Mehiläinen - Data transformation that actually works Agile Data Engine

Mehiläinen experienced rapid growth through acquisitions, leaving their data team facing challenges in managing old data warehouses developed for immediate stakeholder needs prior to acquisition. By adopting the Data Vault methodology and partnering with Agile Data Engine via implementation partner Solita, Mehiläinen built an agile, resilient, sustainable data environment.

This shift improved collaboration, reduced response times from weeks to days, and increased productivity. Clearer responsibilities and streamlined processes enable faster data-driven decision-making and the new environment centralizes data work, enhances lifecycle management, and fosters independence from external vendors.

Mehiläinen, with 115 years of experience, offers comprehensive social and healthcare services to private and corporate customers, insurance companies, and public service providers in Finland, as well as under the Meliva brand in Estonia, Sweden, and Germany. The subsidiary BeeHealthy provides healthcare software services in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The subsidiary Healthcare Staffing Solutions (HSS), focused on international recruitment, operates in Asia. They are committed to leveraging digitalization opportunities and improving the effectiveness and quality of care in all their business areas.

Data work challenges among constant rapid change

Mehiläinen has grown strongly through corporate acquisitions and aligning information from various operational and data warehouses has been challenging. The background of the problem was data warehouses implemented as projects, where the design principle was not supporting changes, but solving the immediate problem. An additional challenge was that solutions were implemented by multiple vendors with mostly missing documentation. The result was a data warehouse solution that could not be used to support Mehiläinen's continuous growth after repeated quick fixes. As Tommi states,

"Mehiläinen's speedy growth through acquisitions brought in many different data warehouse solutions that are at the end of their lifecycle and no longer maintainable."

Agile Data Engine and Solita understood that we needed to build a sustainable foundation for efficient data usage in our rapidly changing environment - using our own resources.

Tommi Ruoste

Manager of Data Services, Mehiläinen

Data development for managing continuous change

The goal was to create the capability to enable continuous change and develop a more agile and simpler data service environment. For data modeling, Mehiläinen opted for the Data Vault methodology due to its flexibility and elasticity. After this decision, they sought a solution that would support Data Vault modeling, simplify the required toolset, and eliminate vendor dependencies. Mehiläinen conducted a comprehensive tender round, identifying Agile Data Engine's implementation partner Solita along with Agile Data Engine as best understanding their current challenges and objectives. As Tommi reflects,

These vendors seemed to understand our desire to build a sustainable foundation for efficient data utilization in a rapidly changing environment using our own resources. Naturally, we'll use external help if needed, but it's no longer essential. We are still in the early stages of using Agile Data Engine, but have already seen clear benefits through common practices, automatically updating documentation, and increased agility.

Work that took several days before Agile Data Engine is now done in just a couple of minutes. We could responsibilities more clearly. This agility and speed are key factors in building overall trust in data work across the organization.

Tommi Ruoste

Manager of Data Services, Mehiläinen

Clear responsibilities for data work stakeholders

Collaboration between the data team and business has significantly improved when creating new solutions. Business Controllers developing reporting and analytics content are now also responsible for the publish layer. Data content requests can be implemented much faster than before. Response times have been transformed from weeks to days. Tommi emphasizes how significant the partnership is:

Work that previously took several days can now be completed in just a couple of minutes. We’ve also been able to define responsibilities much more clearly. Agility and speed have been key factors in building overall trust in data work. We're happy that Agile Data Engine and Solita taught us best practices rather than just implementing our requests, making us independent of other actors.

We're happy that Agile Data Engine and Solita taught us best practices rather than just implementing our requests - this makes us independent of other actors in the future, too.

Tommi Ruoste

Manager of Data Services, Mehiläinen

Everything related to our data work is in Agile Data Engine now. Managing data work is easier and the work itself is more consistent: planning, error management, and data modifications are straightforward. We also centralized creating new data products along with further development and lifecycle management.

Tommi Ruoste

Manager of Data Services, Mehiläinen

Getting data work under control

Now, Mehiläinen's goal of having data to support a continuously changing business environment is materializing. Productivity in data work has increased significantly. Creating new solutions is now flexible and efficient. Completely achieving original goal requires work in migrating old solutions to the new environment. This work doesn't always proceed as smoothly as desired due to 'duct tape’ solutions and lack of documentation. Tommi summarizes the impact of his new environment as follows:

Agile Data Engine made our data work more consistent. Overall data work management is easier since essentially everything related to the work is in one place. Planning, error management and discussions about data modifications are straightforward. Creating new data products, further development, and lifecycle management are now centralized. We just need to transfer old solutions to the new environment to start enjoying the creation of entirely new solutions.

We are still in the early stages of using Agile Data Engine, but we already see clear benefits in the common practices, automatically updating documentation, and increased agility - this will translate to enormous value, though we can't yet quantify it.

Tommi Ruoste

Manager of Data Services, Mehiläinen