Digitalisation is both an opportunity and a risk. Finland must lead with quality, not just speed — getting it wrong at scale is expensive and hard to reverse.
Public sector digitalisation specifically requires interoperability, open standards, and accessibility for everyone — not just those comfortable with digital interfaces. Vendor lock-in is the largest long-term risk: when public services are built on proprietary platforms, the public sector loses negotiating power and flexibility. As a software professional I have seen many times how procurement decisions made without technical consideration create dependencies that cost more to exit than anyone is prepared to pay.
The human dimension matters too. Digitalisation must not exclude people who struggle with online interfaces — GP appointments, benefit claims, and permit applications must remain accessible through non-digital channels. Efficiency gains should not be achieved by forcing the most vulnerable to adapt to the most convenient channel for the provider.
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