Geopolitical tensions have put digital autonomy firmly on the agenda. But what can public organizations do about it? That was the central question at the fifth Unconference of the Digital Autonomy Competence Center (DACC) this September at AMS Institute. Participants agreed that the vision is there, and so is most of the technology. What's still missing are measurable goals and organizational and social change.
Currently, public organizations often rely on technology that falls outside EU regulations and lacks transparency. That puts the rule of law and democratic values we hold dear in the Netherlands at risk. This became tangible when the Dutch government blocked the acquisition of DigiD provider Solvinity by the US-based Kyndryl, keeping critical digital infrastructure out of foreign hands.
DACC is a partnership between AMS Institute, the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), the City of Amsterdam, the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) and TU Delft. The center brings science and practice together and offers shared standards, knowledge, exchange, tools and practical guidance, so organizations don't have to reinvent the wheel each time.
Last September, professionals from public organizations and academia gathered for the fifth time at AMS Institute. At an Unconference there is no fixed program: participants pitch topics at the start of the day and choose which sessions to join. Among other things, they discussed independent knowledge sharing, joint standard-setting and practical tools for more responsible and autonomous use of technology in the public sector.
From theory to action: what has been built in a year
The DACC is the starting point for public organizations seeking to work on digital autonomy, offering a growing range of tools to get started. They develop this together with AMS prototyping team. For example, the Maturity Model shows organizations how autonomous their core processes really are. It is a free online self-assessment that you complete for each core process. There are currently 224 registered users; 20 assessments have been completed and more than 30 are in progress. The creators of the model call on participants to put it to use: "Want to know how digitally autonomous your primary processes are? Get started. And make sure you complete the whole model: the results overview gives you insight into your current situation and tips for improving digital autonomy."
In addition, tabletop exercises are being tested: exercises in which you play out a scenario with your team, so that you experience it rather than just talk about it. Work is also underway on a library tool that maps publications on digital autonomy and on a capability matrix that aligns the knowledge and skills needed for digital autonomy with the job profiles within the organization in question. The DACC is looking for people who want to talk with us about the knowledge and skills an organization needs to achieve digital autonomy. A beta version of a procurement tool was also demonstrated, and professionals, such as procurement officers and supplier managers, were invited to test it alongside the DACC.
Do you have experience, ideas, or questions about digital autonomy? Would you like to give input on the tools, or help test? Let us know via DACC@ams-institute.org.
More about the DACC and its products can be found at www.digitaal-autonoom.nl
How do you win back sovereignty over public infrastructure?
Wouter Welling, program director at Digicampus and involved in DACC on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, presented the findings of Tenant in your own house. He wrote the paper with two scientists involved in DACC: TU Delft professors Nitesh Bharosa and Mark de Reuver. The Solvinity case, mentioned in the beginning of this article, explores the challenges surrounding sovereignty over digital public infrastructure.
The conclusion: winning back sovereignty is a wicked problem. In other words, a stubborn issue with no clear-cut solution, little agreement on what is desirable, and many dependencies and uncertainties. The paper outlines two routes: being reactive and ‘putting out fires’, which addresses the immediate loss of sovereignty, or prevention, which entails orchestrating an ecosystem of more sovereign alternatives.
Strengthening the link between science and practice
Wouter Welling emphasized that theory is needed to build a community around digital autonomy together with the government. That's why the DACC will strengthen the link between science and practice in the coming period. One step is the arrival of Ellen van ’t Klooster, a postdoctoral researcher from TU Delft who will provide scientific support. She completed her PhD at Utrecht University on the market power of tech companies: how they compete and what the consequences are. Slinger Jansen, associate professor at Utrecht University and head of the Software Ecosystems Security research group, has also recently joined as an associate researcher. Also, the DACC is awarding a National Thesis Prize for the first time. It's open to bachelor's and master's students at all Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences who have written a thesis on a topic related to digital autonomy. Prizes are €1,000 for the winner, €500 for second place and €250 for third. Submissions are open until 20 August 2027.
Digital autonomy is still a new territory for many public organizations. The DACC, therefore, keeps track of developments in the scientific field and is in touch with researchers who approach the topic from different angles. In a series of interviews, they will share their perspective and findings, show how these relate to the practice of public organizations, and look ahead to what is still to come. We will share this on the websites of the DACC and AMS Institute.
How do you win back sovereignty over public infrastructure?
Wouter Welling, program director at Digicampus and involved in DACC on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, presented the findings of Tenant in your own house. He wrote the paper with two scientists involved in DACC: TU Delft professors Nitesh Bharosa and Mark de Reuver. The Solvinity case, mentioned in the beginning of this article, explores the challenges surrounding sovereignty over digital public infrastructure.
The conclusion: winning back sovereignty is a wicked problem. In other words, a stubborn issue with no clear-cut solution, little agreement on what is desirable, and many dependencies and uncertainties. The paper outlines two routes: being reactive and ‘putting out fires’, which addresses the immediate loss of sovereignty, or prevention, which entails orchestrating an ecosystem of more sovereign alternatives.
Wouter Welling emphasized that theory is needed to build a community around digital autonomy together with the government. That's why the DACC will strengthen the link between science and practice in the coming period. One step is the arrival of Ellen van ’t Klooster, a postdoctoral researcher from TU Delft who will provide scientific support. She completed her PhD at Utrecht University on the market power of tech companies: how they compete and what the consequences are. Slinger Jansen, associate professor at Utrecht University and head of the Software Ecosystems Security research group, has also recently joined as an associate researcher. Also, the DACC is awarding a National Thesis Prize for the first time. It's open to bachelor's and master's students at all Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences who have written a thesis on a topic related to digital autonomy. Prizes are €1,000 for the winner, €500 for second place and €250 for third. Submissions are open until 20 August 2027.
Digital autonomy is still a new territory for many public organizations. The DACC, therefore, keeps track of developments in the scientific field and is in touch with researchers who approach the topic from different angles. In a series of interviews, they will share their perspective and findings, show how these relate to the practice of public organizations, and look ahead to what is still to come. We will share this on the websites of the DACC and AMS Institute.
Governance commitment: the vision is there, the measurable targets are not
Setting out a vision is not hard, as became clear during a session on executive commitment at the Unconference. Linking a vision to hard, measurable targets is the ‘real work’, and a baseline measurement is still missing. The session focused on the ambition to reach 30% Dutch or European digital apps and cloud by 2029. According to the participants, the scope and definition of that target are still too vague. Can we develop a shared language? And what do we want to measure, and for whom? Without a clear definition, autonomy washing looms: parties call themselves autonomous or sovereign without this being substantively true. This is precisely what the DACC wants to warn against.
It looks like an answer is on its way. The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations is working on a dynamic reference framework for digital autonomy. Criteria per dimension create a shared language for government and industry, without a one-size-fits-all approach. The framework provides the building blocks; each organization decides on its desired level of autonomy and can add further requirements, for instance, regarding shareholders, governance, and contractual safeguards. The outcome could be presented in a dashboard for executives, and participants in the session explored what that might look like. The framework will be shared on the DACC website.
The technology is already here
Another session concluded that the technology needed already exists. What's missing is organizational and social change. A few obstacles that were mentioned:
- The unfamiliar feels risky. Going with the mainstream is safe, while anyone who deviates constantly must justify themselves.
- Open-source struggles with an image of being clunky and complex, and lacks marketing.
- Vendors lobby against change, rules aren't enforced, and there's no clear course of action.
- There's a lack of urgency and ownership: risk-averse people sit in exactly the positions where risks should be taken.
And what can help?
- Room to revisit earlier choices without being penalized for it, because the world keeps changing.
- More knowledge and diversity among decision-makers, so lobbying and marketing gain less traction.
- Mapping every objection, collecting the answers and using them collectively.
- Recognizing that technology is a strategy, which makes digital autonomy not “a fire to put out”, but a structural challenge.
Join our next Unconference on 29 January 2027
Do you work on digital autonomy and/or public technology? We’re looking to connect with public tech organizations, government and other public organizations, and researchers. You're also welcome to take the ideas and initiative further after the event.
More information and registration (in Dutch)
Your input for the program is very welcome! Email it to DACC@ams-institute.org.
Please note: this Unconference is not the place for commercial pitches.
