GDPR-proof sports federation portal for
28,000 members.
Summary
The Royal Dutch Korfball Association (KNKV) facilitates and promotes the sport of korfball at national and international levels. The association organizes everything for clubs in terms of competitions, provides training programs, and supports everyone involved in officiating. The KNKV has around 90,000 members and 500 clubs.
The KNKV uses a website and portal to provide tools and information to members, volunteers, and KNKV staff. We have developed both platforms together and continuously optimize them to meet changing user needs.
Since the tightening of GDPR legislation, the need for data security has been growing. To protect personal data within the portal, we developed an automated registration process. This solution automates an error-prone and time-consuming process and ensures that all data and personal information are protected in compliance with GDPR regulations.
GDPR legislation leads to an increased
need for data security.
Every organization that works with personal data has to comply with increasingly strict regulations regarding privacy and cybersecurity. For an association, such data may include information like first or last names, (email) addresses, membership numbers, bank account numbers, or even team photos.
In particular, the membership and financial administration of an association, including the KNKV, process this data on a daily basis.
Privacy and data security of this information are top priorities for the KNKV. The major challenge was in the registration process for the portal.
To ensure that all data is securely accessible to the right individuals, users who want to create an account need to be verified. Only then can the account be assigned the appropriate role(s). Manual verification and assigning the correct permissions for each account would be an overwhelming task.
Each volunteer has one or more roles that grant them the rights to access specific information. These roles change regularly within associations. With over 28,000 active users, user management and data security present significant challenges.
Digitization and
automation of manual work
What the KNKV needed was an automated registration process that included the necessary security checks to assign the appropriate permissions to new accounts. Furthermore, the solution had to keep the accounts up-to-date, as roles such as treasurers and match secretaries can change on an annual basis.
Therefore, we collaborated with the KNKV to find a solution for the registration process. This solution aimed to automate the registration process as much as possible while ensuring the protection of all data and personal information. We focused on process optimization and data security to address these requirements.
Portal with Sportlink integration
With a platform specifically designed for sports federations, you can overcome time-consuming and error-prone processes with just one click. Through integrations and connections, data is automatically processed in compliance with GDPR regulations. Improve service quality and increase efficiency with a smart portal.
Co-creation with the
end user at the center
Together with the KNKV, we first analyzed the current process. Then, we brainstormed possibilities to automate and optimize the process. With that input, we were able to design new flows and shape the most ideal process.
To populate those flows with the right data, we looked at the need for internal data, such as invoicing information from the associations and communication with members and volunteers.
But we also focused on the need for external data. In order to verify users, the solution required member data from the associations, which is stored in Sportlink. Sportlink is one of the most widely used backend applications for sports clubs and associations to manage membership administration.
Through co-creation sessions and an iterative process, we collaboratively created the validated prototype of the digital solution that we could then build for the KNKV. Of course, we first tested that prototype with their users to prevent any surprises later on.
With this portal, we have achieved a significant efficiency improvement within the organization. What used to take us 2.5 days can now be done within 4 hours. And even more importantly, the user-friendliness for our volunteers has greatly improved.
75% less time spent
on scheduling referees
The outcome of our sessions was an automated registration process that serves two purposes. It verifies the identity of the user applying for an account on the portal and assigns the appropriate permissions to the account once the user has passed the security checks.
One aspect of these checks is, for example, whether a member possesses a valid VOG (Certificate of Good Conduct) and whether they have the necessary qualifications.
We also automated the time-consuming process of finding a referee for each match – that’s 12,000 matches per year! Thanks to our solution, these volunteers can now sign up for matches themselves. This used to be a manual process carried out by the KNKV(read more).
Of course, it is essential to ensure that referees have the necessary certifications and qualifications that align with the match they want to sign up for.
The registration process automates this and only grants the user the role of a referee if they possess the required diploma and a valid VOG certificate. The portal then displays only those matches for which the referee is eligible to sign up, based on their registered level in the account.
The right integrations for the
ideal process
Once an account is created, our integration with Sportlink, the federation’s backend software, keeps the data up to date. If there is a change in a member’s role, the permissions within the account are also adjusted accordingly.
In addition, we have added a convenient synchronization with the financial administration of the associations. This means that when, for example, the treasurer of an association changes, the API communicates this information to the portal. The updated data is automatically processed in the federation’s financial administration. This ensures that invoices are always sent to the correct person.
Modular portal with custom features
For the development of the Mijn Korfbal portal, we have created a cohesive system using various integrations. Through these integrations, the portal caters to the diverse needs of the entire membership base, the end user, as well as the KNKV itself.
The solid integration and three-way connection with Sportlink and Exact as backend software, in particular, create a unique structure. This structure ensures that data from different sources remains continuously up-to-date. Additionally, the portal serves as an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) among other functions.
The framework of the portal is based on stateless techniques, with the frontend communicating with an API. The entire system is fully authorized through an Identity Provider, which is implemented based on Keycloak. To ensure the best fitting solution and performance, the portal employs various types of databases.
All services have been built on Docker, and the portal runs on our Kubernetes cluster. This means that the KNKV portal is fully scalable and always prepared for the future.
All matters related to your membership consolidated under one login
Mijn Korfbal now has 28,000+ active users. With a single login, KNKV members have everything at their fingertips. They can connect their team, league, or club and all relevant information to their account. This includes a match schedule, results, and standings. Members can read all newsletters in the portal and never miss an update.
We have added several convenient features, such as digital voting, an expense claim module, and a training platform with registration and payment capabilities.
All volunteers of the associations, such as referees and treasurers, can also access all the data they need to perform their tasks through the portal. This includes managing finances and arbitration, for example.
The automated registration process ensures a watertight control of all important matters, such as user verification and checking a valid VOG certificate. The data is always up-to-date, and manual and error-prone tasks have been eliminated from the process.
This means significant time savings for KNKV staff and quick information delivery for all members and volunteers.
We have been the Digital Transformation Partner of KNKV since 2011. Together, we are constantly seeking new possibilities to further optimize their processes with digital solutions.
Also, read about our solution for scheduling referees for all 12,000 matches per year.
