KommITS 2023 recently took place in Västerås. During a speaking session, Lars Scheibling from Höglandets IT and Tomas Beijar from Frends shared insights on how the use of master data ensures efficient digitalization of various systems used by Höglandet’s local association of municipalities – and demonstrated how other municipalities can do the same.
Several reports in the media indicate that the Swedish public sector is lagging in terms of sharing open data. And there is a growing need to proactively work with master databases in the public sector to address this. Such a strategy not only facilitates secure digitalization efforts but also increases efficiency and promotes a smooth digital transition for various operational systems.
Background and Challenges
Höglandet is a local association of municipalities in Småland that includes Eksjö, Nässjö, Sävsjö, Aneby, and Vetlanda. The total population is 96,000 residents. As a Swedish local association of municipalities, the five municipalities, along with Höglandets IT, lead the way in data management and IT security within the municipal sector nationally.
“Our implementation of master data has been facilitated with Frends. Prior to this our digital infrastructure comprised of one-to-one connections between the municipalities' different systems, resulting in a complex administrative structure. Replacing systems within the digital architecture proved to be both resource-intensive and costly,” says Claes Öster, Division Manager at Höglandets IT.
Tomas Beijar, Technical Sales Manager at Frends continues:
“The municipalities within Höglandet utilized multiple management systems for their respective administrative entities. These systems varied in age, data structure, and their ability to communicate with each other. Together, all these factors created challenges in delivering accurate data to the right users within the municipality, which could be classified as a security deficiency.”
Why master data?
The benefits of master data span over several areas. By gathering and centralizing data from different management systems, harmonization and information classification is enabled. This simplifies the creation of centralized and standardized data storage, facilitating its use across various systems. Furthermore, the data is consistently accessible from the same location in the latest version.
Additionally, implementing APIs requires the right data structure. Master data streamlines the process, making it both easier and more secure to develop APIs and new services without compromising on security.
Safer and more efficient digitalization projects with Frends
“Through the implementation of master data, Höglandets IT has successfully overseen the overall landscape unlocking the full potential of data in a secure manner. This has led to a more streamlined and effective digitalization process, creating conditions for further development within the various municipalities," says Lars Scheibling, Developer at Höglandets IT and continues:
“The master database ensures that users do not have direct access to the source system, thereby reducing the risk of both incorrect access and improper use of data. This is particularly significant given the numerous management systems used within the municipalities of Höglandet.”
Did you miss KommITS Digitaliseringsdagar in Västerås? Here you can view the complete speaking session with Frends & Höglandets IT.