In this series, we have navigated through why digital control, sovereignty, and data ownership are crucial, how procurement is a strategic lever, the potential and management of open source software, and the practical challenges and governance issues linked to interoperability and data sharing. The strategic direction may feel clear, but for many organizations, the biggest challenge remains: How do we go from insight and strategy to concrete action in our complex reality?

The journey towards increased digital control and sovereignty is not just a technical upgrade or a legal review. It is an organizational transformation that affects processes, culture, competence, and established ways of working. The obstacles that must be overcome are often more human and organizational than technical:

• Cultural resistance: Fear of the unknown, reluctance to change comfortable routines, skepticism towards new ways of working or technologies like open source.
• Competence gaps: Lack of the right knowledge in strategic procurement, data governance, architecture for interoperability, or managing non-proprietary solutions.
• “Siloed thinking”: Departments and units optimizing for their own goals at the expense of the whole and collaboration.
• Lack of buy-in: Difficulty gaining full commitment from all necessary stakeholders – from leadership to end-users.
• Complexity paralysis: The feeling that the existing system landscape is so large and messy that any attempt at change feels overwhelming.

These challenges are real, but they must not become a reason to passively accept a future where the organization loses control over its most critical digital assets. The path forward requires a structured and phased approach, focusing on building momentum and gradually increasing capability.

So, where do you begin the journey towards increased digital control and independence?

1. Secure leadership buy-in: As we discussed in the previous post: Digital sovereignty is a leadership issue. The first step is to ensure that leadership understands why this is critical and gives its clear mandate for the change effort. Without this mandate, it becomes difficult to break down silos and prioritize long-term goals.

2. Conduct a baseline and dependency analysis: You need to know where you stand. Conduct a systematic mapping of your current digital landscape: Which systems are you dependent on? Where is your data located? Who are the critical vendors? Where are the biggest lock-in risks (technical, contractual, competence-related)? This analysis provides a realistic picture of the challenges and identifies the most urgent areas to address.

3. Develop a phased roadmap: Based on the analysis, create a realistic plan with clear, timed phases. Break down the big goal (digital sovereignty) into manageable sub-goals. Prioritize actions based on risk reduction and potential business value. A roadmap makes the journey less daunting and provides a clear direction.

4. Conduct workshops and competence development: Increase awareness and knowledge within the organization. Hold workshops with relevant functions (procurement, IT, legal, business operations) to discuss the importance of digital control, the principles of open standards and open source, and the basics of data governance. Invest in competence development in areas where the analysis revealed gaps.

5. Start pilot projects with a focus on learning: Choose one or two smaller, but strategically relevant, areas where the new principles can be applied in practice. Procure a new system with extra focus on open requirements, implement data sharing for a specific use case, or set up structured management for an existing open source component. Learn from these pilots before scaling up the strategy.

6. Establish cross-functional collaboration models: Digital control and sovereignty cannot be achieved in silos. Create forums and teams where representatives from different parts of the organization meet regularly to discuss digital dependencies, risks, and common strategies for building a more cohesive digital ecosystem.

Embarking on this journey requires courage, persistence, and a willingness to change. It is difficult to break ingrained patterns and overcome internal obstacles. Many organizations find great value in seeking external help to initiate and drive this work. An external partner can contribute objectivity in the analysis, specialist competence in areas like strategic procurement and data governance, experience in facilitating difficult discussions, and the ability to project manage complex change initiatives.

Shifting focus from merely using digital solutions to actively governing and controlling your digital future is a necessary maturation process for all organizations. It begins with an insight, requires a strategy, but is realized only when you take the concrete steps and address the organizational challenges.

Your organization’s journey towards increased digital control and independence begins today. Are you ready to move from words to action?