General

digitalisation

Organisational and service transformation enabled by technology.

How the laws define this

Digitalisation across these frameworks consistently centers on using digital technology to transform public services and administration to improve performance and outcomes. Every instrument views digital technology as a driver for enhancing operational efficiency, delivery, and productivity within public sector institutions. Where these definitions diverge is in the structural scope of that transformation. Under One Digital Public Sector: Digital strategy for the public sector 2019–2025, the focus remains strictly on internal organizational changes, aiming to improve processes, service delivery models, efficiency, and user experience. By contrast, The Digital Norway of the Future – National digitalisation strategy 2024–2030 expands this focus to address broader societal outcomes, framing technology as an enabler for green transition and demographic change across the public sector. The Digital Switzerland Strategy takes the broadest approach, defining digitalisation as a socio-technical process that transforms not only administration, but also the wider economy and society.

Synthesised from the 3 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.

How jurisdictions differ

What is distinctive in each definition, binding law in force first.

Jurisdiction	Instrument	Status	What is distinctive
Switzerland	Digital Switzerland Strategy	In Force	Adds socio-technical processes transforming administration, economy and society, explicitly framing the strategy's objectives and measures.
Norway	The Digital Norway of the Future	Adopted	Adds systematic use to improve public services, productivity and societal outcomes, positioning it as enabler for demographic change, green transition and productivity.
Norway	One Digital Public Sector: Digital strategy for the public sector 2019–2025	Superseded	Limits to transformation of organisations and public services supported by technology, focusing on changes to processes, service delivery and organisational models.

Definitions (3)

Digitalisation is defined as the transformation of organisations and public services supported by technology, encompassing changes to processes, service delivery and organisational models to improve efficiency and user experience.

One Digital Public Sector: Digital strategy for the public sector 2019–2025Definition 1 of 3

The strategy defines 'digitalisation' as the systematic use of digital technologies to improve public services, productivity and societal outcomes, framing it as an enabler for demographic change, green transition and productivity improvements across the public sector.

The Digital Norway of the Future – National digitalisation strategy 2024–2030Definition 2 of 3

Operationally defined as the socio-technical processes through which digital technologies transform administration, the economy and society, framing the strategy's objectives and measures.

Digital Switzerland StrategyDefinition 3 of 3

Not to be confused with

digital transformation

Digital transformation refers specifically to systemic change of public administration and services driven by ICT, while digitalisation encompasses broader organisational and service transformation.

Digitalization

Digitalization focuses on adoption and integration of digital technologies across sectors, whereas digitalisation emphasises transformation processes enabled by those technologies.

Questions and answers

How does Switzerland define digitalisation in its strategy?

Switzerland operationally defines digitalisation as socio-technical processes through which digital technologies transform administration, the economy and society. This frames the Digital Switzerland Strategy's objectives and measures. The strategy is binding for the Federal Administration.

What does Norway's latest digitalisation strategy say digitalisation means?

Norway's National digitalisation strategy 2024–2030 defines digitalisation as the systematic use of digital technologies to improve public services, productivity and societal outcomes. It frames digitalisation as an enabler for demographic change, green transition and productivity improvements across the public sector.

In what ways do these definitions of digitalisation differ?

Switzerland emphasises socio-technical processes across administration, economy and society. Norway's current strategy highlights systematic improvements enabling key transitions, while its superseded strategy limits it to organisational and service changes for efficiency.