Our Business Unit Digital for People – who are we?
We specialize in supporting our clients in IT and digitization strategy development, managing related projects, and providing support for technical implementation. From the re-launch and expansion of IT infrastructures of dioceses to the implementation of specialist software in the care sector. We are industry experts. And we do everything we can to live up to this status time and again by continuously sharpening our expertise. In order to maintain the closest possible contact with the social economy and thus enter into dialogue with our target groups in order to build a genuine understanding of the industry-specific corporate culture and its digitization challenges, we have been an active member of FINSOZ e.V., the digital association of the social economy, since 2018.
What was the goal of the potential analysis?
In order to gain an even broader view of the spectrum of the industry’s fields of work, we took a new approach. With the JCT, we found the ideal partner to take this path.
What digitization challenges are our clients from the social economy, healthcare, church and education sectors facing? Are certain topics particularly pronounced in some areas, and if so, which ones? These were the questions that needed to be addressed together with the Junior Consulting Team e.V. We wanted to know directly from the decision-makers and potential users of our solutions, the “women and men at work”. The aim was to find out which opportunities and challenges they are currently facing in terms of digitization and which future tasks are already emerging from their perspective today. With the help of the insights gained, we will be able to align the activities of our Business Unit even more effectively in the future.
Procedure and findings of the potential analysis
In a period of approximately five months, we worked closely with the JCT project team to create a potential field analysis for the Digital for People sector. The aim of this analysis was to uncover which points are moving the experts surveyed in the respective fields of work with regard to digitization and which needs and potentials in the respective specialist areas have not yet been sufficiently covered with regard to possible digitization potentials.
The information was obtained on the one hand by means of guideline interviews and evaluated qualitatively. On the other hand, data was acquired via an online survey. Here, 156 participants from the various professional fields were asked about the realization of digitization topics in their specific professional situation. The respondents were predominantly social workers, social pedagogues, teachers, medical and nursing staff and church staff, i.e. community workers or pastors. In some cases, survey results from administrative and management staff were also included in the evaluation.
The data obtained in this way was broken down according to fields of work. The respondents were therefore active in the following professional fields:
- Nursing
- Church
- Disability support
- School
- Elderly care
- Refugee assistance
- Day care
The generated facts now had to be compared with our knowledge and integrated. In this way, our previous views could largely be empirically substantiated. For example, that the ePA, the electronic patient record, is a very far-reaching digitization challenge in the field of nursing.
The study also helped us to take a look at projects in other social economy areas that we had previously focused on less, such as refugee assistance. Here, for example, the following topics and recommendations for action emerged:
- Cloud solutions: Cloud solutions, data protection and training
- Media breaks: Digital solutions, importance of digitization
- Implementation of IT audits: Potential of digitization, current status, recommendations for action
- Function as contact person: For second level support (during/after sale/offer)
The data that the project brought to light makes it clear what challenges all those involved in the seven specialist areas are facing with regard to the complex of topics surrounding “digitization”. In the social economy and the public sector, a steady increase in the need for consulting services and project support is to be expected in the coming years.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the JCT team for the good cooperation and the valuable insights that could be gained from the data for us.
Johannes Gollner
After completing his studies in Social Work (B.A. & M.A.) and gaining two years of professional experience as a social educator, he switched to Social Informatics (M.A.) to combine his social commitment with his affinity for technology. With this knowledge, he now supports our Digital for People business unit.
