Published on 8 May 2023

Paving the way towards a modern administration

With its digitalisation process and provision of geodata free of charge, swisstopo is paving the way towards new business models. These impulses are in line with the visions of «Digital Public Services Switzerland».

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One of the duties of the public administration is to adapt its services to the needs of the population. In this regard the digital transformation process offers a great deal of potential. «It creates new social opportunities,» says Peppino Giarritta, the official designated by the federal government and the cantons with responsibility for the «Digital Public Services Switzerland» organisation, which is promoting and coordinating the digital transformation process between and within the three state levels (federal government, cantons, municipalities). Through the application of new technologies and in collaboration with all the involved players, the organisation aims to make the public administration accessible for everyone and at the same time to increase Switzerland’s international appeal. Data forms the basis for this process: «It acts as the ‹lubricant› for digitalisation,» adds Peppino Giarritta. The more it is used in an increasingly targeted manner, the smoother the progress of the digital transformation. And here, geodata plays a key role: past studies have shown that 60 to 80 percent of all decisions taken in the areas of politics, administration and the business sector are location-related, i.e. have a spatial context. As Peppino Giarritta points out, «Geodata play an extremely important role for society.»

Finger firmly on the pulse

swisstopo is active in an area that already began to focus on new technologies and the digital transformation process at an early stage. In the words of Fridolin Wicki, Director of swisstopo, «Courage and open-mindedness foster innovation.» With its digitalisation process and provision of geodata free of charge, the Federal Office of Topography has placed its finger firmly on the pulse. Demand for the «map.geo.admin.ch» geoportal has been very high since it was introduced in 2010, and it currently registers around 30 million visits a year. Furthermore, swisstopo has developed digital three-dimensional topographic models. In recognition of its many innovations, swisstopo received the «Swiss Digital Transformation Award 2017» and thus demonstrated that the administration is by all means able to keep pace with the business sector.

Attractive partner

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In Peppino Giarritta’s view, pioneering developments of this nature strongly support digital administration in Switzerland. «swisstopo has succeeded in making federal, cantonal and municipal data accessible beyond the federal level in a standardised form.» This should give rise to motivation in other administrative areas. It is also to be expected that similar concepts will be expedited and incorporated in other sectors. However, federal and cantonal authorities have differing duties and structures, and this means that individual solutions will also be required. Institutions such as swisstopo, which have a kind of pioneering role to play, will become attractive partners for other organisations when it comes to implementing joint digital projects.

Innovation from below

Such outcomes can only be achieved if qualified personnel possess specialised expertise and have then ecessary scope for experimentation. «It is the employees who trigger innovations,» emphasises Fridolin Wicki. At the Federal Office of Topography, specialists are able to benefit from attractive working conditions that enable them to produce a high level of performance. «This calls for an internal culture that permits development, but does not rule out errors,» says Fridolin Wicki. «Those who want to make progress also have to be prepared to suffer setbacks.» With its provision of geodata free of charge, swisstopo has paved the way for new business models and shown how the administration could function in the future. Other players should also be able to benefit from these processes. The digital transformation process can only be fully effective if an entire network can be formed and interfaces can be eliminated.

Recognition for digital maturity

swisstopo is creating geodata and know-how for a society in transition and is consistently orienting its digital products towards users’ needs. This commitment by the Federal Office of Topography was recognised in 2017 when it received the “Swiss Digital Transformation Award”. This entrepreneurial prize is awarded to organisations that make outstanding progress in the area of digital maturity and thus significantly increase their competitiveness.

Digital Public Services Switzerland

Digital Public Services Switzerland coordinates, manages and promotes digitalisation activities at the federal, cantonal and municipal levels in order to speed up the digital transformation process at all three administrative levels. It commenced operation in January 2022 and is supported to an equal extent by the federal government and the cantons.

Digital Public Services Switzerland