My Pages
My Pages makes it easy to request services and track the status of your cases with the City. My Pages is continuously evolving, and that work never stops.
In brief
The challenge: Reykjavík Online no longer met residents' needs and expectations
The solution: All City application processes brought together on My Pages
The result: Greater transparency in application processes and less manual work for everyone
For whom: All residents
Status: My Pages is under continuous development, and the range of available services keeps growing.
The challenge
Digital debt in the wake of the financial crisis
Reykjavík City had been a pioneer in digital services, but following the 2008 financial crisis, digital development slowed significantly and the City's technical debt mounted. The city had launched Reykjavík Online, an application portal hosting various forms for residents, but the site's development had not kept pace with what residents expected and needed.
Frequent downtime during peak periods and manual data entry
Every year, the application portal crashed when primary school enrollment opened, and the City even had to postpone Reykjavík primary school enrollment in 2017 because the servers were overwhelmed. Very few application processes connected to the City's internal systems, leading to data entry errors and a great deal of unnecessary manual work.
Applications disappearing into a black hole
Once residents submitted applications to the City, they had no way to track them. Residents could only check on an application by sending an email or calling the service center or the relevant office. This put added pressure on staff and left residents frustrated.
A new Reykjavík.is
Residents were vocal about wanting a better web portal, and it was clear that major changes were overdue. When Reykjavík City's website relaunched after a comprehensive redesign in 2022, it presented a natural opportunity to overhaul the application portal at the same time.
Why My Pages
My Pages is the centerpiece of Reykjavík's digital operations. Its purpose is to simplify life for residents and businesses by providing improved access to public services.
Enhanced digital access to services reduces waste, decreases car trips, saves time and accelerates processing. Reykjavík staff also benefit as streamlined service processes make handling cases clearer and more secure, boost efficiency and reduce costs. This creates significant benefits for all parties involved.
The solution: My Pages
A digital home
Unlike many of the City's digital projects, My Pages is not a single product or initiative. My Pages serves as a digital home for Reykjavík residents — a single place to view all interactions with the city, whether that means primary school enrollment, an inquiry to the building commissioner, or a history of permit-related correspondence.
Complex integrations
My Pages brought more than 70 application processes together in one place, each connected to different systems and workflows within the City. Integrating a process into My Pages requires digitizing every part of it.
In some cases, converting a form to a digital format is enough. In others, it involves building integrations with complex systems, adding payment functionality, or figuring out how to communicate case status to applicants.
One process at a time
Building the My Pages web portal and updating its interface was only part of the work — the bigger challenge has been helping the City's various departments and offices update and digitize their own processes.
Primary school enrollment was the first process built from the ground up for the new platform, and the city has tackled subsequent processes one by one in steady succession. Teams now design new processes with My Pages in mind from the start.
Digital services for everyone
The development of My Pages followed a user-centered approach and universal design principles. Strong emphasis was placed on ensuring everyone, regardless of ability or circumstances, could use the platform on their own terms, with digital accessibility guidelines followed to the fullest extent possible.
Through accessibility audits, language refinement and user testing, a clear, simple and practical solution was created without unnecessary embellishments
Results and impact
No printed forms
Instead of downloading PDF documents, printing them, and sending them to the City, residents can now handle most matters through My Pages. This saves residents time, but the environmental benefits are significant too — fewer printed forms and fewer trips to drop them off.
Greater transparency
Residents now receive confirmation when the city receives their applications, along with status updates and responses — all through My Pages. This increases transparency and allows residents to follow the progress of their cases. Improving the quality of information provided to residents has been a priority alongside building better application processes.
More automation
Where possible, application processes connect directly with City systems. Systems now update automatically, freeing staff from manually entering and reviewing applications. This significantly reduces data entry errors while speeding up application processing.
Development and new features
Authorization through island.is
- Individuals can now authorize family members or other trusted parties to manage their affairs on My Pages.
- Company signatories can also grant employees access to Reykjavík City services on behalf of the business.
Document upload after submission
- Users can now add supporting documents to certain applications after they've been submitted.
- This streamlines communication with city staff and expedites processing times.
Application for a resident parking permit
- The resident parking permit application, once a complex process, has now been integrated into My Pages' simple and user-friendly interface.
- Applicant data is automatically retrieved from Registers Iceland, property records, vehicle registries and the Reykjavík Parking Service's new system.
Digital mailbox
- The digital mailbox displays response letters for city service applications, employment certificates, and fee information from the Reykjavík Parking Service.
Related project stories
Screenshot of My Pages
Next steps
A journey, not a project
My Pages is an essential part of the City's service delivery and requires continuous development. My Pages is best understood as an ongoing journey rather than a completed project. As residents' needs and expectations change, My Pages must change with them.