DeSNapp is a platform to connect with peer groups, share knowledge and experience. This platform is all about building intelligence on collaboration, networks and ecosystems within and between organizations; to catch the informal organization in data. We will launch end November 2022.

1. De Strategic
Network app
to connect with peer groups,
share experience & knowledge
made by Province of South Holland,
part of the Dutch Government
The Hague, November 2022
Margo ter Bekke, Data Strategist & Co-founder

2. - Introduction, how it started
Our government consists of ministries, provinces,
municipalities and regional water authorities
Intense collaboration within and between government
organizations is required to meet common goals
While networks of collaboration are extensive, it is hard to
build intelligence on the structure of these networks and the
activities happening within them

3. - Two goals
Seen from individual politician or civil servant:
Get idea of ​​what others are working on and become visible in
your field of expertise so others see what you are working on.
Share knowledge and experience.
Seen from perspective of organizations:
An aggregated view on what is happening, what is being done by
the organization and with whom. This is about the internal and
external ecosystem of organizations

4. - Concept of ecosystem (1)
“A business ecosystem is an economic community supported
by a foundation of interacting organizations and individuals—
the organisms of the business world....Those companies holding
leadership roles may change over time, but the function of
ecosystem leader is valued by the community because it enables
members to move toward shared visions to align their
investments, & to find mutually supportive roles.” (James F.
Moore, 1993)

5. - Concept of ecosystems (2)
The power of collaboration - network - ecosystem
(1st degree) (2nd-3rd degree) (reaching to the unknown)
organization
Party outside
collaboration
or network

6. • Next sheet shows map of part of South Holland ecosystem (2019)
• Earlier estimation for my organization (South Holland) resulted in
500 external collaborations & equal number of internal teams
• It is already complicated to map extensive networks - ecosystems,
let alone determine the dynamic overlap in topics & organizations
• Complexity is reduced by describing collaboration in terms of
'groups' within & between 'organizations', rather than individuals
- Learned from previous data set

8. - My journey of discovery
It took us a long time to come to the conclusion of
building a platform, researching:
• the experiences of 40 colleagues
• already available data sources
• issues of privacy
• questions about how to keep information up to date

9. - The solution: a platform
“A platform is a digital/online way in which efficient value creation and
exchange takes place by leveraging and orchestrating a connected
ecosystem of producers and consumers” (Sangeet Paul Choudary, 2015)
• Producers are groups within/between organizations (nodes platform)
• Consumers are individuals
• Value creation:
• for producers: findability and exposure
• for consumers: access to knowledge and experience of peers on relevant topics
With a third form of value creation: aggregated data of individual actions
provides insight into the total ecosystem

10. - New in platform approach
Two ways to solve information problems:
1. The old way: administratively, through surveys, field research,
statistical calculations, etc. In this method, someone maps
information in static lists. Advantage: substantiated, precise &
impeccable. Disadvantage: requires a lot of maintenance
2. The new way: aggregated data, based on actions of users of a
platform, constitutes new information. The data is the by-
product of their activities, not the reason for users to operate
on the platform. Disadvantage: data is not verifiable

11. - Radical consequences
This new way requires changes in bureaucratic paradigm:
• information is no longer made available by the traditional
institutes or official organizations
• no limit on the platform's target audience - collaboration
doesn’t stop at national or organizational boundaries
• the information provided by the platform is not 100%
accurate, rather a proxy, but gives new insights
This platform also calls for a rethink of the market:
contemporary applications are unable to provide the
necessary info. To provide insight into what we do with whom,
it is necessary to focus on organizations & ecosystems

12. - Our invitation & deliverables
We invite entrepreneurs & suppliers to step in:
• to connect peer groups, share knowledge and experience
• to create an aggregated view on what is happening and with
whom; to map the ecosystems for topics & organizations
Organizations like ours feel urgency to build intelligence
about the ecosystem we depend on
Dutch MVP will be released end of November
English version is available beginning of 2023
Feel free to contact us and join this exciting journey

13. - Thanks for your attention
Margo ter Bekke
Data Strategist and Co-founder
margo@desnapp.nl
https://youtu.be/N9NYckhaDDw
https://www.slideshare.net/MargoZakelijk/how-to-
capture-the-informal-organization-in-data
Computer Weekly on my work within the Dutch
government:
https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252524356/
Growing-importance-of-the-data-strategist-in-South-
Holland