The Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) manages the Dutch national insurance schemes and has adapted its operations to focus on agile methodologies since 2017 to improve service delivery and communication. Challenges with the previous systems prompted a shift towards a more integrated and customer-focused approach, involving continuous evaluation and responsiveness. The SVB aims to enhance collaboration and efficiency within its operations while ensuring accountability and strategic planning.

1. Werner van Bastelaar, May, 8th, 2019
Working agile, step-by-step

2. More than 5 million clients count on us
27-11-2018 2
• The Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) is the organization
that implements the Dutch national insurance schemes
such as old age pension (AOW), child benefit (AKW) and
income support for pensioners (AIO supplement). The SVB
is also responsible for paying salaries and invoices under
the personal budget scheme (PGB).
• The pension and benefits system in the Netherlands is
around 100 years old. And so is the SVB, or rather, our
predecessor, the 'Rijksverzekeringsbank'. Founded in 1901,
the Rijksverzekeringsbank was the first organisation to
implement social security schemes. Over the years, the
SVB has kept pace with developments in the Dutch social
security system.

3. Some facts
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• Approximately 3800 people work at the
SVB, at locations throughout the
Netherlands.
• The SVB pays a total of around € 43.5 billion
annually.
• 10% Of the total number of customers live
outside the Netherlands.
• 85% of the AOW applications and 99% of
the child benefit applications go online.

4. 2015 – Crisis on new system PGB
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The SVB has since appeard not to be up to the task…….

5. 00-00-00 5

6. A thorough analysis showed that at the SVB:
• the current (consultation) structures,
• the realization process of improvement actions
• and the cooperation between and within managements…
…. do not generate sufficient realization power when
developing services to our customers.
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7. In 2015 kiest SVB voor lean, in 2017 voor agile
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8. 8
Try and learn

9. We started with one value stream: elderly
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10. And what about communication………?
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11. In 2017 an evaluation was conducted on the communication
activities within the SVB
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12. No surprise
Everyone recognized the importance of a communication department.
But:
• the communication was mostly reactive
• management itself was insufficiently involved
• communication staff hardly cooperated with the business
• insufficient results were achieved
Should the communications department
then also go agile?
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13. Step-by-step with an agile toolbox
End of split in internal and
external communicationn
Our own backlog
The first sprints and our
own scrummaster
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14. Wat doen we wel……….
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15. What has it done for us so far?
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Instruments
•Day start
•2-week rhythm
• Portfolio wall
• Calendar
•Shop window
•The "done" vase
Behaviour
•Making choices
•Time to reflect and put
our work into perspective
•Discrepancy between
communication
department and the
business can be discussed

16. 16

17. 17

18. 00-00-00 18individual accountability and collective responsibility

19. 00-00-00 19

20. 20

21. A new way
From: To:
Fragmented planning Integrated planning
Tactical guidance Strategic thinking
Tactical content Content factory
Analysis afterwards Analysis in advance
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A integrated approach comtiniously focused on the customer

22. • Start small; step by step.
• Prepare and don’t think "I’m
already doing it".
• Stay focused in case of
setbacks.
• Work with an integrated
approach.
• Lean in with curiosity, then
you are really flexible.
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