De kracht van Scrum is a Dutch language book that gives a good introduction to the Scrum project management method. It is written as a novel in order to be easy to read, and is a highly recommended book for those who have to start working with Scrum. It is a good present for those relations that think about using scrum in their next project. An English version also exists, called ‘The power of Scrum’.
Author Archives: sieuwert
Using agile to build a car: wikispeed
In software development, people have gone from waterfall to agile: instead of building a system in months and years, they build a first version in weeks and then make small improvements and extensions depending on the feedback from actual usage. But can this also be done for hardware projects, such as building, planes and cars? The wikispeed has used the same processes from software to build a fuel efficient car.
Insurance startup lessons: interview with Kroodle founder
Should large companies innovate by creating inhouse ‘startup’ teams? Insurance company Aegon did so when it wanted a social, mobile insurance label. They created Kroodle, a new insurer run by a small ‘startup’ group. We interviewed co-founder Perry Koorevaar from Kroodle about their recent launch.
New roles for innovation inside large businesses by Alex Osterwalder
The traditional corporate rewards managers for reliability: managers get promoted for reaching targets. This model works well for execution but does not work well for experimentators and innovators. As a consequence, companies forget to innovate and loose their competitive edge. Corporates therefore have to change, and the introduction of new roles can help make this change happen. Luckily Alex Osterwalder, co-inventor of the business model Canvas has a solution in the form of three new roles.
Why-How-What: the best agenda for strategy discussions
Many organizations are in the process to redefine or set their vision or strategy. New organizations need a strategy as a communication tool towards investors or potential customers. Existing organizations need to reconsider what they are doing due to changes in their environment. There are many ways to come to a strategy: from open discussions to filling in business plans. The Why – How – What framework, by Simon Sinek, is the framework I would recommend to most groups. Here is a short introduction of the framework.
Protect your company from cyber attacks with a responsible disclosure policy
The recent attacks on large Dutch banks have shown that the threat from hackers is real and that IT security is important. Technical measures alone however are not enough: IT security also relies on social aspects, such as employee instruction and good communication once incidents happen. Some companies have found an innovative way to improve security: with their ‘responsible disclosure policy’ they reward people who hacked their company to come forward.
Flip the classroom makes professional training twice as effective
The classical model for teaching has been that students listen to lectures in class and practice by doing homework at home. Some high schools and university teachers have turned this around, with great success: students learn much faster doing homework in class and listening in their own time. The same technique called ‘flip the classroom’ can be used for professional development to make training programs better.
A company visitor reception is a strategic asset
A good visitor reception is very important for a company: more important than most managers realize. Not all companies do this well, but some do: one of my favourites is the Rabobank main office in Utrecht. In this article it is explained why it is important to have a great reception and what you do the improve the visitor experience.
Launching Corporate Shift
Amsterdam, Monday April 13th 2013. Today we are officially launching Corporate Shift, the new blog for innovation and entrepreneurship inside large organisations.
Open Space: No agenda is the best agenda for a meeting
Creating the best program for a meeting or program is an impossible task: some people prefer listening, others discussions. And many participants seem to enjoy the coffee breaks more than the official events. If you recognize this, you should consider a ‘open space meeting’ or ‘unconference’. With one rule and a few principles, participants can sort out the optimal program themselves.
Corporate Shift 