration of the applications, but is also an important factor in times of home and remote working.
Low-code platforms offer the possibility to quickly and easily develop new digital solutions without the need for in-depth programming knowledge. This enables administrative staff to create and customise their own applications and workflows, further increasing the speed and agility of digitisation.
Challenges and solutions
Despite the numerous advantages, there are also some challenges that must be overcome in end-to-end digitisation in public administration. One of the biggest challenges is replacing outdated IT systems. Many public administrations still use so-called legacy systems that have been in use for decades and are difficult to integrate with modern technologies. Replacing such systems is often costly and time-consuming. By using low-code platforms, public authorities and IT service providers can work together using the citizen developer approach to construct modern, cloud-based IT systems that integrate seamlessly into the respective IT landscape and are available in a shorter time. Materna, together with ServiceNow, offers this option through a framework agreement.
Another challenge is the legal requirements that have to be observed in administrative processes. Casting the often intellectually challenging regulations into legally secure, IT-supported specialist procedures is no trivial matter. Here, approaches from the field of artificial intelligence help to analyse legal texts and extract decision paths from them. Based on this, Materna has developed an IT solution that reads legal texts and constructs a decision algorithm that also graphically displays which decisions are to be made based on which information and sub-decisions.
The Online Access Act (OZG) set deadlines for digitisation and called for end-to-end E2E digitisation (maturity level 4), but parts of the implementation of these requirements are currently failing due to the lack of register modernisation. In order to provide the necessary online services for citizens and commercial enterprises, Materna, together with the ITZBund, offers an approach based on the federal government’s form management system (FMS) with technical implementation. This aims to establish good administrative services as quickly as possible and to efficiently contribute to meeting the deadline of the OZG.
Conclusion
End-to-end digitisation is a decisive step for public administration towards a modern and efficient future. It enables the automation of processes and the reduction of costs, while at the same time improving the service provided to citizens. Although challenges still remain, it is essential that the digitisation of administration continues to be pursued consistently in order to meet the increasing demands of society. The introduction of modern technologies and the integration of existing systems will play a central role in this. As a reliable IT partner to the public sector, Materna is excellently positioned to help achieve this.
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