The Clingendael Institute is an independent think tank and academy for international affairs. The organisation conducts research, hosts debate and trains professionals on peace, security and international developments. That work requires current insight from many different sources.

Jos Meester "A current view of peace and security by region."

Jos Meester, senior research fellow at the Clingendael Institute

The Challenge: Understanding Current Security Situations From Many Sources

Peace and security in turbulent times require a clear view of what is happening worldwide. Anyone who wants to know which developments directly or indirectly affect local security situations needs to consult many sources. Manually, that is time-consuming and therefore rarely current enough.

Clingendael wanted to combine more than forty data sources, some of them difficult to unlock, into one clear view. Security was essential, because the work involved sensitive data and carefully defined access.

The Approach: Selecting Sources and Unlocking Them Securely

Datalab helped select the sources and define the method for unlocking them. Mapping security situations was not new for Clingendael; automating the underlying process was.

The central question was how source data could be made centrally available without losing control over sensitive information. Access management therefore became an important part of the solution: not everyone needs to see everything, and permissions need to be precise enough for safe use.

The Solution: Data Warehouse and Dashboard With Permissions

Datalab advised on and developed a dashboard fed from a data warehouse. In this data warehouse, the data sources are unlocked centrally, creating visibility of the security situation in a country or region.

By unlocking and modelling data centrally, Clingendael can identify patterns over time and manage information more effectively. Granular individual permissions prevent sensitive data from ending up in the wrong hands.

The Result: Current Insight Without a Technical Barrier

The delivered tools can be used without much technical knowledge. Data from the sources is refreshed automatically and Clingendael can manage users independently with granular permissions.

This creates a current and secure way to work with sensitive data flows. The case shows how public and knowledge organisations can combine many sources without losing sight of control, explainability and security.

Does your organisation also work with several sensitive sources? View Datalab Society Studio for municipalities and the public sector or schedule a call with Datalab.