Gemeente Amsterdam: Woo Compliance Made Measurable
KPI improvement in Woo compliance process through real-time insights and stakeholder alignment.
THE CHALLENGE
Amsterdam, the largest municipality in the Netherlands, is obligated to adhere to the De Wet open overheid (Woo). Under this regulation, residents and stakeholders have the right to request information on all aspects of the authority's operations. Failure to handle these requests within the specified timeframe can result in substantial fines.
To effectively manage this process, Amsterdam needed to connect incoming requests with their respective types and ensure compliance among the city's various departments and executive boards. The existing approach was reactive, lacked visibility, and created risk of missing statutory deadlines.
THE APPROACH
OnModus established a process that connects incoming requests with their types, defined metrics, and built a Woo data model that enabled near real-time data availability.
We developed Woo reports using MS PowerBI for the Municipal Management Team (GMT) as well as the wider organisation, benefiting 1600 users. Users create reports with defined metrics and calculations, improving data literacy. Staff received training and Power BI certification through our two-day Super User program.
The work combined data audit, prioritisation, engineering focus, and stakeholder alignment. The successful launch was achieved within a tight deadline of two months.
THE RESULT
The result is a clearer path from stakeholder request to resolution. Amsterdam moved from reactive case-handling to proactive steering, with real-time visibility into sensitivity, workload, and risk across departments.
Average response time fell from 137 days to 63 days, and KPI performance improved by 20% in the first month and 75% after six months. The municipality now manages Woo requests with statutory deadlines in clear view rather than reacting to them.
NOS, the Dutch national broadcaster, documented Amsterdam's accelerated response times in March 2025 in its coverage of government information request handling. Read the NOS article on government information request handling →
"The process provides valuable insights into sensitivity, workload/performance, and potential risks. Moreover, it offers proactive guidance for proper handling of Woo requests."
- Municipal Management Team, Gemeente Amsterdam