Seb's Howest Journey

**Reading time:** 6–8 minutes **Tags:** Impact Measurement, Power BI, Circular Economy, Social Economy, Stakeholder Management **Hero image idea:** an anonymised dashboard screenshot + a neutral “circular economy” visual ## Why this project exists Social enterprises are expected to prove impact — not just claim it. At **De Kringwinkel West**, the mission is clear: *help people thrive and give goods a second life.* But the underlying data often lives in scattered files and

**Reading time:** 5–6 minutes **Tags:** Social Economy, Circular Economy, Impact, Public Policy, Strategy **Hero image idea:** a photo-style visual of reuse / repair / social employment (generic) ## A simple truth If you can’t explain your impact clearly, you’re always one budget cut away from trouble. ## The context: double impact, double responsibility Kringwinkel West is part of the social economy: - it provides employment opportunities for people who struggle to access

**Reading time:** 7–9 minutes **Tags:** Digital Transformation, Data Quality, HR Tech, Operations, Change **Hero image idea:** a clean “data pipeline” diagram (generic, no internal screenshots) ## The problem nobody celebrates (but everybody needs) Digital transformation often sounds exciting — until you meet the unglamorous reality: **dirty data.** During my internship at FIFTYFIVE+, one of the core projects was the migration to a new system (ATS/ETS context). A migration

**Reading time:** 6–7 minutes **Tags:** Growth, Reputation, Process Design, HR Services, Customer Experience **Hero image idea:** a “5-star rating” visual (generic) ## The goal A strong mission is not enough if people can’t *see* it. Online reviews are a credibility engine. But they don’t grow by themselves — especially not consistently. ## The starting point At the start of my internship, the organisation had a limited review base. The objective: increase review volume in

**Reading time:** 5–6 minutes **Tags:** PR, Communication, Content Strategy, Stakeholders, Execution **Hero image idea:** a clean “press” icon visual (generic) ## A lesson I learned fast Good content is valuable once. Great content is valuable many times. ## The assignment Support external visibility through PR and thought leadership work: - write a strong article - distribute it smartly - create a base for repeatable outreach ## What I delivered - a written thought leader

**Reading time:** 8–10 minutes **Tags:** Platform Strategy, Data Economy, Innovation, Governance, Prototyping **Hero image idea:** ecosystem map (citizens ↔ companies ↔ local actors) ## The starting brief (simple, brutal) “How can we increase revenue without hiring extra people?” That question forces you to think in systems, ecosystems and platforms. ## The concept: CitizenConnect CitizenConnect is a platform concept designed to create **triple value**: - well-being - welfa

**Reading time:** 5–7 minutes **Tags:** UX Thinking, Trust, Data Governance, Personas, Product Design **Hero image idea:** abstract “shield + network” visual ## The easiest mistake in data products Assuming people will share data because it’s “logical”. They won’t. ## What personas revealed In CitizenConnect, personas showed recurring fears: - “Will my data be misused?” - “Do I lose control?” - “Who benefits — me, or only the company?” ## Design principles I’d take to any p

**Reading time:** 7–8 minutes **Tags:** Communication Strategy, Innovation Programs, SMEs, Storytelling, MVP **Hero image idea:** map/bridge icon (France–Wallonia–Flanders) ## The challenge CrossRoads is a cross-border innovation program. The mission is strong — but engagement is the bottleneck. SMEs often don’t participate because: - time is limited (“no time = no project”) - admin barriers feel heavy - language and cross-border complexity adds friction ## The assignment I

**Reading time:** 7–9 minutes **Tags:** Data Economy, Linked Data, Solid, Semantic Web, Prototyping **Hero image idea:** network graph visual (generic) ## Why I explored this The data economy keeps growing — but so do data silos. When data is locked inside systems, it becomes hard to reuse, combine, or build new services. This is where concepts like **Linked Open Data** and **Solid personal data pods** become interesting. ## What the project focused on - understanding the

**Reading time:** 6–7 minutes **Tags:** Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, Product Strategy, Consumer Goods **Hero image idea:** minimalist product mock-up (generic) ## The problem we tackled Personal care products are used daily — which makes their environmental footprint and packaging waste a real opportunity for innovation. At the same time, consumers (especially Gen Z) increasingly care about: - sustainability - transparency - and “better choices without giving up conven

**Reading time:** 5–6 minutes **Tags:** Social Innovation, Service Design, Inclusion, Community **Hero image idea:** an illustrated bus / pop-up hub concept (generic) ## The idea Not everyone walks into a public service building. So what if the service goes to them? The Collective is a concept for a mobile hub that can travel through neighbourhoods and create access to: - digital support - language support - community connection ## What I liked about this project It forces