Farwell to Statens Vegvesen, Welcome to New Challenges
After two years of intense challenges and enriching experiences at the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, I chose to press the pause button before the summer and am now exploring new opportunities. It has been an extraordinary period to be part of building DIA from the ground up, while laying the foundation to transform a 165-year-old agency into a data-driven organization.
However, running a marathon as a 100-meter relay for 2 years takes its toll, even though it was absolutely necessary to understand the organization and drive change.
A significant result of all the learning and experience in this intense period provided the basis for the recently revised data strategy. For NPRA, it provides a clear direction and marks the beginning of a new phase in the work to make the agency data-driven. It also became a natural time for me to evaluate my own path forward, which led to the decision to seek new challenges outside NPRA.
Read the Data Strategy here!
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐭, 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝
When I started at NPRA, I was fully aware that there would be many challenges waiting. I commented early on that in many ways we started 100 meters behind the starting line, but through dedicated effort and hard work, we have taken significant steps forward.
A necessary understanding that 80% of the job is about organizational development and adoption - enabling others to change - and not about technology and data itself, has been central. In such a complex and traditional organization as NPRA, this takes time, and the changes must be lasting. It requires patience, continuous learning, and the ability to adjust course along the way.
A few days in, I flagged that: "NPRA can never become data-driven without the IT division succeeding." Together with IT, we have worked on a major collaborative project for both the data platform and taking the agency into the public cloud, and elevated privacy concerns. Then it's a fitting conclusion to present and discuss the data strategy in the IT division's management meeting yesterday.
Read more: Data platform & Privacy!
𝐒𝐕𝐕: 𝐀𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡
Although my time at NPRA ends here, the journey towards a data-driven future is just beginning. The agency now has a good starting point on the way into the next phase and operationalization of the data strategy.
To all skilled technology and data professionals: Are you passionate about using data and technology to solve real societal challenges? Then I strongly encourage you to explore the opportunities at NPRA.
Read more: "- We will collect 10 PB of data a month in a few years" and "Several hundred kilometers of road can be improved thanks to the data analysts"!
𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠
Personally, I look forward to a well-deserved vacation while actively exploring new opportunities. I am open to challenging assignments or new roles in data-driven transformation or strategic technology leadership.
Do you have an interesting opportunity or project? I'm always open for a non-committal chat! Whether you have concrete suggestions or just want to exchange ideas, feel free to get in touch.