Up until today Trollhättan´s Stad has launched over 70 processes using flexite. And more coming! Together with his team Thomas Wennersten, IT manager at Trollhättan´s Stad, has created their own process factory where digital processes are created on a continuous basis. But what does a process really mean according to Trollhättan´s Stad?
– Creating executable digital processes is not an isolated IT issue or a digitalization project alongside. This is about streamlining, automating and improving internal working methods and optimizing our service to the citizens. Simply put it´s process-based business development, says Thomas Wennersten, IT manager in Trollhättan´s Stad.
You have to expect that it takes some time before you see the exchange in the organization. But pretty soon it will be really interesting!
Thomas Wennersten, IT-Manager, Trollhättan’s Stad
Over the years, Trollhättan has created a number of executable processes using flexite. Everything from automating the management of personnel changes to different types of e-services that can be used by citizens, or managing internal deviations.
As soon as there is a need to streamline something or there is a new administrative management, they are always considering creating a process in the process factory.
Executable digital processes create movement in the business
Today, Trollhättan has more than 70 digital processes. The first were created for e-services and deviation management. The municipality’s use of digital processes has since then expanded considerably and today they have 3-4 developers who work daily to create and refine processes at an advanced level.
Our executable processes represent a central and critical part of our business.
Thomas Wennersten, IT-manager, Trollhättan´s Stad
– If some of our processes were to stop, important parts of the business will also stop. The processes are really used in the business. We often receive requests and input from our colleagues in the municipality. We spend about 70% of the time on maintenance of existing processes and 30% on developing new processes, says Thomas Wennersten.
Examples of processes created in flexite
– One of our major processes is the Personnel change process. As soon as a person is hired or leaves, this process starts. Employment contracts are created and the new employee is structured in the right place in the organization tree, etc. All administration around managing personnel in and out is covered by the process, says Thomas.
Another process is the Organizational process, which handles all kinds of organizational changes, such as new departments, changed managerial responsibilities, etc.
The largest and most operationally influential processes are those that handle our internal routines.
Another example is when Trollhättan City annually invents the personnel’s side jobs. The municipality realized early on that it would be a time-consuming job if it were to be done manually by the respective manager. Instead, the municipality chose to create a process that could be used by everyone involved. A question were sent to everyone via flexite. The staff was able to respond quickly and easily. The result was reported to the closest manager, registered and compiled completely automatically.
– We offer our citizens many e-services that we handle through processes in flexite. Everything from a simple application for travel service to the slightly more complicated e-service Application for Excavation permit. The annual drawing of who gets summer jobs is a smart and fun e-service that both consider equal treatment and is completely transparent. Thanks to that process, we can raffle summer jobs for young people in an efficient and fair manner, says Thomas.
Executable processes in flexite – a self-playing piano
– You can say that the executable processes that are created in our process factory are beginning to resemble a self-playing piano. But it didn´t happened overnight! We have worked this out over time. We have talked a lot about this in the business and showed what we can achieve, says Thomas and continues:
– Before we create new executable digital processes, we often start by modelling scenarios in 2c8, a modelling tool from Flexites partner 2conciliate. In 2c8 we do what we call a dry modelling. We start from the problem and model how the business wants it to be managed.
Our executable processes represent a central and critical part of our business.
Thomas Wennersten, IT-chef, Trollhättans Stad
From a 24/7 authority & e-administration to Process Based Business Development
What was first known as the concept of the 24/7 authority in the late 90s was eventually replaced by the concept of e-government and everybody began to talk about e-services. At many organizations this became an IT issue. But Thomas Wennersten points out the importance of not seeing this as an isolated IT issue, but as a process based business development, where responsibility primarily lies with the businesses and not with IT.
No one wants e-services that create dead digital nouns. You want living, moving verbs. Digital Movement and Activity.
Thomas Wennersten, IT-manager, Trollhättan´s Stad
– When we at Trollhättan´s Stad began to take an interest in e-administration and e-services, the market for e-administration platforms was very immature. There was not much to choose from. What was offered was solutions that created what I usually call digital nouns. No flows. It just lay still without movement as a dead object. There were no verbs. We started looking for something that could get something to move in the organization. Preferably based on a structure of rules, says Thomas.
Trollhättan knew quite early on what kind of solution and what functions they wanted. Above all, they had a clear picture of what they wanted to achieve. They started looking, but didn’t really find the right solution. In the end, they invested in a system that after half a year proved to be far too code-intensive and difficult to work on.
I found myself in a parking lot thinking this isn´t what we want. After a while, I called Flexite and told them what I wanted to do and asked if they wanted in on it.
Thomas contacted Flexite. It was the start of a close collaboration between Trollhättan’s Stad and Flexite, where we together developed a solution for e-services using flexite.
Why flexite?
– We have actually not found any other platform that is so adapted to how we want to work and what we want to do. There are some similar software in the same area, but they are incredibly expensive in comparison, says Thomas.
There is no equivalent competing system for flexite in the Swedish market.
Thomas Wennersten, IT-manager, Trollhättan´s Stad
Tips and advice for others
– Don’t forget the important internal marketing. Go out to the business and tell them what this means! Modelling processes together with them to create an understanding. Be responsive and listen to how everyday life looks for different roles in the business. Let the people be involved and effect the processes, Thomas points out and continues:
– An important part of creating a process based activity is the pedagogical part. If you get something thrown at you, anyone will be sceptical. Instead, make time for the staff to understand and learn. Make sure to train responsible process developers. There are, for example, good training that Flexite offers.
flexite tells you when and what to do.
– For everyone who´s not creating new processes, no deeper training is needed. They only need to understand how everything is connected. They will be guided in their usage when flexite actually tells them tells them when and what to do, says Thomas.
Finally, Thomas wants to emphasize the possibility to share processes with between municipalities and authorities: – Sharing processes with other municipalities is pretty neat. More should be using that possibility.
Continued movement in Trollhättan´s process factory
In Trollhättan´s Stad, there is a continued spirit of movement and success. Regardless of the type of process or business area, Trollhättan’s process factory is ready to create all the digital processes the business wishes and decides on. It will be a while before Thomas Wennersten and his team has created their final process.
About Trollhättans Stad
Trollhättan´s Stad is a municipality in Västra Götaland county with just over 57,000 inhabitants and with a strong growth ambition. The goal is to grow to 70,000 inhabitants by 2030. In 2013, Trollhättan´s Stad won the eDiamond Award, a prize instituted by Offentliga Affärer and that is awarded to a business in Sweden that has successfully developed digital services for its citizens. Trollhättan´s Stad won the award for its work with process based business development. The jury’s justification was:
“Trollhättan´s Stad has taken a holistic approach to e-administration by looking at the underlying processes. Internal and external e-services have been combined with optimized and automated business processes. This integration provides increased benefit to both employees and citizens.”