Starting point
The challenges of digitizing Berlin’s administration are manifold, ranging from a shortage of skilled personnel, tight budgets, outdated IT systems, and complex federal structures to constant pressure to adapt to new technology. GovTech applications promise support in many of these areas – but they must fit and be practical. In recent years, a large market for GovTech solutions has emerged. How can public administrations determine which technologies create genuine added value – and which are merely well-intentioned?
This is exactly where CityLAB comes into play: since last year, we have supported through the operation of a GovTech TestLAB, a space for administration staff in which solutions can be tried out and jointly evaluated. We conduct hands-on workshops in which we try out applications on-site together with administration staff. Our focus is strongly on understanding the challenge, on understanding what the core problem actually is. Only in a second step do we check with the testers whether the software in question offers innovative and interesting features that can really solve the problem.
Project goal
With the project, we create a support offering for the Berlin administration, helping in the selection and evaluation of promising products that could be used in Berlin.
Approach
Together with the Berlin administration, we identify needs and select suitable products based on those needs, if they exist. As a constant regular task, we inform ourselves about news in the GovTech market, through specialist publications and events. In the next step, we procure low-barrier test licenses and develop a testing concept suitable for the product: simple web applications can be taken apart in a workshop, while more complex applications require more time. We provide the users with criteria that serve as a basis in the final evaluation discussion. The test results can then flow into the design of tender documents, serve to reconsider the needs, and inform product selection.
More about the approach in the project is revealed by Daniela Schacht and Alexander Peschel from the Open Source Competence Center (OSK) at ITDZ Berlin, as well as Markus Sperl from CityLAB Berlin, in an interview.
Previous project course
Last year, an exploratory test concept was developed and a first catalog of criteria was compiled based on desk research and several interviews with network partners. The rest of the year was characterized by practical testing of five solutions together with the Berlin administration – from applications in the climate sector, AI-supported tender preparation, data management to the open source major project openDesk (with ITDZ Berlin).
What we have learned so far can be read in this blog post.
What comes next?
We use the winter months to revise concepts, workshop processes and criteria with the help of the collected experience and feedback and look forward to the upcoming test processes with the Berlin administration.
How can i participate?
If you are a Berlin administration staff member and would like to contact us with a specific need that could be solved by a GovTech application, you are welcome to do so. Even if our resources are limited, we try to gather as many proposals as possible.
Team
Deborah Paluch, Pauline Boos, Markus Sperl
Contact
- Markus Sperl (Project Manager Smart City & Administrative Innovation), Email: markus.sperl@ts.berlin
- Deborah Paluch (Service Designer), Email: deborah.paluch@ts.berlin
