Common Ground transition from ZDS to ZGW: four ways an integration partner supports you

As a municipality, there is no way around it anymore: the Common Ground standards. Since this agreement was introduced, municipalities have had to review their IT landscapes and make changes where necessary to comply with the new standards. Case management systems and task applications must be transformed from data silos based on ZDS APIs (Zaak and Document Services) into modular, manageable data structures built on ZGW APIs (Zaakgericht Werken). This is a complex undertaking that requires substantial expertise. Engaging an integration partner is therefore far from a luxury. In this blog, we explain four ways an integration partner can help you get started.

Way 1: An integration partner helps you design an efficient solution

It is important to involve an integration specialist early in the process. Decisions made at the start of the journey can have major consequences for your integration and migration project.

To ensure the transition runs smoothly, an integration specialist should first map out the entire IT landscape, including all data flows. This prevents important elements from being overlooked and ensures that all dependencies are addressed.

If an integration partner is brought in at a later stage, there is a significant risk that earlier choices around system communication could have been implemented more efficiently.

When a WeAreFrank! integration specialist is involved, the full IT landscape is reviewed and an architecture overview is created to determine how systems can best communicate with each other. This ensures the solution works both technically and functionally.

Way 2: An integration partner helps you create data freedom

In municipalities, data is constantly in motion. This becomes problematic when data is locked inside systems that need to be migrated to new standards. The challenge is ensuring data remains accessible and up to date at all times. The most effective solution is to decouple data by using an integration layer to which the data is migrated.

This approach is future-proof because data becomes independent of applications and systems and remains accessible at all times. It also gives municipalities greater flexibility in choosing applications and makes it easier to replace or upgrade systems without impacting the data.

An integration specialist has extensive experience in designing such integration layers and can guide you through this process. At WeAreFrank!, we even offer our own open source framework that can serve as this integration layer: Frank!Framework.

Way 3: An integration partner provides a consistent source of knowledge

If you choose to manage the transition from ZDS to ZGW entirely in-house, you risk becoming dependent on the knowledge of a single IT specialist. If that person leaves the organization, much of the knowledge about the implemented solutions may leave with them. Every IT professional has their own coding style and way of building systems.

Working with an integration partner provides consistency and ensures access to a reliable source of expertise at all times. This reduces the risk of delays during the transition and ensures that future changes can build on existing knowledge of your systems.

Way 4: An integration partner prevents reinventing the wheel

With an experienced integration partner, you benefit from solutions that have already been implemented in similar transitions from ZDS to ZGW. Knowledge and investments from previous projects can be reused for your municipality. This makes the transition to Common Ground more efficient and more cost-effective than building everything from scratch internally.

Our integration specialists have already supported multiple municipalities in adapting their environments to meet Common Ground standards..

WeAreFrank! as your integration partner

Curious about our experience with integration projects during the transition from ZDS to ZGW? Download our case study to discover how we have helped several Dutch municipalities move toward a Common Ground compliant environment.