Our way of working

From data question to data-driven operations

Datalab helps organisations gain control over data. Not by immediately recommending a tool, dashboard or platform, but by first clarifying what your organisation wants to achieve.

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Training and discussion about data-driven operations

Why our approach works

Data-driven operations are about more than technology. A dashboard only has value when the data is correct, the organisation trusts the insight and employees can work with it.

1. Starting point

We start with the real question

A good data project does not start with technology, but with clarity. Sometimes the best solution is a complete data programme. Sometimes a data warehouse with dashboards is needed. And sometimes one specialist consultant is enough to get a project moving.

That is why we first map out what you want to manage better, which information is needed for that and where the current bottlenecks are. This helps prevent isolated solutions that help temporarily, but create new problems later.

Illustration of the starting point where Datalab begins with the real data question
2. Discovery

What we clarify

The first phase is not an intake form, but a logical route from ambition to feasibility.

  1. Decisions

    Which decisions do you want to make better?

  2. Data and systems

    Which sources and applications are available?

  3. Bottlenecks

    Where do reports, analyses or processes get stuck?

  4. Users

    Who will need to work with the solution?

  5. Technical environment

    What is already in place and what do we need to connect to?

  6. Value

    What creates value quickly, and what requires more structure?

3. Solution

Our solution fits the question

After discovery, we deliberately choose the form that fits your situation. That may be a data strategy, a data warehouse, a dashboard environment, an analysis, specialist consultancy or a combination of these. The solution follows from the question, not the other way around.

We also make clear what creates value quickly and what requires a solid foundation. This creates a route that is technically feasible, remains useful for the organisation and can grow with new data questions.

Want to discuss your data question directly?

In a no-obligation conversation, we discuss what is going on, which routes make sense and where the first value lies.

Schedule a free consultation

Three ways to work with Datalab

We choose the form that fits your question: a complete programme, a technical solution or targeted expertise.

1. Complete programmes

For organisations that want to work structurally with data. We help with strategy, design, delivery, implementation, training and continuous improvement. Suitable for organisations that want to move from scattered reports to reliable management information.

View data strategy & advisory

Or view our solutions for...

Retail Municipalities Accountancy CFOs
Process

Our approach in five steps

Every project is different, but the route is deliberately recognisable. We start small enough to quickly create clarity, then build towards solutions that land in the organisation.

This keeps the relationship between question, technology and adoption visible throughout the entire project.

No black box

You always see which choices we make, why those choices make sense and what the next step delivers.

1.

Explore

We investigate your question, goals, data sources, systems and users. We also look at data quality, existing reports and technical constraints. Resultaat: a clear picture of the problem, the opportunities and the best route.

2.

Design

We translate the question into a practical approach and make choices about architecture, tooling, integrations, data models, dashboards, governance and planning. Resultaat: a concrete plan that is technically feasible and useful for the organisation.

3.

Deliver

We unlock data sources, set up pipelines, build data models, develop dashboards or carry out analyses within your existing tooling and infrastructure where that makes sense. Resultaat: a working solution with reliable, structured data.

4.

Implement

We make sure the solution lands in the organisation. We test with users, improve where needed and provide clear explanation, documentation and handover. Resultaat: insights that are not only available, but actually used.

5.

Develop further

Data-driven operations do not stop after the first delivery. New questions, data sources and processes require further development. Resultaat: a solution that grows with your organisation.

Partner

CFO and controller expertise when needed

Sometimes a data project is mainly a technical question: sources need to come together reliably and your own CFO, controller or BI team can continue from there. In that case we keep the project technical and compact.

If that capacity is missing, or your team is already stretched, we can work together with BPO - De Administratie. Datalab provides the data platform, data models and, where needed, BI or analytics support; BPO helps as a part-time CFO/controller with KPIs, sharp definitions, reporting, budget control and the financial interpretation of the figures. The result is not just a working solution, but management information that leadership can actually act on.

Read about our cooperation with BPO
Open source

Independent of cloud and software

Datalab works independently of cloud providers and software vendors. We do not think from one standard package, but from your question, existing environment and ambitions.

Our solutions can connect to different cloud environments and, where needed, to on-premises infrastructure. For our own platform, we use container technology, which keeps solutions flexible, transferable and less dependent on one vendor.

Flexibility guaranteed

We can handle almost any technical situation

Every organisation has a different technical reality. Sometimes there is already a BI environment, sometimes data is spread across source systems, and sometimes there is mainly a lot of manual work and little trust in the numbers.

Our consultants and engineers connect where they can, improve where needed and build new where that is sensible.

View our services
Illustration of flexibility across almost any technical situation
Frequently asked questions

Questions about our approach

We do not know where to begin. How does Datalab help?

We bring goals, available data and first value together in a feasible route. Often this starts with data strategy & advisory, after which it becomes clear which steps make sense next.

We have a lot of data, but little management information. What do you do?

We make definitions, sources and reports reliable, so data is not only available but also useful for management. This can involve a stronger data warehouse and better dashboards & BI.

Our reports involve too much manual work. Can you reduce that?

Yes. We automate where that makes sense, while keeping control visible. This removes recurring manual steps without losing grip on the numbers. See also our approach to dashboards & BI.

Our systems contradict each other. How do you solve that?

We combine sources into one coherent view and make explicit which definitions, integrations and data models are needed to compare numbers reliably. This often connects to data warehousing and DBT & data modelling.

We want to use AI on our own data. Where do we start?

We first make sure the data foundation is right, then choose suitable applications. AI only creates value when the underlying data is reliable, secure and usable. Read more about analytics & AI.

How does a project with Datalab start?

We start with a conversation about your goals, data sources, systems and users. Then we jointly determine which route fits best: advisory, a complete programme, a technical solution or specialist consultancy. You can also schedule a call directly.

Can you help if we already have a data warehouse or BI environment?

Yes. We can assess, improve, expand or temporarily support existing environments. We can also help with data warehousing, dashboards, data quality, governance and adoption.

Does Datalab only work with Power BI?

No. We work with Power BI, Tableau, R Shiny, Python, R, DBT, AI Process Automation & Windmill and other data, AI and BI tools. The choice depends on your organisation, technical environment and goal.

Are you dependent on Microsoft, Google, Amazon or other vendors?

No. Datalab works independently of cloud and software vendors. We advise based on your question and can connect to different cloud environments, existing systems and on-premises infrastructure. For organisations with stricter requirements around data ownership and location, this connects to our Sovereign Cloud Dataplatform.

Can your approach also work in sovereign cloud or on-premises?

Yes. We can design data platforms, data warehouses, dashboards, analytics and AI solutions for sovereign cloud, Dutch or European cloud, on-premises infrastructure or hybrid environments. During discovery, we determine which setup fits your requirements around compliance, management, portability and future growth. Also read our article about choosing a cloud data platform.

Can you provide both advisory and technical delivery?

Yes. We help with strategy and advisory, but can also design, build, implement and further develop the technical solution through, among other things, data warehousing, dashboards & BI, analytics & AI, Process Automation and the Sovereign Cloud Dataplatform.

Do you also provide individual consultants?

Yes. We provide specialist consultants for, among other things, DBT & data models, Power BI, Tableau, R Shiny, Analytics & AI, AI Process Automation & Windmill, data strategy and Apache Airflow.

How do you make sure employees use the solution?

We pay attention to explanation, training, documentation and practical application. Data-driven operations only work when employees understand and trust the data. That is why adoption is part of our approach.

Can you work with our existing systems?

In most cases, yes. We are used to unlocking data from different systems, combining it and making it suitable for reports and dashboards, analyses or AI applications.

Do you build custom solutions or use standard solutions?

Both. We use standard components where that is efficient and build custom work where needed. This keeps the solution practical, affordable and suited to your organisation. See, for example, our services for data warehousing and analytics & AI.

Which sectors does Datalab work for?

We work for organisations that want to use data reliably in daily steering. Some questions fit a specific studio, such as Retail Studio, Accountancy Studio, Datalab Society Studio or our solution for finance teams. For broader data questions, there is Datalab Studio.