Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What makes your advice truly independent?

As a solo consultant, I don't have ties with software vendors pushing their solutions. I don't have juniors on the bench that I need to staff. xudo is cashflow positive, so I don't have to make concessions.

Q: What's the difference between a data project and a data product?

A data project has a defined end date. A data product is a living asset that continuously delivers value and evolves with your business needs.

About Wouter

How does your philosophy background help with data consulting?

My philosophy background isn’t just an academic credential—it’s my secret weapon. Philosophy trained me to spot assumptions others take for granted, to ask the right questions instead of accepting obvious answers, and to see the bigger picture when others get lost in technical details. This means I look at your data challenges holistically, connecting business value with the right technical solutions.

What makes your advice truly independent?

As a solo consultant, I am genuinely independent. I don’t have ties with software vendors pushing their solutions. I don’t have juniors on the bench that I need to staff. xudo is cashflow positive, so I don’t have to make concessions when it comes to the projects I take on—or refuse. This means I’ll tell you what you need to hear, even if you don’t want to hear it.

What is your experience?

With more than 15 years of experience in data and analytics, I’ve guided organizations through complex transformations across industries—from pharmaceutical giants like UCB to growing Belgian companies like Dropsolid and Groep Huyzentruyt.

What kind of projects have you completed?

Recent highlights include:

Dropsolid: Engineered 3-layer Data Vault architecture in Google BigQuery, delivering automated margin analysis
Greenyard Frozen: Interim BI Manager streamlining complex QlikView environments and managing SAP migrations
Onafhankelijk Leven: Built workforce planning dashboards enabling data-driven decisions
Gent Parking App: Built a complete parking availability app using open data and AI-assisted development

Services & Expertise

What is data engineering?

Data engineering involves designing and building systems for collecting, storing, and analyzing data at scale. It’s the foundation that enables businesses to make data-driven decisions. I approach it holistically, connecting your business value proposition with the right data architecture and user experience through my proprietary data flow framework.

What technologies do you specialize in?

I specialize in BI platforms like Qlik, PowerBI, and Google BigQuery, with broad knowledge across the entire data lifecycle. My T-shaped expertise gives you both deep specialization and broad knowledge. I also embrace modern development techniques, including AI-enhanced workflows, to rapidly prototype solutions.

Can you help with existing data infrastructure?

Absolutely. I can audit existing systems, identify bottlenecks, optimize performance, and help migrate to more modern solutions. Many clients come to me when their current setup is limiting growth.

What is your approach to data projects?

My approach is practical and pragmatic—I focus on solutions that deliver real business value, not just technical perfection. Every system I build is designed to grow with your company, avoiding costly rewrites as you scale. I bridge the gap between technical complexity and business understanding, ensuring everyone is aligned. I work as an extension of your team, sharing knowledge and building capabilities alongside delivering solutions.

Working Together

What size companies do you typically work with?

I work with growing Flemish companies (100+ employees, €10M+ revenue) with international ambitions who realize they can get more value from data but find running data projects highly complex and multifaceted. You’re looking for strategic data transformation, not just dashboards.

Where are you based and what is your service area?

I’m based in Gent, Belgium, and available for projects across East & West Flanders. While I’m comfortable working remotely, I can travel for on-site meetings and workshops when needed. I work with companies across Europe.

How do you ensure projects deliver value?

I only engage when I can truly add huge value for your business. I help you design a plan to get from where you are to where you want to be—with the analytical rigor and independence you need to succeed. My end-to-end capability spans from strategy through implementation to user adoption, ensuring your data transformation delivers real results.

Data Strategy

When do I need a data warehouse?

You need a data warehouse when your business requires consistent, reliable data for decision-making across multiple systems. If you’re spending too much time reconciling numbers from different sources, or your reports show conflicting results, it’s time to consider a data warehouse. The key is to focus on data transformation—reshaping raw data into formats that support actual analysis and decision-making.

How do you connect data strategy with business strategy?

Data strategy should never exist in isolation—it must directly support your business objectives. I help you align your data initiatives with what you’re actually trying to achieve as a company. This means starting with business questions, not technical solutions. What decisions do you need to make? What information would help you make them better? The technology follows the strategy, not the other way around.

What’s the difference between a data project and a data product?

A data project has a defined end date and deliverable—you build it and you’re done. A data product is a living asset that continuously delivers value and evolves with your business needs. I help clients shift from project thinking to product thinking, where your data infrastructure is treated as a strategic asset with its own roadmap, just like your customer-facing products.

How do you build a data-driven culture?

Technology alone doesn’t create a data-driven culture—people do. The real challenge is converting insights into decisions and decisions into actions. I help organizations close this loop by connecting data strategy, data architecture, and data culture. This means empowering teams with the right tools and knowledge, creating accountability for data quality, and ensuring insights lead to actual business outcomes.

Technical Topics

Should I use a single source of truth or multiple sources?

The ‘single source of truth’ (SSOT) approach works well for standardized reporting, but modern organizations often need multiple versions of truth (MVOTS) for different contexts. A sales forecast might need different assumptions than financial reporting. I help you design an architecture that provides the consistency you need while allowing the flexibility your business requires.

How do you handle BI tool selection and costs?

BI tool licensing is just the tip of the iceberg. The real costs lie in implementation, training, maintenance, and opportunity costs. As an independent consultant, I evaluate tools based on your specific needs, not vendor relationships. I consider total cost of ownership, integration capabilities, and long-term scalability to recommend solutions that truly fit your situation.

What is the Data Vault methodology?

Data Vault is a data modeling methodology designed for enterprise data warehouses. It separates business keys, relationships, and descriptive attributes into distinct structures (Hubs, Links, and Satellites), making it highly adaptable to change and excellent for audit trails. I’ve implemented Data Vault architectures for clients like Dropsolid, enabling them to handle complex data integration challenges.

How do you approach data quality?

Data quality isn’t a one-time fix—it’s an ongoing discipline. I help organizations establish data quality frameworks that include clear ownership, automated validation rules, monitoring dashboards, and remediation processes. The goal is to catch issues early and prevent them from impacting business decisions.

FAQ