Summary
You can move much faster when others have paved a way. About a decade later than others, our federal-level government digital service unit only started in late 2020, during the pandemic. It’s growing rapidly now, expanding to 120 people by the end of 2022, and taking shortcuts thanks to other units elsewhere. Magdalena will share what the team achieved by building on the experiences and outputs from other international digital service units, how planting the seeds through a fellowship program was pivotal as an enabler, and where they want to be by 2030.
Key Insights
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Germany’s digital government challenges stem from its large population, federal structure, and a strong data privacy culture due to historical abuses.
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The Digital Service in Germany was formed as a government-owned subsidiary leveraging existing fellowship programs and private sector talent.
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Building on existing technical infrastructure and paper form simplifications accelerated digital service delivery.
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User research and journey mapping remain vital, even when projects face tight deadlines or are seen as ‘late to the game.’
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Quick wins, like improving a confusing letter related to digital identity cards, help build stakeholder trust and unblock entire user journeys.
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Balancing aspirations with achievable short-term results is critical to gaining institutional buy-in and momentum.
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Meeting stakeholders ‘where they are’ linguistically and culturally helps bridge gaps between technology teams and government institutions.
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Global knowledge sharing with government digital services worldwide accelerates learning but must be adapted locally.
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Fellowship programs like Tech for Germany and Work for Germany integrate startup expertise into public sector challenges effectively.
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Long-term digital transformation requires upstream engagement with legislators to embed digital-friendly mindsets and policies.
Notable Quotes
"Germany is at the confluence of several factors that constrain digital services: large population, federal government layers, and strong data privacy concerns."
"We started the Digital Service as a subsidiary company of the government, not just a government unit."
"Don’t automatically dismiss paper forms—they often contain simplifications that accelerate digital service design."
"Quick wins help build trust and get stakeholders willing to work with you."
"Meeting stakeholders where they are means understanding their language and prior knowledge, not just the physical location."
"Breathing and resisting the urge to rush is essential because rushing will not help."
"The digital identity card is an existing asset that we didn’t have to reinvent, but the user experience on top was lacking."
"Show, don’t tell—that’s a principle we learned from the UK Government Digital Service."
"Our fellowships bring in private sector people to public service challenges, focusing more on the journey than on delivering final products."
"We’re now looking to help legislators think about digital outcomes as they draft new laws and regulations."
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