Government official proposes: Unnecessary digitization of administrative procedures should be avoided. - Administrative processes not being digitized, according to Minister's statement.
Minister of Reform Urges Caution in Digitizing Public Sector Processes
Steffen Schuetz, Digital Minister, has stressed that not all administrative steps within the public sector require digitalization. In his opinion, the focus should be on reforming work processes before considering digitization, particularly when those processes are dysfunctional.
"If a company has flawed processes, you either fundamentally reform them or eliminate them," Schuetz said. "However, in the public sector, such processes are often clung to and even attempted to be digitized."
Schuetz believes that it is crucial to address the work processes themselves during the digitization process. He stated, "It is essential to clarify which regulations and reporting obligations we truly need, what the state must provide, and what it should not."
Thuringia, in particular, has been lagging in terms of digitization compared to other federal states, according to industry reports like the Bitkom State Index 2024. Thuringia scored 49.6 points, whereas the leading Hanseatic city of Hamburg received 73.5 points.
While specific ministerial recommendations addressing the reform of work processes or reduction of unnecessary regulations to improve digitization in Thuringia's public sector are not readily available, some general recommendations can be inferred. These include digitizing core administrative processes, automating routine tasks, implementing interoperability, reviewing and simplifying legal frameworks, adopting regulatory sandboxes, and enhancing transparency.
In the broader context, both federal and state initiatives are underway to advance digital transformation. Dr. Karsten Wildberger, appointed as the first Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and State Modernization in Germany in May 2025, is actively engaging federal agencies and digital transformation priorities at the national level. Meanwhile, at the state level, Thuringia has ongoing projects to promote digitization in teaching and learning. However, these initiatives are primarily focused on higher education and not broader public sector work process reform.
"TheCommunity policy should emphasize the importance of addressing and revising dysfunctional work processes within the public sector, before emphasizing vocational training or exploring digitization in these areas. Given the current focus on business and technology, it would be prudent to secure adequate finance for these reforms, ensuring that the necessary infrastructure for vocational training and digitalization is in place."
"In light of Thuringia's struggle with digitization relative to other federal states, a strategic approach could involve concentrating on core administrative processes for digitization, automating routine tasks, fostering interoperability, and simplifying legal frameworks. This effort would help reduce unnecessary regulations, leading to more efficient use of resources in the state's public sector."
