Strategy for a digital city administration

The state capital of Stuttgart is systematically driving forward the digital transformation of its administration. With the continuation of the digitalization strategy "Digital MoveS - Simply. Together. Digital.", the path to a modern, efficient and service-oriented city administration is being continued.

02.12.2025

A smiling man with a smartphone and coffee in his hand walks along a wide avenue with pedestrians in the blurred background.

Stuttgart is using digitalization to continuously improve services for its citizens. (symbolic image)

With its digitalization strategy Digital MoveS, Stuttgart set out to become a modern digital municipality in 2019 - together with the people of the city and the city administration. With modern online services, the city aims to improve the quality of life of citizens in Stuttgart and make their everyday lives easier. The digitalization of administration opens up the opportunity to use public resources more efficiently and in a more targeted manner, while at the same time offering citizens and businesses more convenience.

The digitalization strategy Digital MoveS from 2019 was further developed and updated until 2025 in a cross-departmental collaboration. Numerous managers and employees of the city administration were involved in this process.

Digital administration - for people, for a better quality of life

First Mayor Dr Fabian Mayer says of the update: "Digitalization is a key indicator of the performance of municipalities. By updating the digitalization strategy from 2019, we are adapting to the new challenges."

Artificial intelligence in particular is of central importance for our future today. With the new strategy, we are setting clear goals and creating the basis for being able to react to changes in the future.

First Mayor Dr. Fabian Mayer

Mission statement for digitalization

The strategy for a digital city administration in Stuttgart is based on a vision and mission. Together, they form the framework for the strategic goals, fields of action and bundles of measures that will make Stuttgart fit for the digital future.

Vision "simple.together.digital."

Mission "Digital services of general interest for all"

Five strategic fields of action

The city administration performs a variety of tasks that are an integral part of many people's daily lives: from services in the citizens' offices and the allocation of daycare places to video consultation, cell phone parking and much more. The city has defined five strategic fields of action in order to further develop its services in a service-oriented manner and exploit the potential of digitalization.

1. modern and digital administration

2. IT and digital services

IT service orientation and needs-based service provision

Goal: IT services are provided in a service-oriented and needs-based manner for all administrative areas.
Content: IT is consistently aligned with the requirements of the specialist departments and in-house operations. This includes, for example, the introduction of structured IT requirements management in order to systematically record and prioritize requirements or the establishment of IT service management in accordance with ITIL standards with clear processes for incident, problem and change management.

Clear allocation of roles and effective management of IT service provision

Objective: It is crucial to create transparent structures and clear responsibilities in IT and to manage the provision of IT services in order to increase transparency and impact and ensure digital sovereignty.
Content: IT service provision is clearly structured along defined roles and processes. For example, a service organization is established that clearly defines responsibilities for the planning, operation and support of IT services or strengthens digital sovereignty by keeping critical systems and data sovereignty within the administration's sphere of influence and minimizing dependencies on individual providers.

Data as a strategic control factor

Objective: Existing data is systematically used as a basis for planning, management and decisions.
Content: Systematic data management forms the basis. The aim is to create uniform standards for data collection, quality and use as well as a central data platform that enables secure and user-friendly access for specialist offices. As part of the promotion of data-based methods, the focus is on key figure management, the development of reports, dashboards and data-based forecasts.

Transparent, secure and strategically aligned IT architecture

Objective: To develop a future-proof IT architecture that guarantees transparency, security, standardization and connectivity - as a stable basis for digital transformation.
Content: The IT architecture is clearly documented and aligned with strategic goals. Key elements include the standardization of applications, interfaces and infrastructures in order to reduce complexity and ensure that different systems, devices and programs can work together. The further expansion of IT security mechanisms ensures the protection of data, systems and processes. Architecture governance controls changes and ensures long-term stability.

3. digital citizen services

4. innovation and sustainability

5. smart city

From strategy to practice

The city administration has gained important experience in implementing the digitalization strategy adopted in 2019. It became clear that many projects had made too little progress - mainly due to a lack of transparency, unclear priorities and too little coordination. For this reason, the Office for Digitalization, Organization and IT has developed a new central control process with the update. This consists of three components.