A recommended workspace

A safer, more open, and more inclusive Sandefjord. That was the main message when the story of the municipality’s new workspace was presented. With a single login, customized information, and a new workspace, employees have access to everything – regardless of time and place.

Sondre Andersen, IT Manager and Acting Head of Digitalization in the municipality, says they had a traditional intranet when he started the job.

– Now we have developed and launched a workspace that all employees have access to with a single login, where you have access to all the applications you need for your job from one screen. In addition, you are presented with customized information and access to all professional systems relevant to you as an employee and user. Which is unique in a municipal context, he says.

Old and new in the same place

The use of software in the public sector is changing. Many use applications developed for another time, while newer applications are often in the cloud. Kai Thorsrud at Sicra says the challenge is to gather these different applications in a portal with access via a single login.

– Applications that are everywhere make it complicated with a common authentication method. What we have done is put together already available solutions. While previously there were a number of passwords for different applications, the municipality’s employees now have access to everything in one place. Passwords on yellow notes are non-existent, he says.

The new workspace is based on Microsoft Teams, which is the teamwork hub in Office 365.

– I almost dare to say that using Microsoft Teams as a landing page is controversial. By combining Teams with Valo and SharePoint, we have achieved a secure and perfect solution for collaboration and relevant information sharing. The solution significantly simplifies the everyday life of the municipality’s employees and students. It is both a revolution and an evolution. We see a marked decrease in the use of email in the municipality in general, while here in the IT department, we have completely eliminated it, says Sondre Andersen.

– Sandefjord municipality now has a hybrid solution. We have modernized existing technology without compromising on security and availability, says Thorsrud.