The client

The National Social Security Office (NSSO) collects social security contributions, guides employers and regulates the financing of social security. In this way, the NSSO guarantees an income for people whose income is insufficient due to, for example, pension, illness, disability or unemployment.

Since 2020, Knight Moves has been working with a diverse group of NSSO employees. We immerse them in the service design techniques needed to innovate in a user-centred way.

e-Gov 3.0 is a collaborative programme between public social security institutions. The programme is building a digital, future-proof and user-centric social security.

Knight Moves accompanies e-Gov 3.0, by redesigning services, structures and systems together. The end user is central to this. We put an initial focus on entrepreneurs, collaborating with Fedris, RVA, RJV, NSSO and RSVZ, among others. In the next phase, we will focus on citizens and professionals.

Expertise

Get to know your target audience

Future proof your services

Social themes

Inclusive services

The challenge

E-Gov 3.0 aims for a customer-centric and inclusive social security, but the vision for the future still leaves the solution open. To gain sufficient speed, we look for feasible initial improvements, without losing sight of the ideal future. This requires a layered approach at 4 levels.

Strategic level: people-centred and future-proof strategy
Service level: from an inside-out to an outside-in perspective
Digital user experience: easy access for entrepreneurs to social security
Overarching support: towards a digitally inclusive social security

"Knight Moves knows how to translate complex challenges into achievable projects. They clearly explain the how and why, so that everyone is on board with the story and also learns from their approach."

— Catherine Vanden Daelen, Advisor general of the Directorate of Organisation and Development NSSO

Strategic level: more central and future-proof strategy

The approach

In co-creation with various stakeholders, we examine what a future-proof and digital social security looks like for entrepreneurs, and this at every stage of entrepreneurial life. Based on future scenarios, we shape a desired service, and define short-term actions that quickly add value.

The results

We visualise NSSO service delivery summarised in a macro-journey.

We draw up a roadmap for a digital strategy. With this, we aim to transform the current fragmented operation with hundreds of applications and forms into a recognisable, reliable and easily accessible platform.

Three different future scenarios written out and illustrated in bright colours: flexible working, sharing in housing and ownership and international working relationships.

Close-up of a workshop where participants are building a macro journey of an entrepreneur and the relevant services

Overview of all life events of an entrepreneur and which added value the social security offers for each of those

Service level:from an inside-out to an outside-in perspective

The approach

How can we improve social security services for entrepreneurs? We assess specific life events, such as the moment when an entrepreneur hires a first employee. We do in-depth interviews or focus groups within the target group. In this example, we survey entrepreneurs who are considering a first hire or have recently hired someone: this way we learn from real experiences of entrepreneurs (and not from assumptions).

The results

We translate insights from the user research around specific life events into future journeys: how is the customer journey optimal for entrepreneurs?

"I want everything to be centralised so that I don't lose time searching for where to go."

— Entrepreneur during user survey

Three people look at a printed user journey on the wall and add their comments

Example of a to-be user journey with the topic 'I'm hiring my first employee'

Two people, each behind a laptop, watch a large screen that shows a video call where a user test participant shares their screen

An example of learnings from user tests and how we communicate them: you see a short description, a quote from a user and relevant screenshots

Digital user experience: easy access for entrepreneurs to social security

The approach

We examine how the service can be improved across all channels for specific moments in entrepreneurs' lives, both online and offline. We do this co-creatively within working groups in which we involve all social security institutions (Fedris, RJV, RVA, RSVZ, SFPD, Sigedis...). We conduct a user survey among various entrepreneurs (potential entrepreneurs, self-employed and helpers, first-time employers, SMEs, large companies) in different sectors. To make the survey tangible, we will work out a detailed prototype for all major user paths.

The results

We deliver prototypes of long-term digital solutions and evaluate them with end users. We provide detailed documentation (design system) and user insights.
We work on a scalable entrepreneurial platform that grows with the entrepreneur throughout their career.
We centralise functionalities in one integrated platform, and provide relevant connections between end users and service providers.
Through personal notifications on preferences and easy access management for employees and mandated parties, we keep all users informed at all times.
We provide information tailored to certain key moments and sectors, and user-friendly dashboard configuration.
We make it easy for entrepreneurs to find their way to external guidance and first-line help via relevant links.

We already spoke to many, various entrepreneurs and administrative staff throughout 2023 and 2024:

first-time employers

starting entrepreneurs

SME's

big companies (>250 employees)

First go live

The online service ‘Flexi at work’ went live at the end of 2024. We collaborated on the design of ‘Flexi at work’, a digital solution for employers, and tested the solution with users. With this intuitive online platform, employers can now more easily meet the additional obligations around flexi jobs.

On a desktop you see the landing page of the flexijobs app and on the smartphone the first step of a declaration form

"The online service “Flexi at work” is particularly useful for doing administrative tasks such as dimona declarations yourself."

— Employment agency for hospitality staff, works with 300 or so flexi-job worker

Overarching support: Towards digitally inclusive social security

The approach

Based on input from civil society organisations and frontline staff, we develop a 3-level digital inclusion plan:

We put maximum effort into automatic granting of social rights.
Any necessary interaction is done digitally, easily accessible and user-friendly.
When it cannot be done digitally, it can be done easily and safely, together or by a trusted person.

The results

During 2025, the first citizen authorisation application will go live. This will allow less digitally-savvy citizens to authorise a trusted person to handle digital government business on their behalf in a secure manner.
We provided recommendations to make a new reception area as inclusive and accessible as possible in a new branch in Antwerp.