CASE
The new financing system for childcare
KEMs
INVOLVED
Fronteer, Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, DUO, Allowances and the childcare sector
THEME
Health and care
Insight through simulations
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) does not only want to design the new financing system for childcare theoretically, but also to test and optimize it practically. For this reason, they have been working with potential implementation organizations since the design phase. Together, they had the following questions:
Does the system work as conceived on paper? Is it workable and feasible for parents, childcare organisations and implementers? Where are the greatest opportunities for optimisation?
The social challenge
Financing systems are complex and abstract. Without concrete examples or tangible elements, it is difficult for users to form a good picture of how a system works in practice. This makes it difficult to obtain valuable feedback and insights. This project therefore focuses on creating a simulated user experience to visualize the system and to make iterative improvements.
The KEMs
The functioning of the concept system was tested by means of a simulated user experience. By placing parents, childcare organisations and implementers in a simulated user situation, it became clear how the system could function in practice. In a separate room, observers – including policymakers – followed the process and discussed real-time findings. By combining multiple perspectives, the impact on various stakeholders was analysed simultaneously and points for improvement could be identified immediately.
The result
The simulations provided crucial insights into the functioning and feasibility of the system. The main findings:
- Simulations are an effective method to introduce users to the new system and to test its practical applicability.
- Iterative adjustments within the simulation make it possible to get closer and closer to a workable solution.
- Defining a clear frame of reference is necessary to properly interpret the insights gained.
- Although simulations are time-consuming to develop, they provide valuable insights beyond theoretical analyses.
This approach allowed the financing system concept to be further refined and optimised, resulting in useful practical improvements.
