In light of the recent release of openDesk 1.0, OSOR sat down with Pamela Krosta-Hartl and Alexander Smolianitski of the team at ZenDiS to discuss this groundbreaking open source solution for public administrations. Our interview delves into the challenges, achievements, and future plans for this innovative platform.
The Centre for Digital Sovereignty of the Public Administration (ZenDiS) is a competency and service centre whose mission is to strengthen the digital sovereignty of the federal and state governments as well as of local authorities in Germany. It supports public administration in reducing critical dependencies on individual IT providers, also by means of giving them easy access to modern, powerful, and scalable open-source solutions. ZenDiS bundles the requirements of the public sector and ensures that OS solutions are developed according to demand and can be operated reliably.
OSOR: How does openDesk exemplify the benefits of open source solutions for the public sector, and what challenges has it faced?
openDesk Team: Even as major clients, governments often struggle to influence proprietary software vendors. This is where open source comes into play. Open source is key to meeting the requirements of digital sovereignty. It provides governments with the ability to change, shape, and influence digital infrastructure so that it fulfils their needs.
"A user-centred approach and excellent usability are crucial. When the first ideas for openDesk emerged a few years ago - at the time under the working title ‘sovereign workplace’ - the project was planned as if on a greenfield site. The actual use cases and user needs were not at the centre of attention. We have turned this completely on its head and are continuing to develop openDesk in a user-centred way. This is why feedback from pilot projects is so extremely valuable to us. Also, our approach of creating an open source tool with professional support and various operating models really makes a difference."
OpenDesk itself isn't just an open source tool; with a strong focus on reliable and scalable operations, it represents a new model for more professional delivery of open source-based public services. This approach helps us to overcome some of the prejudices that are unfortunately - and wrongly - still occasionally associated with open source, especially in the public sector. Namely, that OS solutions are more for nerds or difficult to operate. However, our partnerships with well-known OS providers have helped change the tone in media coverage and create more acceptance. It's important to understand that openDesk isn't just software - it's a comprehensive model for public administration delivery.
OSOR: Can you share some insights from early adopters of openDesk? How has their feedback shaped version 1.0?
openDesk Team: We've already had a few thousand users working with the pre-launch version across federal and state levels. Interestingly, no one uses the tool in exactly the same way. For instance, we've seen teams of 35 to 200 people using openDesk for collaborative work on legislation, moving away from gathering feedback and changes via email to our collaborative text features. Others use the project management modules within openDesk to coordinate the work with external partners.
This diversity of use cases led to a rebranding. The official title used to be “sovereign workplace” but users started preferring the tool for its features, not only because it is sovereign. This organic development has been crucial in making the tool genuinely useful.
OSOR: Are there plans to collaborate with other European countries on openDesk or similar initiatives?
openDesk Team: Absolutely. We have already been cooperating with the French Dinum for several months within the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the CIOs of our two countries in February 2024. This has led to collaborative developments of solutions as part of a joint "100 days challenge", including a projectathon and meet-up in Paris that regrouped other European administrations interested in the project.
The genuine interest in the French-German initiative proves that open source is not just a selling point, but a true door opener for collaboration. Politicians and administrations across Europe are realising that digital sovereignty doesn't stop at national borders, and that there is a true chance to make progress by joining forces.
OSOR: How does openDesk address the need for interoperability between different European public administrations?
openDesk Team: As an open source project, openDesk already meets many requirements addressed by the Interoperable Europe Act (IEA). We're also helping other projects with our expertise. While we have so far focused on getting a stable 1.0 release out, interoperability and collaboration will become increasingly important moving forward.
OSOR: How does openDesk practically implement data sovereignty principles?
openDesk Team: We've implemented user licences that respect current regulations and follow BSI (Federal Office for Information Security) standards. The key is data ownership and privacy. We ensure that administrations can decide how to treat their data by offering a whole set of different operating models – from self-hosting via Software-as-a-Service coming from sovereign data centres to confidential cloud deployments. This approach is crucial for maintaining sovereignty in the digital space.
OSOR: Looking beyond version 1.0, what are the key areas of focus for future development of openDesk?
openDesk Team: Product-wise, we want openDesk to be more than ‘just’ a sovereign alternative to familiar workplace solutions. Our Office & Collaboration Suite is designed to make the day-to-day work of our colleagues in administration simpler, more modern and more efficient. One of the most important tasks in recent months has therefore been to integrate the individual components in such a way that they work together seamlessly and offer a consistent, good user experience - in other words, they effectively merge into a single product for users. The experience gained from the pilot operation has played a key role in this.
Looking ahead, additional functionalities are coming to the fore. Together with users from the administration, we will shape the roadmap and continue to optimise openDesk in line with actual needs and use cases. For those who are curious to find out more: a detailed roadmap is available on our openDesk website. (link to: opendesk.eu)
Beyond technology, two of our main priorities are growing our user base and establishing a sustainable business model. While the initial funding for openDesk came from the federal government, we have recently been shaping a model that makes us less dependent on politics and subsidies, while still maintaining our non-profit orientation.
OSOR: What strategies are in place to train public sector employees and encourage adoption of openDesk?
openDesk Team: We're working with partners to create a self-learning platform. This will provide general information and principles around data sovereignty and highlight the unique benefits of openDesk. Our goal is to educate not just the open source community but a wider ecosystem about the value of this approach.
OSOR: Finally, what lessons from the development of openDesk could be valuable for other open source initiatives in the public sector?
openDesk Team: A user-centred approach and excellent usability are crucial. When the first ideas for openDesk emerged a few years ago - at the time under the working title ‘sovereign workplace’ - the project was planned as if on a greenfield site. The actual use cases and user needs were not at the centre of attention. We have turned this completely on its head and are continuing to develop openDesk in a user-centred way. This is why feedback from pilot projects is so extremely valuable to us. Also, our approach of creating an open source tool with professional support and various operating models really makes a difference.
OSOR would like to thank the ZenDiS team for their time, you can find their press release on OpenDesk 1.0 here.