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2024

Case Study: Denmark’s Agency For Digitization

By March 18, 2025March 20th, 2025No Comments

This article is part of a comprehensive report published by the International Foundation for Customer Experience in Government, which aims to enhance the global dialogue on Customer Experience (CX) in the public sector. Drawing on innovative practices from around the world, the report establishes benchmarks for governments to improve their CX initiatives.

CASE STUDY: DENMARK’S AGENCY FOR DIGITIZATION

INTRODUCTION 

Denmark’s extensive government digitization, spanning more than two decades, began a transformative phase in 2011 with the establishment of the Agency for Digital Government35 . This pivotal milestone was driven by a resolute political vision aimed at uncovering cost efficiencies within the administrative framework.

The new digital strategy was one of the prime instruments in this regard. This strategic digital approach garnered a unanimous political consensus on its significance, transcending party lines within the parliamentary landscape. With fiscal goals at the forefront, the development of digital services became a unifying political imperative, solidifying its status as a shared priority for government agencies across Denmark.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INITIATIVE

While certain provisions were made for citizens lacking computer access or digital skills to still receive offline services via municipal registration, a digitalization strategy that included notable Government Citizen Experience (GCX) reforms was launched.

  • Mandatory Digital Mailbox: Businesses and citizens were required to use the Digital Mailbox for government mail, with nearly universal adoption.
  • Top Services Digitization: The aim was to digitize the 100 most-used government services. 
  • Digital Communication Target: The goal was for 80% of public sector communication to be digital.

To facilitate the shift from analog to digital service delivery, Denmark enacted laws to enable the development of digital services, removing obstacles like the need for handwritten signatures. The Digital Mailbox evolved from a small pilot project managed by a private company into a crucial government-run infrastructure component.

The effort to digitize the 100 most used public services initiated broader digitalization across Denmark, resulting in nearly all public services becoming digitally accessible. However, varying levels of digitalization led to differences in user-friendliness, and therefore guidelines promoting citizen-centric design were introduced.

SUCCESS FACTORS

Several key success factors contributed to the effectiveness of the program:

  • Digital Government Strategy with Political Backing: The extensive political backing played a crucial role in propelling cohesive digital service development across public organizations, emerging as a primary catalyst for steering these entities towards digital service advancement.
  • Legislative Adjustments: The strategic revision of laws played a critical role in surmounting legal obstacles during the digitalization of public services, reinforcing Denmark’s digital transformation.
  • Centralized Digital Agency: A newly established central digital agency assumed leadership in digitalization efforts, facilitating inter-agency negotiations and sustaining reform momentum.
  • Budgetary Process Push: Placed under the Ministry of Finance, the Agency for Digital Government leveraged budgetary influence to propel digitalization, aligning financial pressure with cost-saving digital reforms.

MAIN CHALLENGES:

While the program achieved significant success, it also encountered some challenges:

  • Absence of Early Unified Standards: Facing the challenge of inconsistent customer experience outcomes from key digitized services, early adoption of standards to enhance user-friendliness could have made a significant impact.
  • Conflicts Arising in Cross-Sector Collaborations: Collaborative challenges arose, demanding negotiation, particularly in investment and benefit-sharing among agencies. The role of the Agency for Digital Government emerged as a mediator, ensuring equitable outcomes and commitments at various government levels.
  • Inadequate Consideration of Issues: Being a trend-setter was characterized with emerging challenges, like cybersecurity and accessibility, that have surfaced after initial success. This shifted the focus from cost efficiency to addressing digitalization’s side effects and ultimately slowing overall progress. While these factors were initially underemphasized, they proved pivotal for long-term CX quality, particularly if digital channels are dominant or mandatory.

TAKEAWAYS 

The program offers valuable takeaways for successful government initiatives:

  • Enforce Mandatory Digital Usage of Public Services: Denmark’s mandatory digital provision enhanced cost efficiency.
  • Secure Funds and Political Support with Effective Oversight: Adequate funding and strong political support are vital for the successful implementation of reforms.
  • Revise Legislation to Enable Progress: Denmark’s experience highlights the significance of having a capable managing entity equipped with both incentives and consequences to drive change effectively. This entity, acting as a mediator and advocate, has played a pivotal role in navigating negotiations and aligning diverse entities toward reform goals.
  • Initiate with a Clear and Strong Focus: A strong focus on user-centric service standards from the outset ensures that digital initiatives align with citizens’ needs and expectations. Denmark’s emphasis on user experience has driven the successful adoption of digital services by designing and implementing solutions that cater to citizens, ultimately boosting satisfaction.
  • Acknowledge and Address Risks Early On: Recognizing and addressing the side-effects and risks associated with digital services is of utmost importance. Denmark’s proactive approach to addressing challenges, such as cybersecurity and accessibility, reflects its commitment to providing a secure and inclusive digital environment.

In conclusion, while the journey has not been devoid of challenges, Denmark’s approach underscores the significance of striking a balance between accessibility, uniformity, and user satisfaction in the realm of digital services. With the government nearing full digitalization, attention now focuses on addressing digital divides, particularly in accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Denmark’s ongoing commitment to improvement reflects its vision for a future where government services are efficient, accessible, and inclusive, ensuring digital transformation benefits all citizens.

In our next article, discover how New Zealand’s approach to CX leverages legal and institutional frameworks to drive cross-agency collaboration, tackling complex challenges through seamless service delivery!

References:
 35 “About the Agency for Digital Government.” Agency for Digital Government, n.d. https://en.digst.dk/about-us/.