As far as visualising data was concerned, GGD and the Drenthe Regional Authority were already on top of things with Qlik Sense. However, something needed to be done "under the hood". With a large amount of data coming from many different sources, there was a need for a robust data warehousing solution. TimeXtender was the solution of choice. E-mergo was selected to be responsible for the implementation and the education of the employees. "For the user, there are really only minor changes. The front end remains the same. It's only underneath where everything is completely different," explains Yvonne Blom, Coordinator Datahub.
GGD Drenthe is the public health service of the municipalities in the province of Drenthe in the Netherlands. It works in close collaboration with the Veiligheidsregio Drenthe (VRD), which also includes the fire brigade and crisis management. To support both organisations, a single system was needed to consolidate data from many different source systems. By consolidating all data into a data warehouse, Qlik Sense (or any other application) can access this data from a single source.
Future-proof and flexible
About a year and a half ago, an external project manager, together with Datahub, started to look for a partner to help with the tooling for this data warehouse. They went through a selection process that ended up with several Dutch companies being short-listed. E-mergo came out on top. GGD/VRD's challenge was to decouple the data layer from the application layer. "Because the ETL (Extract Transform Load) process took place in Qlik Sense, the data was not accessible or available to other applications," explains Ben Kooi, 'super user' and functional manager. "ETL is the process of collecting and merging data from multiple sources for the purposes of reporting, analysis and decision making. Our intention was that other applications should also be able to make use of this data. This makes us more future-proofed and flexible". Yvonne adds: "ETL functionality is available in Qlik Sense, but there are better tools out there. TimeXtender is platform independent, which means that the data can be used in other applications as well. In addition, TimeXtender has more functionality and more options for the inclusion of data descriptions and documentation. TimeXtender has been quite successful on the Dutch market and is also interesting from a pricing point of view".
Excellent support
TimeXtender is a low-code solution. It is a good entry-level solution, although hardcore developers may prefer heavier tools. In addition, there are enough companies in the Netherlands that can provide good support. "Quality support and training from a Dutch vendor was an important factor in our decision," explains Yvonne. As coordinator of Datahub, Yvonne Blom is the first point of contact at E-mergo. Her team consists of five people. Within the team, Ben Kooi and Jeroen van Iddekinge are the two 'super users'. They are also responsible for functional management and setting up the ETL processes. The other three members of the team were also trained and contributed to the development of the TimeXtender implementation, but use it to a lesser extent. Information security staff were also involved in the selection of the tool. TimeXtender also passed their tests: it meets strict security standards and authorisation is well organised.
Nothing to complain about
At E-mergo, Rory Smith and Andrew Gebhard led the implementation. Rory was responsible for installing the tool and setting up the databases and servers. Andrew provided training and advice on how to use the tool. Initially, Andrew sat down (virtually) with GGD/VRD's Datahub every Tuesday. Ben says: "We could ask them anything we wanted. If they couldn't answer it straight away, they had a direct line to TimeXtender to get a quick answer. We also had two days of training at the beginning to learn how to use the tool. Later on, we had another two days of training". The implementation phase is now over and so is Andrew's structural assignment. However, he is still on call for GGD/VRD via the support contract: "GGD/VRD now has one place for all the data. One version of the truth, that can be used in all the different applications. This data has already been prepared, cleaned and checked for quality. This will make it easier to move from Qlik Sense to another visualisation tool in the future, should that be desired. It was great to see how interested and motivated the staff were. They quickly understood how the tool worked and they all contributed to the project. This also means that I can scale back my involvement."
‘[...] TimeXtender is platform-independent, which means you can use the data in other applications as well [...]’
Yvonne Blom - Coordinator Datahub
With the typical pragmatism for which the people of Drenthe are known, Ben says that he has "nothing to complain about" when it comes to working with E-mergo. "It's going really well. Even when I submit something via the support desk, they respond quickly. Andrew and Rory are very knowledgeable. Nine times out of ten they have an immediate answer to our questions. The level of knowledge is high. Yvonne agrees: "The support is very pleasant. We knew beforehand that, as they are based in Delft, they wouldn't be here in Drenthe every week. But the remote support didn't affect the quality. Although most contact was online via Teams, the support felt very close."
Process improvement
Now that the implementation phase is over, Andrew has been helping with the final touches since 31 October. For example, if there are dashboards that need to be developed from new domains. What have Qlik Sense users noticed about the change? "Very little, actually," says Yvonne. "There is not much change for them. The front-end is still the same as before. But by decoupling the data layer from the application layer, we are more flexible in how we use our data. It's easier to share with external parties, collaborate on projects or use specific datasets internally. In terms of data preparation, there is more that is technically possible, leading to improved quality and greater connectivity. It's also more robust and less prone to error. There is better visibility into the process of collecting and publishing data for dashboards. If something goes wrong in transforming the data, or if changes are made at the source, you can see it immediately. It’s a great process improvement.”
Solution Overview
Industry:
Health and safety
Challenges:
- A great diversity of data from many different sources
- Decoupling the data layer from the application layer
Solution: TimeXtender
Benefits
- Data is now available from a single source
- TimeXtender is platform-independent, as a result the data can also be used in other applications
About E-mergo
The name E-mergo comes from the Latin proverb 'luctor et emergo' (I struggle and emerge). In Zeeland, this stands for overcoming the struggle against the water. Of course, we do not fight against the water, but we do ensure that companies can keep their heads above water in the ever-growing stream of data. Under the motto 'Manage your data, innovate your business,' we help you get the most out of your data. We do this with the help of Qlik, Mendix, Microsoft, and TimeXtender, for which we provide software, training, consultancy, and management. Together, we enable your business to create new revenue models and save costs.
E-mergo www.e-mergo.nl