Why the municipalities of Sittard-Geleen, Utrecht, and Súdwest-Fryslân choose WeAreFrank! as their integration partner

The transition to Common Ground is a journey that requires deep integration expertise to keep everything on track. Bringing an integration specialist into the conversation is therefore a smart choice.

We have helped several municipalities in the Netherlands build solutions that align their systems with Common Ground standards. In this blog, we briefly explain what we did for three of them: Sittard-Geleen, Utrecht, and Súdwest-Fryslân. Would you prefer a more detailed overview of these solutions? Download our case document, “How WeAreFrank! helps Dutch municipalities as an integration partner for case-oriented working in line with Common Ground”.

Replacing the Enterprise Service Bus for the municipality of Sittard-Geleen

The municipality of Sittard-Geleen used a closed source Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) to enable communication between different systems. In addition to needing replacement, the closed source approach did not align with Common Ground standards, where open source is a requirement.

Instead of proposing a new ESB, we recommended the Frank!Framework. This integration framework can cover the functionality of an ESB and is fully open source.

Compared with a traditional Service Bus, the key advantage of an integration framework is flexibility. APIs are handled within the framework and messages are routed in a way that applications can process reliably. The framework also acts as an integration layer where data can be validated, transformed, and enriched.

A hybrid transition model to prepare the municipality of Utrecht for case-oriented working

The municipality of Utrecht wants to move to case-oriented working in line with Common Ground through a unique route using a hybrid transition model. Their current case system works so well that they want to keep it in place, at least for the first phase. In the hybrid model, a new open source case system is built alongside the existing one. Some applications are modernized, while others remain in the current setup for the time being.

Because of this hybrid setup, the municipality needs translation between applications and the case system in both directions, from ZDS (Zaak and Document Services) to ZGW (case-oriented working) and from ZGW back to ZDS. This introduces complexity that requires significant expertise and capacity to design and implement properly. That is why Utrecht’s large IT team is supported by the experienced integration specialists at WeAreFrank!.

Maintaining and expanding the Open Zaakbrug for the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân

The municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân was already well on its way toward a Common Ground compliant solution when WeAreFrank! was brought in. They had already built an Open Zaakbrug, which acted as a translation layer between legacy systems and new systems aligned with Common Ground standards.

The Open Zaakbrug did its job, but it was built with a very specific purpose in mind. Our integration specialists added additional Frank!Framework features to expand the solution. This created better visibility and made it possible to monitor how it performs. We also added debugging functionality. In the coming period, we will continue adding features such as statistics, monitoring, and message resending. Want to learn more about how our collaboration with Súdwest-Fryslân works in practice? Watch the video.

Why work with WeAreFrank! when you are getting started with Common Ground?

Our integration specialists bring years of knowledge and hands-on experience supporting municipalities with Common Ground initiatives. But what truly sets us apart is how we collaborate.

We are deeply involved in every partnership we enter and we operate with transparency and openness. Throughout the entire process, WeAreFrank! acts as a partner you can turn to for advice and alignment along the way, so we can achieve the best result together. That means we are involved from the earliest phase, we listen carefully to potential obstacles, and we help you address them.

Want to talk to us about Common Ground?

Our integration specialists regularly attend hackathons and other events. If you would prefer to discuss the possibilities for your municipality online, schedule a no-obligation consultation with us.