OZG programme management: Four phases to sustainable knowledge transfer and digital services

Last Updated on 1. April 2025 by mgm-marketing

The OZG programme management coordinates the implementation of the Online Access Act (OZG), which regulates the digitisation of administrative services and their provision via administrative portals. It steers the various activities and resources to ensure that authorities across different levels of government work together efficiently and that digital services are made available to citizens. To ensure that this is implemented in the best possible way, various federal states are relying on the support of external consultants. mgm is supporting the responsible ministry of a northern German federal state in managing the state’s OZG programme and thus implementing the Online Access Act. Shortly before the end of the project, initial experiences, findings and recommendations for future projects are available.

The first steps

When the programme was launched in July 2021, there was little previous experience and few established structures for implementing the Online Access Act in Germany. The federal states are encouraged to work together across state lines to digitise administrative services. This is done according to the one-for-all principle (EfA): one federal state develops a service and makes it available to other federal states. In terms of working methods, interfaces, stakeholders and federal cooperation, this was a pioneering approach on an unprecedented scale.

One special feature was that the federal state in question decided to set up a programme at an early stage that would define the structures, standards and processes centrally at the federal state level. The programme management represents the overarching management and control level, which is strategically advised and operationally supported by mgm.

The programme structure and its development phases

In retrospect, four development phases of the programme can be identified. Due to the new circumstances, complexity and interdependencies in the context of OZG implementation, it was not possible to clearly plan the timing and content from the outset. Thus, the programme had to be highly flexible from the outset in order to be able to react precisely to challenges that gradually became apparent.

The knowledge gained about the need for a high degree of adaptability and the phases to be gone through can be valuable for planning future digitalisation programmes and should be taken into account. The phases can be used to make an initial assessment of what to expect in each phase and thus counteract misunderstandings and potential frustrations.

Fig.: The ongoing task of digitalisation – the various development phases in OZG programme management

• Phase 0: In this preliminary phase, the programme is set up and objectives are defined and agreed. The need for action is made visible by considering the dimensions of digitalisation, thus creating a common understanding. This leads to the definition of the programme strategy. Ideally, the prerequisites for empowering administrative staff right from the start should also be considered here.
• Phase 1: This phase begins with the clarification and creation of the framework and guidelines. The link to the constantly changing framework conditions must be maintained on an ongoing basis and the programme must be sufficiently adaptable to be able to implement this effectively. Particularly important here are the stakeholder analysis and the early identification and involvement of the interest groups, as well as a continuous review to take account of new stakeholders.
• Phase 2: Here, the organisational, legal, technical and financial framework is largely in place. Processes and structures are being established and standardised, enabling services to be digitised more quickly and efficiently. In this phase, new insights and changing conditions also require the programme objectives to be synchronised with the overall situation and strategy.
• Phase 3: In this final phase, the programme begins to wind down and the knowledge transfer is prepared. In the process, the acquired knowledge is sustainably transferred to the official structures. Overall, the development model is strongly geared towards sustainability. In all phases, the maturity level of the digitisation project and the participants is successively increased. Knowledge is generated, compiled and disseminated – new structures are built. During the process, it must be clear from start to finish that the knowledge generated will ultimately flow back into the administrative structures. This also involves finding the appropriate resources to which the knowledge is transferred. As a rule, these are all persons from the administration involved in the programme – for example, the departments/ministries, districts, municipalities or the FIM state editorial office. Appropriate integration of the technical aspects (standardisation and enforcement) contributes greatly to the delivered results being used.

Creating the conditions for standardisation

The aim of the digitalisation programme is to digitalise as many services as possible by the end of the programme. However, it should be clearly communicated from the outset that success does not depend on this alone. Before you start digitising services, you need to create the framework and standards that will make it easier to successfully accomplish the task. This is also where the federal (thought) structures need to be softened. Until now, the basic idea has been for each federal state to set up its own IT infrastructure, architecture, interfaces and data exchange formats. Harmonising this and converting it in such a way that it is possible to use standardised data exchange formats and infrastructures across state lines is a success in itself. However, the OZG programme management not only creates a physical benefit in the form of digital services for citizens, but also a structural benefit for the administrations themselves.

Involve stakeholders early and promote communication

When setting up a new programme in a complex environment such as the implementation of OZG and against the background of the federal composition, the focus must be on stakeholder involvement from an early stage and on an ongoing basis. Sufficient time should be invested from the outset to carry out the broadest and most meaningful analysis possible, which also focuses on the motivation of the various stakeholders. In the OZG environment, these include the OZG coordinators in the individual departments, the municipal level in the form of district associations and municipal special-purpose associations, but also the FIM state editorial offices, which provide easy-to-understand citizen information, uniform data structures for forms and standardised process specifications for administrative enforcement. All these stakeholders must be included in the process from the outset, with their individuality and importance recognised.

Cross-functional communication can help to achieve a common understanding, which in turn promotes alignment towards the common goal. This gives stakeholders a space in which to help shape and participate in developments, for example by working on committees, developing and approving established standards and processes, and finding solutions to operational obstacles and challenges. Decision-making and escalation processes provide the framework for action. All stakeholders involved in the programme must learn to rethink digitalisation.

Further success factors for digitalisation programmes

In addition to the factors mentioned above, further best practices for future digitalisation projects were identified during the implementation and support of the OZG programme:

• Establish a leadership alliance and central control: A strong project sponsor can represent the overarching goals externally and ensure or promote support for the project in the political arena. Centralised control and coordination of all relevant topics under one roof and the establishment of central principles, mechanisms and rules for control and decision-making increase the speed and thus the efficiency. Prioritising tasks is made easier and fewer conflicts arise at the operational level.
• Act and learn: The ‘act – report – correct – implement’ cycle enables the ongoing processing and resolution of overarching issues and obstacles. This allows the change towards digitalisation to be consistently driven forward. The successes achieved are consolidated and stabilised, thereby initiating further change. This results in continuity in permanent structures.

Can the standard be reused for other projects?

The development model has created a blueprint for future projects in the OZG programme management – especially for projects with a centralised approach. With the knowledge and lessons learned, it is now possible to set up OZG projects in a much more structured and efficient way. However, it is also suitable for other topics in the digitisation of public administration. Another possibility for applying the programme management standards that have been created would be in the modernisation of the register, for example. Instead of implementing individual projects, an umbrella organisation could be created to take over central control and coordination and to bundle the lessons learned in order to create synergies.