Effective collaboration between the Danish Working Environment Authority and twoday paved the way for a successful IT modernization

Case: The Danish Working Environment Authority

In 2019, the Danish Working Environment Authority decided it was time to modernize its IT landscape. The organization faced an extensive process of phasing out an aging monolith and implementing new solutions. The modernization affected both technical and business processes as well as customer-facing and internal systems that needed to be maintained and operated.

This major digital transformation was led by department heads Kirsten Brink and Allan Andersen from the Authority’s Data and Digitalization Department. After defining the strategy, they decided to put the support, maintenance, and further development of the Authority’s applications out to tender. The contract was awarded to twoday as IT supplier and collaboration partner.

What the Danish Working Environment Authority achieved

Modernization of IT infrastructure

Moved to a new, modern IT infrastructure and phased out legacy systems, creating a solid foundation.

Streamlining of internal processes

Improved and standardized workflows, along with more intuitive tools.

Utilization of new technologies

Reduced system complexity and improved monitoring and logging capabilities.

A future-ready partnership

A framework-based collaboration model built on agile development and close cooperation between twoday and the Danish Working Environment Authority.

The challenge: An outdated IT infrastructure and a need for agility

Like many public institutions, the Danish Working Environment Authority was challenged by an aging IT infrastructure that had served them well for many years but had become increasingly inefficient and costly to maintain. The existing system had become a bottleneck for their digital ambitions and created technical debt that was no longer sustainable.

“We had a large Oracle-based monolith that had been useful for many years. But time had caught up with it, and it needed to be phased out so we could establish a robust and future-proof solution to streamline our internal processes,” says Allan.

“In addition, we realized in 2019 that we needed to work differently than before and decided to transition from a waterfall model to an agile development approach,” adds Kirsten.

The solution: A modern IT platform powered by agile development

At the Danish Working Environment Authority, IT consultancy services are procured for actual software development. It was therefore only natural to put a framework agreement for the modernization out to tender. twoday won the contract as supplier, and the transition was completed in the spring of 2023.

“Some tasks are better handled by those with more specialized development expertise than ourselves. We have our own staff involved in parts of the IT development, in roles such as IT architects, testers, product owners, and scrum masters, who work closely with twoday’s consultants in agile teams,” explains Allan.

“twoday introduced us to new technologies and solutions, which made it possible for us to carry out the modernization in two major phases, each with its own key deliverable,” says Kirsten.

The Authority’s decision to adopt an agile approach proved crucial to ensuring a smooth modernization process.

“I don’t think it would have been possible to create a requirements specification that could have captured everything we achieved. The shift from a waterfall model to an agile setup has been one of the most important decisions in our digital transformation,” elaborates Kirsten, adding that having the right competencies on the project has also been vital to its success.

“I don’t think it would in any way have been possible to create a requirements specification that could have captured what we’ve achieved. The shift from the waterfall model to an agile setup has been one of the most important decisions in our digital transformation.”

Kirsten Brink, Head of Department, Digitalization and Data, the Danish Working Environment Authority

The collaboration: Built on responsibility and trust

Being able to share a leadership role, as Kirsten and Allan do, requires a strong partnership — something that both department heads consider a cornerstone of their work.

“It makes sense for us to share the role since we have a large portfolio, many employees, and major decisions to make that affect the entire organization. Our ongoing sparring with each other is invaluable,” says Kirsten.

Collaboration has therefore become a central foundation within the Danish Working Environment Authority’s Data and Digitalization Department. It was no coincidence that the tender for the framework agreement was written with collaboration in focus. Among the key requirements were experienced consultants and a gradual modernization of the system landscape, allowing for continuous adjustments to the organization’s needs. To ensure close cooperation, everyone was located at the Authority’s offices on Landskronagade.

“We made the right choice – both in selecting a competent IT supplier and a strong collaboration partner. We are very satisfied with the partnership. twoday has proven to be both a responsible supplier, delivering what we need, and a skilled sparring partner involved in every stage of the modernization. They’ve also helped us gain valuable insights into the development of service layers,” explains Kirsten.

Allan adds: “twoday has consistently shown a willingness to solve challenges in our best interest. There has never been any discussion about whose responsibility a given issue belonged to. Even when it involved our other suppliers, twoday was ready to collaborate and find the best solution for our modernization.”

The close collaboration has ensured transparency around challenges - which have subsequently been resolved together.

The result: An effective, future-ready solution

The Danish Working Environment Authority has now completed the majority of its IT modernization and is already seeing significant benefits. A solid foundation has been established, and by the turn of 2024/25, all relevant functionality will have been migrated from the old systems, which will then be decommissioned.

With twoday as a trusted partner, the Authority has achieved a successful digital transformation that has not only modernized its IT infrastructure but also streamlined its ways of working. The collaboration has ensured that the organization is well-prepared for future challenges and has created a strong foundation for continued growth and digital innovation.

“We have certainly achieved what we set out to do in our tender — with the help of twoday as a skilled and highly collaborative IT supplier,” concludes Kirsten.