Government inter-organizational, digital transformation projects: five key lessons learned from a Norwegian case study

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to gain knowledge about how to manage digital transformation projects in a government context. We analyze a government digital transformation project from its initiation to its end and reflect upon the process and the outcome. The case project did not achieve its intended objectives and therefore provided us with insights on contextual factors and decisions made that contributed to its failure. The results are presented as five key lessons learned. The lessons learned from the case study show that extensive focus on the technology, and selecting, and introducing the digital enabler, might have overshadowed other important concerns, such as early involvement of important stakeholder groups, and implementation of suitable technological platforms that would be fit for purpose to achieve the intended benefits for various stakeholder groups. Even though the intended e-services were not delivered as planned, the project organization learned a lot: in collaborating with government agencies representing different sectors, handling demanding financing schemes across sectors, and making decisions in a project regime that lacked sufficient governance structures.