He is eager to return to the Data Expo, says Van den Outenaar. Reflecting on the 2023 edition, he notes: "I received positive feedback and was able to chat with many visitors afterward. The right people from the industry were there—a great group to speak to. At the request of Vanessa Visser, Chief Data Officer at KVK (also a keynote speaker at the upcoming Data Expo, ed.), I had a follow-up discussion with her data team after the event. These are the enjoyable aspects."
Datastrategy
Van den Outenaar spoke last September about Royal Schiphol Group’s data strategy for 2024 through 2026. He discussed the importance of engaging people in such complex transitions, especially in established companies with a long history. Having previously worked at organizations such as Alliander, VolkerWessels, and NS, Van den Outenaar had extensive experience in this area. “You shouldn't tell people how they can do their jobs better with data, such as a gate planner here at Schiphol,” he notes. That approach often meets resistance, he explains. “The needs of employees should be the starting point. Then the question becomes how data can assist in meeting those needs.” With this conviction, he began working according to the new direction.
The value of data
The CDO decided to focus entirely on understanding the impact and value of data, and building a Schiphol-wide data community. He spoke with directors from nine different business units to pick up their three main goals, in collaboration with Accenture. "We then also conducted maturity scans, to see how data mature those industries were. So then we had 27 goals on paper. Scaling up customer satisfaction, to name one as an example. We found out that within the business units there were sometimes different opinions about the stated goals. It was also not easy to prioritize and quantify them. With the latter, Van den Outenaar is also referring to the budgetary side of things: 'The board of directors was critical when I shared the various goals. They asked for more accountability, wanted to know more precisely where the value was, and I get that. There was a gap between the value that data can add and the knowledge of that within the business, we have become more aware of that.
Reduced noise on the line
It has also made Van den Outenaar and his data colleagues 'more proactive,' as he puts it: "When rolling out the strategy, we were initially on the back foot, so to speak, defensively. I received this feedback in a conversation with the Commercial Director. He felt that we were too focused on defending FTEs. We are now more on the front foot, proactively demonstrating where data can make an impact. As a result, we have improved our ability to express value at the executive level of the business units—we have a better grasp of the feedback loop—which helps with prioritization. The noise between strategy and priorities has been largely eliminated."
Who is your Khalid?
At the upcoming Data Expo, Van den Outenaar will also discuss the role of personas. He provides a sneak peek: "Data at the heart of every key decision is our mission. The accompanying goal is to empower every employee to work with data. To achieve this, we started working with archetypal employees. For example, we envisioned a plane planner and casually named him Khalid. How could he be helped by certain data solutions? The name we quickly came up with stuck and keeps coming up. 'Who is your Khalid?' we sometimes ask each other. 'My Khalid is Ronald, who wants to attach ceiling panels as efficiently as possible,' for instance. It’s fascinating to see the added value that good personas can provide. We also gave each persona specific quotes. What user requirements do they have? How do we make them happy? This approach makes it much easier for our data architects and developers, and ultimately, for the users in the various departments. Personas also greatly help in explaining the value of data."
"The step we're taking now is: fall in love with the employee, and we've put a lot of effort into that at Schiphol."
From Tech-Push via Problem Solving to Adoption
Van den Outenaar has seen the data world evolve over the past years, becoming more human-centered, so to speak. "It started with a tech-push, showcasing what was possible. Then came the next phase: fall in love with the product, without really looking at end-users. The attitude was, 'Let us handle the data work that you can’t.' This met resistance from team leaders and older employees. The step we’re taking now is: fall in love with the employee, which we’ve put a lot of effort into at Schiphol. It's not about having the coolest algorithm but about figuring out how to make Khalid's, Ronald's, or Sandra's work better tomorrow. It's not just about solving problems but about helping people."
Catalyst for Openness
Van den Outenaar and his team decided to actively promote the new data strategy. They handed out water bottles on behalf of the Data & Analytics Centre of Excellence, internally known as DNA. "Employees could have one, provided they turned the bottle with the text towards their boss. This way, we made colleagues aware of our work; those water bottles became a catalyst for openness. We moved away from operating in isolation and involved others in our work. For example, we organized a Data Fest with people from various departments, such as operations and asset management. We also have a column in the internal newsletter called 'The Data Bottle on the Move,' where employees show where their bottles have traveled."
Laptop stickers
Stickers also contribute to data optimism within the organization, says Van den Outenaar: "People can place these stickers on their laptops. It says, 'Do you work with data?' This sparks conversations about data and the value it can offer. It’s much more effective than just trying to catch each other’s attention."
Milestones
According to Van den Outenaar, Schiphol Group has reached several milestones since the last Data Expo thanks to data. "We’ve increased from two to three passengers per minute at the security bins, and with smart cameras, we've made aircraft turnaround and fueling more efficient. The 3D animation of the baggage hall also adds value. We’re doing a lot of exciting things, and we try to highlight these in an engaging way, both within and outside Schiphol."
Maarten van den Outenaar, Chief Data Officer at Royal Schiphol Group, will give a keynote presentation at the Data Expo on Thursday, September 12, at 2:30 PM.
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At the Data Expo, a lot of focus is placed on digital transformation. At the Jaarbeurs, you can gain essential knowledge, explore technological possibilities, and make valuable connections to take new steps forward on Wednesday, September 11, and Thursday, September 12. A visit to the Data Expo will help you find answers to all your data-related questions. Registration as a visitor is free and can be done here.
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