CBS

CBS: Renewing applications agile for a data-driven future

As the statistical office of the Netherlands, CBS provides insight into social issues with reliable statistical information and data. The organization has undergone a major renewal of its application landscape. In five years, with Valid's help, data acquisition applications were modernized, based on agile development.

Those who follow the news hear a lot of opinions. CBS (Central Bureau of Statistics) has the facts. Major policy decisions in the cabinet, parliament, ministries but also in the boardrooms and boardrooms of our country are made partly on the basis of information provided by CBS.

CBS uses state-of-the art techniques to collect, analyze and publish data and continuously taps new data sources. CBS is also exploring new methods such as using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop new statistics or improve existing ones. None of this can be done without technology. Hence, IT is the backbone of CBS.

Challenge: modernizing the application landscape

The first step in creating statistics is the collection of data, called the observation process. For example, respondents are surveyed and external sources are tapped, such as the Land Registry or the RDW.

Observation IT was becoming increasingly outdated. A patchwork of some eighty systems and applications had emerged, each with its own look and feel. This made maintenance and management increasingly difficult and expensive. Innovation was hampered, such as the ability to answer questions via tablet and smartphone - now the most common thing in the world. "That had to change," says Joost Huurman, director of R&D at CBS.

Large-scale renovation was necessary to move forward. The store had to remain open during the renovation; existing research work was not to be compromised. An agile, lean-and-mean approach was preferred. Given the anticipated long duration of the complete program, it was desirable to be able to use products in the interim.

Valid was asked for help because a long supplier relationship already existed. CBS purchases services from Valid in the areas of IT Services, application development and project management.

CBS Office
CBS
Solution: Agile Development

CBS decided to streamline, consolidate and standardize the data collection application landscape into one environment. New functionality was also developed, such as support for tablets and smartphones. During the program, statistics were transferred to the new systems in phases.

Valid helped particularly in the areas of project management, chain testing and development. Three defining choices were made:

1. Greenfield

Rather than build on the existing, CBS wanted to start completely from scratch. First, the functionality for online surveys was revamped and we continued working from there. Toussaint Janken, agile coach and scrum master: "We started small by connecting the observation channel for Internet surveys, including links. With that it had to be possible to put an initial survey with a simple design into production. What we built can be compared to the engine of a car. You don't see it but it drives everything. We connected this engine to legacy systems. The health research then went live first. From there, new applications with links were quickly created. Because of a modular structure, new applications can replace old ones in the future."

2. Agile

As mentioned, CBS went for modernization according to agile, rather than the classic waterfall method. In this, a program of requirements is first drawn up and a long development process usually follows. Then the result is delivered to the user organization. But by that time, the organization's requirements have usually changed, and the delivered result no longer matches the needs.

With agile development, however, the development process is broken down into small chunks. Users get to see results quickly and can intervene immediately if they think something should be changed.

3. DevOps - developers also do management

Traditionally, application management is transferred to a management organization after delivery. CBS chose to keep management with the scrum teams. Huurman: "Developers know very well how the applications are put together; after all, they created them themselves. If you have to explain that to someone else, you get noise on the line."

Benefit of cooperation: frictions removed

Huurman: "Valid has done a good job, both in the construction and in the transition to new situation. Valid's people have a lot of knowledge and experience and are pleasantly proactive. A Valid specialist helped to further develop the scrum teams. Valid further played an important role in setting up and running tests, and was of added value in removing frictions that always occur in this type of project."

"What we built can be compared to the engine of a car. You don't see it but it drives everything."

Joost Huurman R&D director CBS
Valid - male, female
Valid - woman man consultation workplace
The result: future-proof application landscape

Developing the new landscape took more time than anticipated, but beef well within budget. All research was transferred to new systems; legacy was phased out. For data collection, a new process chain was introduced step by step with an associated IT landscape. Business continuity in the field of observation is thus guaranteed for ten to fifteen years.

CBS now has a robust application landscape that brings together all observation channels: from external sources to face-to-face interviews. The emphasis is on digital applications, such as using data from external sources and Internet questionnaires. But functionality for face-to-face and telephone interviewing is also built in.

New observation channels can be easily added and obsolete ones easily discarded. This gives flexibility to respond to new developments, while keeping the engine of logistics running as usual.

CBS
  • Has existed since 1899
  • Works on about 600 studies per year
  • About 25 themes including work, housing, health, demographics, economy, nature and environment
  • Research has led to some 50,000 articles in newspapers and on news websites
  • The information can also be found on the CBS website and in database StatLine
  • There are over 4,600 datasets in there totaling some 15 billion digits
Business benefits
  • CBS can use any device for research within applicable laws and regulations
  • The look and feel of surveys has been made more attractive. This has a positive effect on response rates
  • Speed and efficiency have increased. Many things have been automated that previously had to be done manually, such as recording observations. As a result, fewer checks are also needed