Policy Context and Legal Framework

Implementation and Management Approach

It is important to continue innovating. Clients make ever-increasing demands. Before we introduce a new product or new service, we start with a pilot. Although new functionality can be tested thoroughly, small flaws often appear during production. Such problems are resolved during the pilot.

Another important point is the performance of the system. Some 90% of the requested information has to be delivered within 2.5 seconds. We measure performance with the help of a virtual client who requests a product every 10 minutes. The performance of this virtual client is measured constantly.

Online products are an important example of one of the five spearheads of Kadaster's vision of the future, namely “greater focus on the citizen”. However, creating a transaction application does not fulfill that strategic objective. In order to actually realise this objective, Kadaster would have to take a good look at the role that we want to give this client in the organisation and our objectives with respect to this client group. Now we have merely developed an application to serve the client properly, but this is something else than making this client the “focus of attention”.

Impact

Kadaster online provides access to various databases: 30 contain administrative cadastral data and 15 others contain cartographic cadastral data. Those databases are spread over 18 computers and locations. These data are used to compile information products that are essential for the legal certainty of real estate transactions.

Kadaster online is the success story of Kadaster. Since its arrival, subscriber numbers have increased significantly among new client groups in particular. The number of products that can be requested online has also increased considerably. Kadaster online grows 15% every year in a stabile market. It is scaleable, as the usage volume increases. Clients who use Kadaster online pay a lower fee than those who order products via e-mail, fax or post.

Since the introduction of Kadaster online in 2001, Kadaster has continued to innovate the application. The most important innovations for clients are:
- Increase in the number of products that can be requested directly.
- Increase in the number of registrations that are made available (ships and aircraft)
- Search options for a property have been expanded with a search option via the map.
- Property numbers on the cadastral map contain hyperlinks so that a client has a direct link from the cartographic information to the order screen of the related administrative information.
- Online products specially created for private individuals. They can order three information products directly without needing to subscribe. On-line products are accessible via the website of Kadaster. Payment always occurs by credit card.
- Automated data traffic is an addition to interactive requests. Automated data traffic allows cadastral information products to be incorporated into own systems automatically. Local councils use this application to supplement their own website for citizens with cadastral information. Real estate agents used automated data traffic to incorporate cadastral information directly into a valuation report for a home. Automated data traffic works on the basis of XML.
- Eulis is a joint initiative between European countries that makes cadastral information internationally accessible. Kadaster online provides Dutch clients with access to other participating land registries. A foreign real estate agent who enters the international version of Kadaster online via Eulis can obtain information about real estate in the Netherlands.

Track record of sharing

Due to the achievements in terms of eGovernment interoperability, the project has been evaluated in this regard by the MODINIS Interoperability Study consortium on behalf of the European Commission and a good practice case study in interoperability has been created.

Lessons learnt

We have personally identified the following points of improvement that are related to government readiness:

Lesson 1 - Use the target group as a point of departure and formulate objectives. Allow (in this case) online products to be one of the objectives but not the objective in itself as was the case now.

Lesson 2 - Realise that you are broaching a new client group, and that this client group asks other questions, is more critical towards the organisation and more frequently requests a refund in the event of a complaint. The internal processes of Kadaster are geared towards this. A concrete example is the opening hours of Kadaster. Kadaster online (and therefore online products too since these are technically alike) is open on workdays. These opening hours are tailored to professional clients. Private clients, however, have a completely different wish. They require real estate information in the evening and on Saturdays and Sundays. These are the moments when they familiarise themselves with the housing market and request cadastral information. That is why we recently extended our opening hours, but we are still not totally fulfilling our clients' wishes.

Lesson 3 - With online products, Kadaster has not made the client the focus of attention, but has examined the possibilities for a new client group (citizens) on the basis of the existing professional solution (Kadaster online). Citizens, incidentally, were involved in the specific project, but their input related mainly to the look & feel of the application.