Digital change at GIZ – an interview

Mr Rösler, what progress has GIZ made in the area of digital change so far?

AXEL RÖSLER A lot has happened in recent years. Our digital services can now undoubtedly compete at the international level. We have also achieved a great deal when it comes to digitalising internal processes. User-centricity – where we focus primarily on the people who work with the tools – and agile process management are two approaches that promise to improve the efficiency and quality of our work

GIZ usually advises its partners on change processes. Now you are advising your colleagues within the company.

That’s right, one complements the other. And it’s exciting to discuss such a far-reaching process among ourselves and bounce ideas off each other. The advantage we have is that we can draw on our colleagues’ extensive expertise in shaping transformation processes.

Are any changes already visible within the company?

Absolutely. The most obvious change is the introduction of the new virtual cooperation tool Integrated Digital Applications, or IDA, the groundwork for which was laid in 2017. Put simply, traditional emails will be complemented – and in many cases replaced – by communication in communities. This will create a new transparency and opportunities for real-time exchange.

It also gives rise to a number of questions, such as how internal cooperation can be organised beyond organisational and hierarchical boundaries. That is one of the reasons why the establishment of principles for cooperation and leadership is currently being discussed in a company-wide process.