This post is also available in: German
The City of Cologne initiated a one-year pilot project with Conceptboard to assess whether the online whiteboard truly represents a technical alternative for its own needs. When introducing new tools, there are a number of requirements and assessments to consider. Data protection is often the greatest hurdle for municipalities, which is why many products cannot be procured if they do not meet high standards.
This affects many municipalities, which is why Conceptboard aims to provide a data protection-compliant alternative. The City of Cologne consciously opted for the pilot project, as a cloud solution with data centers in Germany can also be a good alternative to a Data Center Edition in terms of data protection.
The migration of boards and accounts to the dedicated server went smoothly, prompting the city’s IT department to quadruple the number of licenses.
In the future, the city plans to integrate Conceptboard with additional products to further optimize collaboration. To provide even more employees with access to Conceptboard, there are also plans to further increase licenses for the coming year.
Auxiliary board for the introduction of Conceptboard at the City of Cologne
Security and Acceptance: Challenges for Municipalities in Introducing Online Whiteboards and New Tools
When implementing new tools, especially cities and municipalities face significant challenges. In addition to protecting citizens’ information, the acceptance of the tool by users is also a key focus. Handling this requires careful planning and transparent communication to ensure smooth integration and fully capitalize on the benefits of these technologies.
Data protection as the top priority for authorities when introducing new tools
Data protection often poses the greatest hurdle for cities and municipalities in the public sector, as these institutions manage a variety of sensitive information. This includes personal data of citizens, confidential government documents, and other critical information.
Protecting this data is not only a legal obligation but also essential to maintain public trust in the digital transformation of public administration. The challenge lies in finding technology solutions that are both efficient and secure enough, and that comply with the strict data protection requirements set out in laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union.
Cloud solution put to the test
The question of secure technology solutions inevitably leads to the topic of hosting. Compared to on-premises solutions, cloud solutions score with significantly less effort and high scalability. Municipalities benefit from efficient resource management and flexible adaptation to changing requirements. However, the location of data centers is crucial for comprehensive data protection in the cloud. According to the GDPR, these must be located in a country with an appropriate level of data protection.
Focus on high user-friendliness
Another important aspect in the introduction of new tools – especially those that improve collaboration – is to achieve broad acceptance among employees. The benefits of using the application only come into full effect when it is actively used by a large number of users. To achieve this, it is important to ensure the user-friendliness of the tool and to offer training that familiarizes employees with the various functions and benefits. This not only promotes the acceptance and integration of the tool into everyday work but also strengthens the sense of community and innovation within the administration.
Conceptboard Creates Optimal Conditions for Public Administration
When municipalities master the challenges of security and acceptance in introducing new tools, nothing stands in the way of efficient collaboration. Conceptboard offers optimal conditions for the public sector: As a 100% data protection-compliant platform, certified according to C5, with hosting and development in Germany, it meets the strict requirements of European data protection. This allows authorities to be confident that sensitive information is protected while ensuring smooth collaboration.
Would you like to learn more about how Conceptboard is being used in other companies? Then check out more success stories and discover how Conceptboard has helped other municipalities and organisations increase productivity and adopt digital workflows.
