Fragmentation to clarity: The Hague’s process management journey

How does a municipal authority of 12,000 employees move from fragmented processes to a shared understanding of how work actually gets done? That was the central question addressed by Jamie Collet, Advisor on Process and Risk Management at the Municipality of The Hague, during her keynote at Government Transformation North today. 

Her session, in partnership with Engage Process, set out how the organisation has used process management to strengthen governance, rebuild public trust and improve coordination across 50 departments.

A complex city under pressure

Collet began by outlining the unique context of The Hague. Beyond its role as a major Dutch municipality, the city hosts global institutions and diplomatic missions, making it subject to both national and international scrutiny. This environment demands agility and accountability, particularly as the municipality also works with smaller merged cities that bring additional layers of complexity.

Like many local authorities in Europe and the UK, The Hague faces rising citizen expectations for faster and more reliable services, combined with limited resources and increasingly complex operational demands. These pressures exposed gaps in its internal controls and prompted the need for a more consistent and transparent approach to how processes were managed.

Fraud as a turning point

A major fraud case in 2019 involving 1.8 million euros became a defining moment for the organisation. Collet described how the incident revealed weaknesses in internal controls and caused significant damage to public trust. It also highlighted the risk created by having inconsistent, outdated or incomplete process documentation.

Many processes were undocumented or described in incompatible formats. This created inefficiencies, confusion across teams and a higher risk of errors. The experience reinforced the need for a structured, organisation-wide method for understanding how work should be carried out.

Building a shared process landscape

The Hague adopted process management as a strategic response, the first step being choosing a single platform to document all processes. The city selected Engaged Process, a tool designed to be accessible to all staff. Today, every employee can view not only their own processes but those of other departments. This shift has already improved transparency, coordination and cross organisational understanding.

“For us, process management is not about drawing a diagram. It's about understanding how the value flows to the citizens and identifying where quality and time is lost,” said Collet. 

For an organisation with 12,000 employees, coordination is a persistent challenge. Process management helps to create clarity and shared expectations across teams that previously operated in isolation.

“We're still at the beginning, but we hope that we improve our operational efficiency, reduce the duplication of efforts, have clearer roles and responsibility and enhance transparency,” said Collet. 

Lessons from The Hague’s experience

Collet closed with six lessons learned from the municipality’s ongoing transformation. Each of these, she said, has been shaped by real challenges inside the organisation.

Uniformity is essential. Using different documentation methods only creates fragmentation. A single framework provides clarity and cohesion across the organisation.

Awareness comes first. Staff need to understand why process management matters before they can participate meaningfully in it.

Tools alone cannot solve the problem. Technology supports change, but culture and collaboration ultimately determine whether process management succeeds.

Process management must focus on value delivery. Diagrams are useful, but the goal is to understand how value reaches citizens and how legal requirements are met.

Governance is critical. Clear roles and responsibilities prevent teams from assuming that accountability lies elsewhere - a particular challenge for The Hague.

Communication must flow in both directions. There must be strong communication between operational teams and leadership. Process management only works when staff understand it and management actively supports it.