Housing corporation Portaal: different operations, uniform work processes

As one of the Netherlands’ largest housing corporations, Portaal has 600 employees who work hard every day to meet the housing needs of over 56,000 households in towns and cities such as Amersfoort, Soest, Leiden, Nijmegen and Utrecht. “Even though each area of activity is different, each of Portaal’s processes is unique,” says Jacques van Iperen, Operational Adviser. In an interview with CorporatieGids.nl, he explains how.

In early 2014, the Portaal housing corporation selected Sensus-methode’s Sensus BPM Software. “Sensus software is a process modeling tool,” Jacques explains when asked what exactly the term BPM tool means. “At Portaal, we are using this BPM software to (re)design, define and manage all our relevant processes that are linked to the responsible process owners, KPIs, relevant applicable legislation and regulations, etc. Sensus software lets us compile a consistent picture of all these processes across our corporation.”

New system
Over the past period, Portaal has recalibrated and analysed its processes based on the CORA process architecture to figure out to what extent they are aligned with Portaal’s new policy and operational principles. Jacques: “The implementation of a new primary system also plays a big part here, because the new processes are the starting point for the configuration of this system.”

“Seeing as our processes were largely undocumented, we used Sensus software to clarify, document and, where necessary, optimise all relevant processes. Accurate process descriptions are, after all, the foundation for organisational improvement.”

Process architecture and information infrastructure
To make this happen, Portaal used both its process architecture and its information infrastructure during the implementation of Sensus software. According to the operational adviser, this ensured better alignment of individual changes, developments and adjustments: “An organisation’s constituent parts – such as services, processes, data and systems – are more in sync. This greatly improves the alignment of the results of changes and adjustments.”

“The aim behind this is to achieve a ‘better’ structured and more flexible organisation,” according to Jacques. “As a result, it is easier to implement any required changes quickly, which is in keeping with Portaal’s objective and strategy.”

Enterprise Architect
To support this architecture and infrastructure, Portaal created an interface with Sparx Systems’ Enterprise Architect during the implementation of the Sensus software. Jacques: “Enterprise Architect is a tool that was used to document Portaal’s system, application, and information landscape, including the interconnections.”

“The Sensus software uses the interface with Enterprise Architect to access the current system architecture and to link it to the individual processes. This allowed us to identify dependencies between processes and applications, such as the phasing out of applications.”

Uniformity and convenience
Jacques highlights the uniformity of the process language used in Sensus software as one of its strengths: “Aside from that, Sensus software is also easy to use for both users and the system administrator. This quickly creates a clear picture of how these processes run, making it easier to make progress in terms of organisational improvement. Unnecessary process steps, for example, are easier to spot and eliminate.”

Minimisation of regional differences
Portaal’s network of regional offices presented an added challenge in improving the overall organisation. But factoring in the regional differences and specific needs proved not to be a problem for Sensus software: “One of the basic aims at Portaal is standardisation of both the process and the system. We have minimised regional differences as much as possible during the process, without compromising on the ideal running of a process and the quality of our services.”

Flexible and consistent
Jacques van Iperen is therefore, on behalf of Portaal, very satisfied with Sensus software: “The various units within the organisation are now truly better aligned thanks to the pragmatic and consistent process language, facilitating acceptance of the principles of process management across the organisation. Aside from that, Sensus software is also flexible and easy to use, both for users and system administrators.”

Source: Johan van den Beld | CorporatieMedia