TECHNO-ANTHROPOLOGIST IN THISTED MUNICIPALITY

Anders Møller Droob has studied Techno-anthropology and  is now working as a digitalization consultant in Thisted Municipality, where he handles several digitalization projects, big and small. As a techno-anthropologist, he has the skills needed to ensure the connection between those who develop a system and those who use it.

DIGITALIZATION CONSULTANT

When Anders Møller Droob checks in at work, he has, in his own words, multiple different hats he juggles between. As project manager, he guides Thisted Municipality, together with a colleague, safely through big national projects such as the next generation of Digital Post and the new digital solution for the business life: MitID Business.

Other times he acts more as a consultant, when he oversees development of large and small automating processes in the municipality. This is for instance regarding the automization of workflows which can relieve colleagues from monotonous, repetitive tasks, as well as tasks regarding digitalization of simple self-service solutions making citizens more self-reliant, and Improve the work processes of the caseworkers.

A CITIZEN’S VIEW - AND A DEVELOPER’S VIEW

Common for Anders Møller Droob’s tasks is the fact that he is exploring the intersektion between technology and human. He understands how to speak with users and familiarise himself with their wishes and needs, and he understands how to take the following, equally important step - to translate the task into a technician’s language, so the IT developers in the municipality can make the project a reality.

-In the projects, I move forwards and backwards between different contexts. If you picture it as a long line where we have users in one end - and in the other end developers, then I am placed right there In the middle. If you are to make something succeed within IT or within digitalization, then it is alpha and omega that there is a clear communication and that there are no barriers. And the ones that are there, I, as a techno- anthropologist, can be a part of identifying and breaking down, he explains.

IMPORTANT TAKE ON DIGITALIZATION

Anders Møller Droob is pleased with his education in Techno- Anthropology and believes he has found the right spot with his position as Digitalization Consultant. His boss, Lene Kjær Holst, agrees:

- The education as techno-anthropologist has given Anders a very good starting point to be a part of Center for IT, Digitalization and Citizen
Service. Within digitalization it is important to have drive and a great
Portion of curiosity both towards the individual person and technology. That mindset has followed Anders from the beginning in a very positive way. We are dealing with many disciplines each speaking their own language, and the wish to help and understand is incredibly important for us in order to achieve a good implementation of the projects. I can only recommend others to hire a techno-anthropologist, she says.