During the recent heat wave, many Dutch people received an alert via the KNMI app. For many people, such a warning has become second nature. Yet behind every notification lies a meticulous process in which meteorologists, designers, and software developers work together to warn the Netherlands in a timely manner about dangerous weather.
Public Apps & Mobile
For us at Dawn Technology, this partnership is nothing new. When the KNMI decided to phase out its old app, we were commissioned to develop a completely new one. We are now well into the second round of bidding and are once again working together to shape the app’s future.
“Our ambitions simply no longer aligned with the existing app,” explains Josine Camps, spokesperson for the KNMI. “We wanted to be able to determine for ourselves how the app would evolve. In particular, our ambition to eventually be able to warn people about dangerous weather in an increasingly targeted and localized manner played a key role in this.”
For Josine, that decision wasn’t just about technical expertise: “We have a lot of ideas within the KNMI. So it’s incredibly valuable to have a partner who doesn’t automatically say ‘yes’ to everything. Dawn Technology isn’t afraid to be critical and can thoroughly justify its decisions. That makes them much more than just a supplier to us; they’re a true sparring partner.”
Monica Lous, a project manager at Dawn Technology, also notes that the collaboration is special. “Everyone is honest with each other. There’s room to discuss what is and isn’t possible. That ensures expectations remain clear and we simply make better choices together. That open way of collaborating isn’t at all a given, but it’s precisely what makes this project so enjoyable to work on.”
That trust is also evident within the teams. The project team now consists of colleagues who have been involved since the very first version, supplemented by developers who are joining with a fresh perspective. This mix ensures that important domain knowledge is retained, while there is always room for new, innovative ideas.
That’s a question Josine gets asked quite often. After all, there are plenty of commercial weather apps out there. So why is the KNMI developing its own app?
The answer lies in the KNMI’s public service mission.
“Our legal mandate is to warn the public about dangerous weather,” Josine explains. “To minimize damage and casualties, those warnings must reach the right people as quickly and effectively as possible. Research shows that people in the Netherlands prefer to receive them on their smartphones and view the KNMI as the most appropriate source. That’s why it’s important to us that these warnings are as accessible as possible through the app.”
This is precisely what sets the KNMI app apart from commercial alternatives. The app was developed out of a sense of public responsibility. Privacy is paramount, with no unnecessary data collection. The app complies with the WCAG guidelines for digital accessibility, ensuring that as many people as possible can use the information. Sustainability also plays a role: thanks to the Green Software Principles, the app was developed to minimize battery consumption.
For the KNMI, success is therefore not measured by the number of downloads. “The goal is for as many people as possible to have our warning alerts enabled so they can prepare for extreme weather,” says Josine. Moreover, these alerts are becoming increasingly sophisticated. A key goal for the coming period is to further develop localized warnings. This requires not only rock-solid technology but also the smart selection of information from the enormous amount of meteorological data available to the KNMI.
The KNMI is essentially one big data center—our shared challenge? Determining which information, at what moment, is truly relevant to the user.
For our colleagues at Dawn Technology, that’s exactly what makes this project so special.
After all, the weather affects everyone. Whether it’s a Code Red warning for extreme heat or an alert for a severe thunderstorm, the information from the app helps people prepare and know what to do.
The impact is often felt in everyday life. A month after the new heat index was launched, we actually received a Code Red warning for extreme heat during the Dawn Technology Summer Event. Although this warning was unrelated to the new heat intensity index, the moment made a big impression. “That’s when you suddenly realize that something you work on every day actually reaches millions of Dutch people. That’s still pretty special,” says Monica.
The project also comes up regularly outside of work hours. “Everyone knows the KNMI. At birthday parties, people are quick to ask if it’s going to rain tonight,” Monica explains. “That shows just how tangible and visible this work is. That’s exactly why so many colleagues were eager to get involved when it was announced that we’d be working on the app again.”
The KNMI feels that commitment as well. According to Josine, Dawn Technology’s strength lies not only in its technical expertise but, above all, in its people. New colleagues are given the space to contribute their critical insights, and experienced team members proactively share their knowledge. This fosters healthy team dynamics and a product that continues to evolve.
The collaboration between the KNMI and Dawn Technology is ultimately about more than just developing software. It’s about making reliable information accessible when it really matters.
By taking user feedback seriously, continuously improving, and challenging each other critically, we’re building, step by step, an app that helps the Netherlands prepare for extreme weather. We’re proud to continue working on this impactful project—not only because the technology is rock-solid, but above all because we share the same ambition: to deploy technology where it makes a significant societal impact.
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