Digital Transformation in the Public Sector: From Fragmentation to Coherence

In the public sector, complexity and societal pressure on our information systems are increasing rapidly. Legislation changes continuously, public expectations are rising, and technological developments are advancing relentlessly. At the same time, many government organizations struggle to realize their digital ambitions—not due to a lack of will, but because of a stubborn reality: outdated systems, poor collaboration across chains, fragmented ownership, and sluggish decision-making.

Highberg helps public organizations approach digital transformation as a strategic movement, not just a technological exercise. In this article, we show how organizations can strengthen their digital transformation by building coherence on three levels: foundation, agility, and value-driven innovation.

A robust digital infrastructure starts with clarity. In practice, we often see the opposite: IT landscapes that have grown organically into a tangle of applications, unclear data flows, and illogical user experiences. Without control over IT and data, there is no basis to achieve ambitions.

For example, Highberg recently worked with a municipality that wanted to digitize its services in the social domain. The reality: more than twenty standalone applications, duplicated data entry, and citizens repeatedly having to identify themselves. By mapping and simplifying the application landscape based on chain insights, calm, clarity, and space for innovation were created.

A strategic foundation also means that IT is not merely an executor. Too often, the IT vision remains stuck in glossy diagrams disconnected from policy or implementation. A national regulatory authority saw its digital strategy fail because it was too technical for board members and too abstract for implementers. Together with Highberg, the vision was rewritten in clear language linked to concrete societal goals—leading to ownership and engagement.

Enterprise architecture becomes the compass—not as a paper exercise, but as a visual and governance tool that guides choices in technology, processes, and behavior. Combine this with a future-proof data architecture with clear roles and governance, and you lay the foundation for strategic growth.

Laws and regulations are constantly evolving. From European initiatives like EHDS and CSRD to national mandates on data exchange, sustainability, and information security. Many organizations only respond when a law takes effect—resulting in delays and stressful implementations.

A healthcare institution that Highberg supported faced pressure from the Electronic Data Exchange in Healthcare Act (Wegiz) and upcoming European obligations. The existing IT landscape was inadequate. By designing a modular architecture and improving data quality, the organization not only complied with legislation but used the requirements as a catalyst for innovation.

Looking ahead pays off. The Highberg Monitor for European Legislationhelps organizations identify new regulations in time and translate them into concrete adjustments in policy, IT, and data. Combined with flexible infrastructure and strong data governance, this creates agility—even in a constantly changing environment.

But agility demands more. We see this challenge in the Cloud as well. A ministry brought in Highberg after several departments had independently purchased cloud solutions—without oversight or cost control. By developing a central cloud strategy and applying FinOps principles, combined with agile program management, the ministry regained control and confidence.

Digitalization requires program-level governance that goes beyond just delivering projects. It demands management focused on value, impact, and coherence—where IT, policy, and operations strengthen each other.

Innovation in the public sector is under pressure. Emerging technologies like AI, cloud, and data-driven operations offer promising opportunities, but without vision, support, and governance, they often result in isolated pilots that never scale. Technology is a means—not an end.

A province wanted to use AI to manage traffic flows. Technically, the model worked well, but it wasn’t used. Why? Road managers didn’t trust the outcomes and saw no added value. Once they were actively involved in further development and co-designed dashboards, everything changed. Technology only became valuable when it was aligned with user needs and organizational vision.

Value-driven innovation requires a shared future vision, supported across all organizational levels. Highberg helps embed innovation into governance structures, using small-scale experiments, multidisciplinary teams, and clear rules for data and AI. This makes innovation not something “extra,” but an integral part of strategy.

A key element here is interoperability—the invisible backbone of data-driven work. A nature conservation organization struggled with fragmented biodiversity data across multiple systems. Reporting took weeks. By introducing an integration platform and shared information models, a central dashboard was delivered within six months. Not only timely and reliable—but also usable for both policymakers and practitioners.

True innovation requires a shared language, clear data ownership, and conscious choices around standards, openness, and security. Only then can lasting value emerge.

Digital transformation in the public sector demands more than technological solutions. It requires coherence between strategy and execution, between policy and IT, and between innovation and users. Not everything can happen at once—but everything starts with the courage to make choices.

Highberg supports public organizations in achieving this coherence—with deep expertise in both technology and human behavior, with a focus on societal goals and governance realities, and always with an eye on value, impact, and future readiness.

Want to discuss any of these topics further? Or get started with an architecture scan, simulation model, or digital transformation strategy? Contact us here: Wilbert Enserink, Anne van Esch, Martin Ruiter.