Ida Heggertveit

PhD candidate, University of Agder

I am a PhD Research Fellow in Information Systems at the University of Agder. As a part of the project founded by the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service (NAV) “What public services should be digitalized?” My research explores the digital solutions and channel choices of citizens when using public services. Interactions with the government should be no more onerous than they need to be. Hence, the main objective of this study is to critically analyze what public services are suitable for digital communication channels from the perspectives of citizens and public sector organizations.

Tell us about your project!

There is a digitalizing optimism in public organizations where digitalizing and digital channels is seen as the solution to more cost-effective self-services where the citizens can navigate and apply for public services on their own and caseworkers would free resources to provide close follow-up to citizens who are further away from the labor marked and most in need of aid. Then why do citizens still use traditional channels like the telephone and to visit the local office when in need of assistance? There is a lack in the literature and user surveys on how this increase in digitalization of services affects vulnerable citizens in the need of these services. The purpose of this project is to analyze multi-channel management strategies and how they affect administrative burdens citizens’ experience when they apply for public welfare services provided as digital self-services.

“ The purpose of this project is to analyze multi-channel management strategies and how they affect administrative burdens citizens’ experience when they apply for public welfare services provided as digital self-services”

— Ida Heggertveit on her research project ““How do public organizations’ multi-channel management strategies affect citizens’ administrative burden?””