The biggest data challenge for the sector lies not so much in the technology, but in ownership, definitions, and governance, Remco begins: “Housing cooperatives have access to ever-increasing amounts of data, and their information needs are constantly changing. New laws and regulations, sustainability goals, affordability, quality of life, and accountability issues all require insights that are available in a flexible and scalable manner. At the same time, you see that data is often scattered across systems, and it’s not always clear who is responsible for it. As a result, different departments may work with different interpretations of the same terms. Take the term ‘available housing stock’: the leasing department might interpret it differently than the real estate department. Then the discussion starts with which figure is correct, when what you really want to talk about are the actions that need to be taken.”

Better Management Through Data

Many housing associations aim to improve their data-driven management. “To do that, it must first be clear what the organization wants to focus on,” Remco explains. “Which objectives are important, and which KPIs go along with them? Although many standards are available within the sector, in practice, management information often remains partly specific to each housing association. This is due, for example, to local performance agreements, regional partnerships, or the association’s own strategic choices. Next, you need to collaboratively determine how KPIs are defined, and you need a robust and flexible data architecture that can make data from various systems available for reporting and analysis.”

“But technology is only one aspect. Data quality, ownership, governance, and adoption are just as important. Users must have confidence in the management information and understand how it is generated. Standards such as CORA and VERA help with this because they provide a common language, but you must always adapt them to the housing association’s specific context and information needs.”

Staying in Control of Data

According to Remco, it is important that housing associations “retain control over their own data.” When asked what that means to him, he says: “It means that housing associations themselves determine which data is important, which definitions are used, who is responsible for data quality and management, how data is stored and secured, and which external parties have access. This prevents data, definitions, or knowledge from ending up entirely in the hands of a supplier and creating a dependency. Even when systems or analyses are provided by external parties, the housing association remains responsible for them.”

Governance as a Key Concept

Data governance is the key to ensuring that data can be used reliably: “Many organizations tend to think of technology first and foremost when it comes to reliable data, but in practice, reliability depends just as much on organizational agreements. In addition, security, privacy, a consistent technical infrastructure, culture, and behavior all play an important role. Only when these prerequisites are in place can you use data reliably.”

Business-oriented approach

To prevent data management from becoming primarily a technical project, Remco believes it’s important to start with the organization’s business objectives: “In practice, you see that organizations often launch a new data platform, dashboard, or AI solution without first clearly identifying which decisions need better support. That’s a shame, because real change lies in processes, responsibilities, and the way people work. Suppose a housing association wants to focus more on reducing vacancy rates. In that case, a business-oriented approach starts with the question of which decisions you want to make more effectively to reduce vacancy rates. Next, you determine which KPIs are needed, then establish definitions, assign responsibilities, and identify what data is required to calculate those KPIs reliably. Only then does the technology come into play.”

Data Foundation

To support housing associations in this effort, Valid has developed the DataKompas. Remco: “The DataKompas was developed based on the experience we’ve gained in recent years working with housing associations in the areas of data, governance, and information provision. It is not a standalone solution, but rather part of a broader approach through which we support organizations in their transition to data-driven operations. We see that many housing associations face the same challenges, which means it takes a long time to address new information needs and, at times, there is a lack of confidence in the available management information. DataKompas offers a standardized data foundation based on the Microsoft Fabric platform, which is specifically designed for the housing association sector. The platform collects, integrates, and makes data from key systems accessible, creating a single, central, and reliable foundation for reporting, management information, analyses, and AI applications. A key principle is that housing associations retain control over their own data. For this reason, DataKompas is preferably implemented within the association’s own Microsoft environment, ensuring that data remains the property of the association and can be used independently of vendors for future developments.”

A Reliable Foundation

According to Remco, the added value lies in a well-structured data foundation, reliable management information, and clear governance: “By bringing together data from various sources, standardizing definitions, and making management information available more quickly, we create a single, reliable foundation. This means that housing associations spend less time collecting, verifying, and combining data, and can devote more time to determining what actions are needed. AI can then play a complementary role in this process, for example by identifying trends or making predictions. But without reliable data and clear governance, even AI remains limited in its value.”

Supporting Decision-Making

In the coming years, data-driven work will increasingly shift from simply making reports available to actually supporting decision-making and processes, Remco concludes: “The biggest challenge for housing associations lies not in the technology, but in creating the right conditions. For example, housing associations that want to jump right into AI without a solid data foundation run the risk of failing to realize the expected value or, worse, of exacerbating existing data problems. That’s why housing associations need to invest now in a solid and scalable data foundation. Only then will data no longer be used retrospectively for reporting, but proactively deployed to improve processes, manage risks, and make better-informed decisions.”

This article was reprinted from CorporatieGids.nl. The original publication can be found here.

About Remco Nicolai

Remco Nicolai is a Principal Consultant at Valid. He brings extensive experience from ZIG, a consulting firm that supports organizations in the public sector and social domains in the areas of digital transformation, data-driven practices, and information management. With his in-depth knowledge of housing associations and his experience in complex data projects, Remco helps organizations implement practical and future-proof solutions.