Digital sovereignty – public transport authorities developing their own digital solutions

Mats Fred and Alexander Paulsson from Lund University have studied how Skånetrafiken and Västtrafik developed their own apps for journey planning and payment. Both organisations opted to design and build their solutions in-house.

One driving factor behind this decision was dissatisfaction with external providers of prepaid ticket card systems previously in use.

– The externally procured solutions were perceived as inflexible and failed to meet expectations at the time, explains Alexander Paulsson.

By creating their apps, Skånetrafiken and Västtrafik gained expertise they previously lacked, and their internal teams dedicated to software development have grown significantly.

– Staff at Västtrafik working on new digital services told us that, over the past decade, their team has expanded from around 10 people to approximately 200 by 2024, representing nearly half of the organisation’s 450 employees, says Mats Fred.

Both organisations have adopted a "service design" approach, testing ideas on a small scale, refining them, and gradually scaling up to create fully functional products and services. This process has shaped how they now approach all digitalisation efforts.

– Both organisations have taken control of “the digital” and become highly skilled at development. They’ve rapidly delivered a range of products and services and now they need management structures to handle this portfolio effectively, adds Mats Fred.

A striking example of their adaptability was during the pandemic, when digital tools provided passengers with real-time information about expected crowding on specific vehicles at given times. This allowed passengers who needed to continue travelling to avoid crowded conditions.

– This strategic choice has strengthened the authorities’ digital sovereignty and improved their agility while also creating relatively large internal teams, concludes Alexander Paulsson.

Mats Fred and Alexander Paulsson’s study on the app development by Skånetrafiken and Västtrafik is part of the K2 project Att översätta innovation till praktisk handling ("Translating innovation into practice"). The findings are published in the article Making apps, owning data: Digital sovereignty and public authorities’ arrangements to “byte” back.

Mats Fred and Alexander Paulsson plan to continue studying how Swedish public transport authorities introduce new digital services. If you or your organisation would like to participate in this research, please get in touch.

*The quotes in this article are translated from Swedish to English.