Utrecht takes on Common Ground with vision, courage and realism

The municipality of Utrecht is making a major push in digital transformation through Common Ground. Program manager Florent van Wageningen offered a sharp and transparent look at how Utrecht approaches this effort, including the challenges and insights that come with it. “We are not doing this because we love Common Ground, but because it simply has to be done.”

Why Common Ground is essential for Utrecht

Like many municipalities, Utrecht struggled with a fragmented and outdated IT landscape. “Data is copied endlessly, systems barely communicate, and innovation stalls because of it,” Van Wageningen explained. Utrecht’s main driver for adopting Common Ground is gaining clear control over data in order to deliver radically improved services to residents through a modern, transparent and flexible infrastructure.

From ambition to execution

Utrecht started ambitiously from day one. With a clear program and a strong budget, the team convinced the city council of its importance. “Ask for a realistic amount, but dare to invest,” was the guiding principle. This approach led to stable multi-year funding that enables long-term renewal.

A realistic approach to obstacles

Not everything went according to the ideal plan. When a critical system failed earlier than expected, the team had to act fast. Utrecht migrated millions of documents and cases to a new system in just over a year. It was not a direct step toward Common Ground, but it was crucial to creating room to move forward. “A real feat,” Van Wageningen emphasized.

Collaboration with WeAreFrank!

Utrecht brought in WeAreFrank! to effectively connect old systems with new components. Using the Frank!Framework, forms were linked to both existing and new case systems while accounting for future Common Ground principles:

• Secure authentication and authorization
• Smart API translation to legacy systems
• Efficient communication between forms and back office workflows

Why a hybrid approach remains the reality for now

Utrecht is also working in a hybrid setup for the foreseeable future. Many systems are not yet ready for a full transition. With strategic use of the Frank!Framework and open source components, the municipality can already make significant progress. “You do not have to replace everything at once, but you do have to start somewhere.”

Shared responsibility as part of ‘samen organiseren’

A key principle in Utrecht’s approach is “organizing together”. Open source is not only about collaboration but also about shared responsibility. In practice, many municipalities use open source components that are maintained by only a handful of others. Everyone benefits, but the structural effort and funding often fall on the shoulders of a few. Utrecht advocates for a fairer distribution of this responsibility so that all participating municipalities both benefit from and contribute to sustainable, shared solutions.

What Common Ground delivers for Utrecht in practice

• More control over processes and data
• Faster adaptation to new requirements and legislation
• Lower costs through standardization and open source
• A stronger position toward vendors
• More transparent and efficient public services

Next steps toward a shared digital future

Utrecht continues to look ahead. Together with partners across the country, the municipality has already realized a standardized infrastructure with the “Haven+ approach”, which is highly applicable to other municipalities. Alongside other frontrunners, Utrecht is further developing a broad set of Common Ground components that together form the “service delivery platform”: a coherent collection of components that establish the foundation for providing municipal services. This platform is steadily taking shape and is becoming increasingly usable across the country. As Florent put it, “We passed the point of no return a long time ago.”