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Everybody needs good neighbours

Everybody needs good neighbours

Humble beginnings

Over the last 25 years, the Delft-FEWS software has seen enormous success. From relatively simple beginnings in Sudan, Delft-FEWS has grown to be the most widely used platform for flood forecasting by national forecasting agencies across the world.

Delft-FEWS – Humble beginnings Sudan 1992

I believe the community is a massive part of that success. The forward-thinking software model which allows users to share in the benefits of investments made by others was innovative in an environmental software landscape dominated by licence fees and restrictions. Investments by many users of the Delft-FEWS community have made it what it is today.

 

More than just a business model – it’s about the people.

In early November, I had the pleasure of attending the 14th annual international Delft-FEWS User Days in Delft. I have been attending Delft-FEWS user days for over 10 years and I never get tired of the buzz bringing the community back together again. It’s about imagining the endless possibilities of what can be achieved with such a system or perhaps just about solving an inefficiency you have been working around for 6 months. It’s about sharing problems and offering solutions. It’s about greeting old friends and making new ones.

 

Packed house at the Delft-FEWS User days 2018

Of course, not everyone can come to Delft, so this meeting of users has spawned several local Delft-FEWS user days for specific parts of the community. There are now user days held in Australia, North America, South East Asia, Germany, and for Dutch users.

Sharing ideas

Get involved

If you have never attended one of the Delft-FEWS days before I would highly recommend you go in 2019! The events are free and open to all with an interest in Delft-FEWS. You can also get involved in the community through www.Delft-FEWS.nl. This website contains a forum where you can ask questions and offer solutions. More information about the Delft-FEWS User Days or the community can be found on the website or via the friendly Delft-FEWS product managers (fews-pm@deltares.nl).

I look forward to meeting new and existing members of the community in 2019!