Fluvius bridges the gap between business expectations and IT realities with Team-as-a-Service

With the arrival of new digital meters on the scene, plus a rapidly changing legislative landscape, Fluvius knew their legacy systems were not scalable enough to meet stakeholder expectations. Enter Cegeka, whose agile Team-as-a-Service proposition allowed the Belgian utilities provider to transform their data handling capacity while remaining in control of the entire process.

A highly volatile market, significant time pressures and complex technical challenges were just a few of the challenges Fluvius faced in developing a new data platform to suit their needs. “Our aim and biggest challenge is to ensure that we meet the quickly evolving demands and needs of the energy market and the regulator while providing excellent service to our internal and external customers and stakeholders,” states Willem Balliauw, Head of IT department market processes and data management at Fluvius. “As a Flemish distribution grid operator, Fluvius is bound by the obligations of public tenders. Since time pressure was high and the actual needs still unclear, one of the pillars in our tender was to work with a one-team approach. This means scrum teams consisting of both Fluvius employees and employees from an external partner who each bring their own expertise to the team.”

As longstanding partners already, Fluvius immediately knew Cegeka had the skills they needed, and the IT company hit the ground running. “The extensive experience Cegeka has with agile working acted as a catalyst in the agile transition of our teams. We also established a very close and transparent collaboration with Cegeka’s management. These short lines of communication allows us to proactively address questions, needs and problems,” Willem explains.

“The extensive experience Cegeka has with agile working acted as a catalyst in the agile transition of our teams.”

Willem Balliauw, Head of IT Department Market Processes and Data Management at Fluvius

Flexible and scalable teams

Cegeka’s experience in people management meant that finding the right talent was easy. They were able to set up various cross company teams with specific areas of expertise, such as data and custom development teams. “With the cross-company teams working independently and autonomously, the expertise of both companies was brought together to create flexible and scalable solutions that met our specific needs,” Willem Balliauw emphasizes. When additional teams were needed, the Team-as-a-Service model offered the flexibility and scalability to respond quickly. “Especially when it came to certain in-depth technical expertise that we were lacking in house, Cegeka’s TaaS model helped us to meet our capacity and quality requirements by supplying skilled individuals who worked together efficiently,” Willem Balliauw explains. “For example, we could request a development or service team with specific expertise, ensuring that our projects were handled by experts without the hassle of internal recruitment and training.” 

“With the cross-company teams working independently and autonomously, the expertise of both companies was brought together to create flexible and scalable solutions that met our specific needs.”

 

Willem Balliauw, Head of IT Department Market Processes and Data Management at Fluvius

Tackling technical challenges

Because of the specific knowledge that both Fluvius and Cegeka bring to the table, the teams they created were able to handle complex challenges efficiently. “They were adept at addressing and solving intricate technical issues, which has significantly reduced downtime and delays, helping us meet our tight deadlines and maintain operational continuity,” Willem Balliauw explains.

Fluvius also benefited from Cegeka’s knowledge of modern and robust software development methods. “Cegeka’s teams are well-versed in the latest technologies and methodologies, which ensures that our solutions are not only effective but also future proof,” Willem Balliauw reflects. “Their approach includes the use of advanced tools and practices that enhance the quality and reliability of our IT systems.

Control meets flexibility with TaaS

Given the volatility of the market, it was crucial for Fluvius to maintain control of their operations. Partnering with Cegeka allowed the utility provider to leverage Cegeka’s technical proficiency while assigning tasks according to their own priorities and maintaining strategic control. “The Team-as-a-Service model encourages both parties to be very transparent and work openly towards the same goal,” Willem Balliauw explains. “This creates a good foundation for a partnership in which larger goals can be achieved that would be more difficult or impossible on our own.”

The Team-as-a-Service model also allows Fluvius to quickly change its priorities and processes when the market or regulators requires it, making the company much more flexible. Willem Balliauw is now a convinced advocate for Cegeka’s TaaS methodology: “In my opinion, TaaS has led to greater pride and accountability from the entire team. It empowered us to explore new and innovative approaches. Cegeka aims to work ‘In Close Cooperation’ and honestly, if I look at the different scrum teams in the one-team approach I can only confirm this is true.”