In Spring 2017 the Norwegian government appointed an expert panel to develop a strategy (Digital21) for lifting Norwegian business with respect to digitalisation.
Gartner Group differentiates between the English words ‘digitalisation’ and ‘digitisation’:
• Digitalisation is the use of digital technologies to change a business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities, it is the process of moving to a digital business.
• Digitisation is the process of changing from an analogue to a digital form, without any different-in-kind change to the process or business itself.
As such the scope of this strategy encompasses both the Process-IT roadmap and the Business model aspects of the Interreg Nord Process-SME project.
The Digital21 report has just been released, along with 64 recommendations. A copy can be downloaded from this link . In addition to the summary report it can be also interesting to look at the reports from each of the six expert groups that the panel consisted of (see overview below). Unfortunately, the documents are available only in Norwegian language, so a short summary of the content is given here:
The summary report divides the 64 recommendations into five task categories:
i) Ensuring Cybersecurity, as a necessary premise
ii) Establishment of a relevant knowledge and technology base
iii) Securing sufficient competence with appropriate content
iv) Making data resources accessible and developing a business-oriented infrastructure
v) Developing a public framework that stimulates innovation and digitalisation
Important strategic technologies for Norway
Four strategic technology areas are identified as being especially important for Norway:
• Artificial intelligence
• ‘Big Data’
• Internet of Things
• Autonomous systems
A large part of the front page, and the explanation of the recommendations, is devoted to stressing the importance of cross-disciplinary approaches and elimination of “silo management” (compartmentalisation). As such it is a little curious that the panel was divided into six expert groups that each prepared their own report. These expert groups were:
1. Enabling technologies (report)
2. Research, Development & Innovation (report) – critical mass in critical areas.
3. Competence – facilitated, accessible and connected (report)
4. Data resources and infrastructure (report)
5. Digital security – value creating cyber security should be a public benefit (report)
6. Public framework (report)
Apart from the four main strategic technologies there were a further twelve areas identified where cross-disciplinary competence also needs to be developed:
1. Algorithms
2. Block Chain
3. Connectivity
4. Sensors and detection
5. 3D-printing
6. Visualisation
7. Drones
8. Virtual and Augmented reality
9. Digital twins
10. Cloud computing
11. 5G
12. Robotisation
The overall impression from the first skim-reading is that there have not turned up any radically different suggestions from those presented in the Process-IT roadmap, and there is in general reinforcement of the concepts presented there. As a government-appointed panel there is rather more focus on policy recommendations, and these are directed at the specific government (of Norway). It remains to be seen to what extent the Norwegian government implements the recommendations.
For further reading it is recommended to look at the reports from the expert panels 1, 2 & 3, which give some case study examples from Norway.
Ross Wakelin
Northern Research Institute Narvik A.S.
ross@tek.norut.no
(47) 99 252 485
