An experience report by Burkhardt Vitt, Business Manager Public Digital & Customer Solutions at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory Germany
LegalJuly 02, 2026
From challenges to solutions: Why formats like the GovTech Prompt-a-thon are key to the future of public administration
Public administration – in Germany as well as in many other countries – is currently facing significant challenges. The shortage of skilled professionals is increasing, while expectations regarding efficiency, speed, and service quality continue to rise. Citizens rightfully expect a modern, digital administration – transparent, understandable, and citizen-centric.
Against this backdrop, one key question arises: How can these demands be met with the resources available?
The GovTech Prompt-a-thon 2026 – the third edition of this collaborative innovation format hosted by Wolters Kluwer together with partners from technology, academia and the public sector – provided concrete answers, with insights that are relevant far beyond the German context. More than 50 participants came together at our German headquarters to develop solutions for real-world challenges in public administration. Working in interdisciplinary teams, they addressed topics ranging from smart process automation and citizen-centric communication to responsible AI design.
What impressed me most was the speed: Within a single day, initial ideas evolved into robust, practical solutions. This is only possible when diverse perspectives come together – from public administration, technology, law, and project management.
The winning team convinced the jury with an approach to automatically verify the completeness of applications using an agentic AI workflow. Other teams demonstrated how important it is to keep humans actively involved – for example through a digital “four-eyes principle,” where decisions are reviewed and validated. At the same time, they showed that significant efficiency gains can be achieved.
This highlights a crucial point: Artificial intelligence is not an end in itself. It must solve concrete problems, accelerate processes, and support employees. Above all, it can create room for what truly matters – tasks that require experience, responsibility, and sound judgment.
Because public administration will continue to be shaped by people, for people.
This becomes even more critical in the face of the ongoing skills shortage. It is not just about compensating for fewer resources, but about using existing ones more effectively. AI can help significantly reduce processing times for routine tasks – allowing a stronger focus on what really matters.
Formats like the GovTech Prompt-a-thon are therefore much more than innovation events. They demonstrate how teamwork, technology, and domain expertise can come together in practice – and how digital transformation in public administration can move from concept to implementation.
Against this backdrop, one key question arises: How can these demands be met with the resources available?
The GovTech Prompt-a-thon 2026 – the third edition of this collaborative innovation format hosted by Wolters Kluwer together with partners from technology, academia and the public sector – provided concrete answers, with insights that are relevant far beyond the German context. More than 50 participants came together at our German headquarters to develop solutions for real-world challenges in public administration. Working in interdisciplinary teams, they addressed topics ranging from smart process automation and citizen-centric communication to responsible AI design.
What impressed me most was the speed: Within a single day, initial ideas evolved into robust, practical solutions. This is only possible when diverse perspectives come together – from public administration, technology, law, and project management.
The winning team convinced the jury with an approach to automatically verify the completeness of applications using an agentic AI workflow. Other teams demonstrated how important it is to keep humans actively involved – for example through a digital “four-eyes principle,” where decisions are reviewed and validated. At the same time, they showed that significant efficiency gains can be achieved.
This highlights a crucial point: Artificial intelligence is not an end in itself. It must solve concrete problems, accelerate processes, and support employees. Above all, it can create room for what truly matters – tasks that require experience, responsibility, and sound judgment.
Because public administration will continue to be shaped by people, for people.
This becomes even more critical in the face of the ongoing skills shortage. It is not just about compensating for fewer resources, but about using existing ones more effectively. AI can help significantly reduce processing times for routine tasks – allowing a stronger focus on what really matters.
Formats like the GovTech Prompt-a-thon are therefore much more than innovation events. They demonstrate how teamwork, technology, and domain expertise can come together in practice – and how digital transformation in public administration can move from concept to implementation.
About Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer (EURONEXT: WKL) is a global leader in information solutions, software, and services for professionals in healthcare; tax and accounting; financial and corporate compliance; legal and regulatory; corporate performance and ESG. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2025 annual revenues of €6.1 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 21,100 people worldwide.