Digitalisen

Digitalisen is a term used in contemporary discussions of technology and society to denote an umbrella concept of digital transformation that encompasses technologies, data practices, and their social implications. In this usage, digitalisen refers not to a single technology but to the intersection of digitization of information, the design of digital systems, and the governance of digital data and digital skills.

The term is not part of a formal academic discipline. It appears in policy briefs, industry reports, and some scholarly writing as a catchall label for projects and research that address how organizations, communities, and individuals navigate digital change.

Applications and scope include digital archives and cultural heritage preservation, education and digital literacy, e-government and public administration, and corporate data strategy. It also covers cybersecurity, privacy protections, and the ethical dimensions of automated decision-making and AI systems.

Relationship to related concepts: Digitalisen overlaps with digitization (conversion of analog to digital), digital transformation (organizational change through technology), and information science (the study of information). Digitalisen emphasizes integrating technical, organizational, and sociocultural factors, rather than focusing on a single technology.

Criticism and challenges: Because the term is broad and informal, it can be vague, leading to overlap with established disciplines and unclear funding or policy goals. Proponents argue that it helps address cross-cutting issues, while critics call for clearer definitions and measurable outcomes.