Creating Solutions. Together. - Aleksander Lorentzen - NDC Oslo 2024

Oslo faces challenges with siloed data systems, resource constraints, and increasing service demands from a growing population

Key priorities include early intervention, preventive services, and knowledge-based management using data to make better decisions

The district uses Microsoft low-code tools (Power Platform, Fabric) to rapidly develop small, complete solutions that solve specific problems

Solutions are built following the LÜR concept:

• Lean: Quick development cycles (24-48 hours)
• Unconventional: Pushing boundaries of traditional public sector approaches
• Rapid: Fast testing and implementation

Data-driven initiatives implemented:

• Youth club attendance tracking
• Kindergarten quality assessment digitization
• Social services usage monitoring
• Graffiti and maintenance issue reporting

Key principles for solution development:

• Focus on staff and user needs
• Build scalable solutions that work across silos
• Protect citizen privacy and data security
• Embrace failure as learning opportunities
• Combine data with knowledge-based approaches

Architecture follows a medallion model with separate zones for open/internal data and protected data

Teams are cross-functional and combine multiple roles (data engineer, developer, controller) into single positions due to resource constraints

Goal is moving from retrospective reporting to predictive analytics to better anticipate citizen needs

Solutions must be reliable, scalable and designed to work across the entire city, not just single districts