Security and efficiency were highly prioritized.

With the implementation of the organizational changes, several staff functions were abolished, and this was where user and rights management had previously been located in Hvidovre Municipality. “This prompted us to consider whether our user management could be handled more efficiently because we were aware that the lead time was too long. It simply took too long to create users, and errors occurred,” explains Juri Christensen, project manager in Hvidovre Municipality’s Center for Digitalization, Communication, and Business, responsible for the collaboration with ID Connect. Since the municipality began seeking possible suppliers in 2017, GDPR also came into play. It is crucial for Hvidovre Municipality to be compliant, and the solution had to adhere to the guidelines for user and access rights management from SKI and FK access management. “As a municipality, we have an obligation to our citizens and businesses. We need to protect data while operating efficiently, which requires us to invest in the right IT tools and solutions. Our users range from permanent employees and substitutes to consultants and politicians, and they all need support from a system,” explains Lasse Wamsler, IT and Digitalization Manager at Hvidovre Municipality.    

Goals for the Solution and Process

Hvidovre Municipality was aware from the start that the user management market was vast, and since 2017, it has been in discussions with multiple suppliers. However, the municipality ultimately decided to use ID Connect’s solution. “Our working group defined several goals that needed to be achieved. Firstly, the upcoming solution had to enhance IT security. In our view, this means that the solution should help us protect our data. Secondly, we aimed for standardization, as it is crucial to ensure consistent practices in user management. We also wanted to improve efficiency and increase automation. We achieve all of this with ID Connect’s solution,” explains Juri Christensen. Today, Hvidovre Municipality expects to handle a user’s rights and access much more efficiently and securely, from employment to the employee’s departure.  

Valuable Collaboration

For Hvidovre Municipality, the dialogue with ID Connect was crucial. “The way they view user and rights management aligns well with our needs. The ID Connect team is good at understanding our desires and needs while challenging us, both in the short and long term. They provide answers and input that significantly contribute to our value creation. They have solid insight into how a municipality operates,” says Juri Christensen. ID Connect is described as highly agile and always responsive. This came to light when the Center for Health and the Elderly in Hvidovre Municipality had very particular needs. Needs that were new to ID Connect as well.  

New Solution for Substitutes

In the course of developing the solution, it became clear to the working group that the Center for Health and the Elderly had special needs. With many substitutes, there was a demand for flexibility, user-friendliness, and high speed in the solution. “Substitutes are often called in quickly, both late at night and early in the morning. So, together with ID Connect, we discussed how we could meet the real needs and desires of the Center for Health and the Elderly and quickly involved the center’s management,” explains Juri Christensen. This discussion resulted in a brand-new module. The solution can help anyone working with external personnel. To meet the new national standard for Identity Assurance (NSIS), external personnel, such as substitutes, must always be validated before accessing personal data. This must be done within a few minutes, so they can start providing citizen services such as home care, for example.  

Professional Consultant Involved in Development

“I’ve been very close to ensuring that the ‘instant setup portal,’ as we call it, works quickly and is user-friendly. It will soon be employees, such as those in our nursing homes and elderly centers, who need to set up their substitutes, so it’s crucial that the solution speaks a language they can understand. At the same time, it needs to be lightning fast,” explains Anne Røntved, a consultant at the Center for Health and the Elderly. With the new features, Anne Røntved expects to improve current workflows, enhance security, and achieve significant time savings.  

From Paper and Emails to Automated Solution

Up to this point, Hvidovre Municipality has used emails and messages for many of the existing processes related to users and their access. This will change in 2022. “To ensure that we reach our goal, we are following a plan to ensure that the first centers in the municipality can fully use the solution before the summer of 2022. After that, we will connect the remaining part of the municipality in the second half of 2022 and into 2023, including the ‘instant setup portal’ developed for the Center for Health and the Elderly,” concludes Juri Christensen. Download the case study with Hvidovre Municipality (Danish).