We believe that the use of better AI makes for a better government. A successful AI transformation requires investing in technology, people, organisation, processes and data. The Municipality of Maastricht aims to use and integrate data and analytics into (strategic) decision making process, making this a central goal across the organisation. Their data team has turned this ambition into a clear vision for the future. To realize this vision, a clear understanding of the current maturity level and identifying necessary steps towards higher maturity is crucial. ADC has assisted the Municipality of Maastricht in formulating and executing their data & AI transformation.
The Challenge
The Municipality of Maastricht is committed to advancing its capabilities in data-driven operations to enhance public services. Recognising the potential of data and AI, they have embarked on an organisation-wide initiative to execute their data strategy. The goals include:
- Providing scalable and reusable data foundations.
- Strengthening the data culture within the municipality.
- Improving data quality and governance.
- Encouraging innovation through the use of (generative) AI.
”The collaboration with ADC has been instrumental in our Data & AI strategy. Their structured approach helped us to identify key improvement areas, leading to a concrete implementation proposal. Furthermore, the cooperation really felt like a true partnership, in which they really tried to match their outside in expertise to a realistic fit for our organisation.
Yvonne LemeerData Team Lead - Gemeente Maastricht
Our Approach
Initially, we provided trainings and workshops focused on impact-driven policy and developing key performance indicators (KPIs). Recognising the diverse needs of different teams within the municipality, we provided tailored training programs. Over time, our collaboration expanded into a more comprehensive approach to their data & AI transformation. To support the municipality in achieving their objectives, we helped develop their Data & AI Strategy using the ADC data & AI strategy framework. This journey included:
- Desk Review and Interviews with Stakeholders: Conducting thorough reviews of ongoing activities and documentation and engaging with relevant stakeholders to gather insights.
- Maturity Scan: Assessing the current state of data practices within the municipality through a data maturity scan.
- Fundamental Initiatives: Identifying fundamental initiatives, such as establishing data governance practices.
- Use Cases: Facilitating design thinking workshops to explore practical applications of data and AI in the work of the municipality.
- Roadmap with Conditions: Developing a roadmap based on the findings of the maturity scan, the fundamental initiatives and the use cases.
- Co-Developing a Youth Criminality Dashboard: As part of one of the roadmap’s identified use cases, we co-developed a custom dashboard in PowerBI to address youth criminality (Preventie met Gezag). This dashboard provides up-to-date insights into risk factors and the effectiveness of prevention measures, enabling the municipality to take proactive steps and allocate resources more efficiently. Furthermore, we focused on guiding both the data team and the business team in a structured agile process, equipping them to independently execute similar projects in the future.
- Initiation of Transition Plan: Launching a transition plan to implement the identified strategies, including an overview of required resources, budgeting, and planning.
Key Results & Impact
Our partnership with the Municipality of Maastricht exemplifies how co-developing solutions with the client ensures that outcomes are both practical and aligned with their strategic goals. By providing tailored trainings, a detailed roadmap, and a transition plan with actionable solutions, we have helped kickstart a transition towards data-driven decision-making and AI supported work. Some future significant milestones include modernising the data warehouse, establishing an AI innovation lab, and creating a custom secure LLM chatbot.
What is ADC’s Data & AI Strategy Framework?
Aligning Data Strategy with Business Objectives
A data strategy supports the execution of the organisation’s (business) strategy, with clearly defined strategic objectives and priorities, driven by an expert management team with a clear vision of the role of data and AI within the organisation.
Foundations for Use Case Success
We develop promising use cases (application scenarios) from the strategic objectives, which are expected to have a significant impact on achieving these goals. To effectively implement these use cases, it is necessary to properly configure the conditions around data, technology, process, organization, and people. This is accomplished through fundamental initiatives.
Data & AI Implementation Roadmap
A successful implementation of a data and AI strategy requires a practically executable action plan, supported by strong leadership and clear roles and responsibilities. Our roadmap brings together the various use cases and fundamental initiatives in a comprehensive overview, where each of the necessary steps is sequentially described.
Sustainable Data Transformation
During the transformation, it is important to focus on adjusting existing processes and embracing new initiatives. We support finding the right balance, which is crucial to achieving sustainable progress and successfully transforming into an organization supported by data and AI.
Continue the Conversation
If you would like to learn more about this report or similar projects we have worked on in the public sector, please contact Elianne Anemaat (Senior Manager, Public & Society).
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