Smart Humanity

Wouter Bronsgeest

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DE MENS MET I-O OP VOORSPRONG

# Smart Humanity

Onder redactie van
Wouter Bronsgeest
Sandra de Waart

Met bijdragen van
Deskundigen uit de
theorie en praktijk
# Smart Humanity

Translated in March 2022
by

DeepL
Artificial Intelligence translator
From Dutch to English

Edited by

Wouter Bronsgeest
Sandra de Waart

With contributions from

Experts from theory
and practice
<figure><img src="image_2.png" /></figure>

KNVI

ISBN 9978-90-832815-0-6

Copyright © KNVI 2020 / 2022

Published by: KNVI.

Original Dutch edition published by Nubiz Publishing House, The Netherlands.

Cover image: Shutterstock / Agsandrew

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced and/or published by
means of print, photocopy, microfilm or any other means without
prior written permission from the publisher.

Despite all the care taken to compile this book, neither the publisher
nor the authors accept any liability for damage caused by any errors
and/or imperfections in this book.

The authors and publisher have made every effort to ascertain and respect
any copyrights of third parties. If, in your opinion, they have not succeeded
in doing so, please contact the publisher.
# Contents

Foreword 7

Introduction 17

## 0 Smart Humanity at its core 25

On the meaning of digital transformation 27

Professional association re-profiles the information professional 34

*Column: Smart Humanity, short and long 37*

Companies are facing a digital tsunami 39

*Column: Information professionals in times of crisis 43*

Beyond the dogma of the document - the knowledge worker 45

## 1 Smart Professional 53

The information manager: a sheep with five legs? 55

Digital leadership 64

Humanity, Smart Professional 71

*Column: It's 'smart' me! 77*

Lifelong development: the adaptive professional 79

Return on learning for the professional 87
## 2 Smart Designer & User 95

*Column:* The new mantra: data 97

Agile: hype or trend? 99

Smart Enterprise Architecture for Smart Artificial Intelligence 108

*Column:* AI in 2020 - autonomous systems
raise ethical questions 118

Lean governance 120

*Column:* Satisfied or engaged? 131

## 3 Smart Citizen 133

Smart people also lack digital quality 135

*Column:* Face Off 145

Participating in the digital society - locally and at scale 147

*Column:* Login and Connect 155

The privacy of the (smart) citizen in the smart city 157

*Column:* From Smart City to Smart Humanity:
what are municipalities doing with their IT? 164

IT guy, come out of the basement!

Veterans welcome to urban innovation 166

How smart mobility makes it more pleasant for road users 170

## 4 Smart Data 175

*Column:* Big data in itself is nothing 177

Quality of thinking and its relation to quality of data 179

............
*Column*: It's smart me, for sure! 187

Digital transformation after COVID-19, data centrism as a solution 189

*Column*: Re-envisage 194

Beyond science fiction: data storage in DNA 196

An app will soon allow us to turn a book into an audiobook 202

## 5 Smart Ethics 207

The public sphere 209

*Column*: An invitation to run along 216

Ethical matrix: balancing with values from design to use 218

*Column*: Suzan Verberne and the new search for information professionals 226

Value Sensitive Design: digital innovations that do justice to personal values 228

Modesty adorns the ethically aware system builders: the human being at the centre 234

*Column*: From filing cabinet to work system 239

Value-inspired design: moving forward together after the corona crisis 241

## B Annexes 251

Editors and authors 253

About KNVI 267

Documentaries KNVI 270

Index of names 271
# Foreword

by Stephen Ibaraki<fnref n="1" />

This book uniquely introduces the reader to the world of smart, technology-driven innovation and the transformative and social impact it will have on our lives - now and in the future. It is mandatory reading for anyone interested in this topic, because KNVI is a leader when it comes to Smart Humanity and the innovation revolution it will bring about.

It is an honour to lead more than one global 300 Smart Humanity initiatives, influencing more than a 100 billion dollars in investments to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I put my vision into action every day around the world: as a chairman, founder, serial entrepreneur or venture capitalist and through my involvement in business, tech-security, computer science, several think tanks, many conferences and various innovation initiatives from the United Nations. This multi- and interdisciplinary background reinforces my belief in the KNVI's Smart Humanity initiative and this book.

<footnote n="1">1. See page 258 for full biography of Stephen Ibaraki.</footnote>
As is amply explained in this book, we are at a turning point in world history, caused by Smart Humanity. It is an unprecedented time of economic, cultural and social change, thanks to four developments that I refer to by the acronym ACCC (A triple C):

1. **Automation.** With 40 billions of IoT devices, embedded nanosensors and artificial intelligence becoming increasingly commonplace.

2. **Compression (time).** The pace of innovation increases almost daily.

3. **Convergence.** The merging of physical, digital and biological manifestations.

4. **Connectivity (anytime, anywhere).** Thanks to unlimited computing power, universal accessibility, cognitive enhancements and new paradigms.

The underlying catalyst for ACCC is Smart Humanity - an overarching and universally integrated technology network that acts as a global nervous system and results in the so-called Innovation of Everything (IoE). The ubiquitous presence of this network provides an exponential increase in value for all sectors and all aspects of our lives. 1 + + 1+ 1is1 not an addition that equals but4, a multiplier that results in eleven hundred and eleven (1.11 1).

However, we must also be aware of the unintended consequences and dangers to our existence. Indeed, we need to look beyond new products and services and consider new business models, governance systems, organisational structures, operating models and social and cultural changes. Moreover, we need to think about issues such as liability, accountability, transparency, fairness, bias, accountability, ownership, ethics and contestability.
## Smart Humanity in 2030: Meet Anna and ASA

"Anna, wake up! I measure your body functions and biochemistry - and adjust the levels to healthy values," says ASA. ASA is Anna's Smart Agent - a personal digital assistant that is fully implanted in Anna's body as a wireless nano network. This technology was developed by Neuralink, which was co-founded in 2016 by Elon Musk.

ASA continued: "I am actively monitoring a 3,52 trillion data points, including

310.102 reliable news sources, satellite sensors, virtual feeds from social platforms and a million 22,4 local smart city sensors. When you're ready, thinkstart the summary and I'll make sure it's 100% tailored to your interests. The feedback I received from you yesterday has raised ethical issues that will influence future career and professional decisions. I will give you recommendations based on the personal and professional 360° analysis I have made of you."

Anna responds to ASA in her thoughts: "I remember very well that this ground-breaking innovation was launched in 2024 and then developed very rapidly, so you now know me, my motivations and my future better than I do. Ok, I get up and put on my new eco-friendly and sensor-equipped outfit. They say it's 80% better than last year's, so I'm excited!

When Anna walks into her smart kitchen, coffee is brewing and her breakfast is ready: the perfect combination of synthetic proteins, vitamins and essential nutrients for optimal health. Anna is ready for work and enters her virtual, ever-active 3D workplace, projected onto her brain. She communicates with a worldwide network through thought.

Anna asks (in her mind): "How do the financial markets react to the CO2 emissions from the arctic wildfires and the local tempe-
ratures above °C 40 that contribute to this (and are the rule rather
than the exception)?" She gets an immediate answer: "There will be
a 5% drop at 14:00am UTC". Markets are monitored using AI,
modelling and simulations. Forecasting power is greatly enhanced
by a smart network of Exascale supercomputers (each of which
performs over a trillion 500 floating point calculations per second).
This network contains neuromorphic arrays (neurons simulated by
computer chips) with billions of connections. Super-Turing,
analogue computing that exceeds the possibilities of human
cognition and digital computing. Further improvement with
quantum computers - replicated and proven quantum support is
achieved in 2021-2022 (computing that is exponentially much faster
than digital computing) and in 2030 practical applications become
widely available. The first Exascale computers appear in
2020 Japan, China and the US and the performance of quantum
computers improves greatly: a quantum volume of more than 100
qubits in and 2021 even 500k in 2030. The first next-generation chip
architectures are widely 2020 adopted and use photonic
technologies, new materials, neuromorphic arrays, high-density 3D
stacking, chip memory with speeds of mere nanoseconds and
millions of connections to the CPU. Chip development is fully
2020 AI-driven, reducing design time and component placement to
hours rather than months or years.

ASA injects this thought into Anna's brain: "I've done a self-
upgrade, which now gives me a 1200more detailed, holistic view of
your life and has improved my service. A lot of progress has been
made since Open AI's GPT3 technology in 2020 was pioneered with
over a 170 billion parameters. And to think that there are now over
a trillion of them. "

Anna nods virtually in agreement and stares out of her
imaginary window at a computer-generated Martian landscape that
lies like a blanket over the fully sensor-equipped and self-sufficient
physical smart city. The application of 'extended reality' has grown
significantly since the pandemic of 2020. Extended reality is a
combination of mixed
reality (augmented reality that interacts with the physical environment) and virtual reality (first glasses, then contact lenses and finally brain implants).

ASA continues, "I am constantly making micro adjustments to your investment portfolio of carbon technology stocks to prioritise companies that are focused on reducing atmospheric CO2, that use bioreactors to make proteins and nutrients, and that convert CO2 with electricity and water into fuels and chemicals. Shares of companies applying AI for predictable protein folding to develop new treatment methods are recommended. There is a 10% increase in the use of CRISPR 5.0 and the prices of synthetic bio companies are going up - a buy recommendation. "ASA continues, "I allocate your savings through a micro-auction to the five best investment vehicles for the highest return on value (ROV). ROV is measured using various criteria, including the positive impact on society. ROV has replaced ROI (Return on Investment) as a better measure of investment after the pandemic in 2020."

Anna suddenly realises that she had forgotten to book a flight for her nephew's birthday party in February, which this time will not be virtual but physical. But ASA had already noticed this and responded, "Don't worry about missing Tim's party. I have consulted your diary and booked a flight for February 20. I have negotiated a 20% discount and reserved the safest seat for you."

Anna responds in thought, "Thank you!"

ASA continues, "Because there are over a million 2viruses that people can become infected with through other life forms, the probability of a micro outbreak is 82.3%. For Amsterdam, the probability is 22.3% that there is an epidemic when you arrive - the course of the illness is similar to that of the regular flu. I have already given you a micro-injection with a preventive medicine and taken out additional health insurance for the 10 days you are at risk."
Anna replies, "That's clever. I had annual insurance and I paid in 2020 way too much."

ASA adds, "I have also reserved a self-driving car and a hotel room for you."

Anna replies, "Perfect."

And so the day goes on. Anna and ASA are inseparable and know each other through and through.

**Fact or fiction? Read the book to get into estimate how realistic this story is!**

Are you prepared for the digital and innovation tsunami that will engulf all sectors worldwide?

All groups in society, such as consumers and employees, are online in large numbers. Companies are adopting digital platforms that are leading to changes in business models, and COVID-19 is causing cultural shifts. This historic acceleration of digitisation is causing lasting changes in government, industry, business, science, media, the economy, education, healthcare, infrastructure, logistics, non-profit organisations, culture and society. And this transformation is already taking place in the coming years.

Signs of this transformation already appeared in 2016, thanks to exponential changes in three pillars: physical, digital and biological - also called the 4th Industrial Revolution by the World Economic Forum. The broad-based ambition to develop a new, 'smart' society and economy was a key topic at the 2019 G20 summit, hosted in Japan, which it referred to at the time as Society 5.0.
These revolutionary changes, first referred to by the term Smart Humanity by the KNVI, resulted in 2018 in a KNVI congress on the subject. Central themes were: Smart GLAM (about galleries, libraries, archives and museums), Smart Me & Ethics, Smart Mobility, Smart Industries and Smart Cities.

KNVI's pioneering role in this area continued with the Smart Humanity conference in 2019, where I was a keynote speaker, and now with this book. This book brings together the insights of numerous experts and thinkers who were invited by KNVI to write a contribution about recent technological and innovative developments in the field of Smart Humanity.

I work on more than 100 worldwide programmes and am therefore close to the fire of the latest insights and developments. At the moment, we are witnessing an enormous acceleration of the 4th Industrial Revolution resulting in Smart Humanity.

Smart Humanity has several components: Smart Users, Smart Citizens, Smart Data, Smart Professionals and Smart Ethics. For example, the changes in healthcare that were predicted for 2030 have already become reality in 2020. COVID19 has accelerated that process and driven adoption. The Internet, smart technologies and connectivity serve as the basis for AI-supported counselling systems, rapid digital implementation of 5G (6G is already on the agenda, 1000 times faster than 4G) and personal telemedicine for diagnosis and treatment support. But also for equipment delivery, safety advice and disinfection robots for the protection of people working in the front line, digitally enhanced platforms for material shipment, vaccine development, mobile-controlled tracking and modelling, the cloud, massive computing clusters (providing supercomputing computing power based on big data) and AI.

The World Economic Forum published in their 2018 Future of Jobs Report, based on research into the adoption of technology in 12 sectors between 2018 and 2022. To further underline the speed of change, and using the figures in this report as a starting point, the following are some of the most important examples of how technology is changing.
Below are my predictions regarding the global adoption of technology after the corona crisis for the main technologies identified by the World Economic Forum (WEF). I limit myself here to the financial services and healthcare sectors because of the enormous impact Smart Humanity will have here.

## Financial services: market size $150 trillion:

<table><thead><tr><td></td><td>I</td><td>WEF</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Big data</td><td>95%</td><td>86%</td></tr><tr><td>Machine learning</td><td>88%</td><td>73%</td></tr><tr><td>IoT</td><td>78%</td><td>65%</td></tr><tr><td>Cloud</td><td>78%</td><td>65%</td></tr><tr><td>AR/VR</td><td>76%</td><td>59%</td></tr><tr><td>Blockchain</td><td>75%</td><td>73%</td></tr><tr><td>Encryption</td><td>70%</td><td>73%</td></tr><tr><td>Portable electronics</td><td>59%</td><td>49%</td></tr><tr><td>Quantum computing</td><td>47%</td><td>43%</td></tr><tr><td>Humanoid robots</td><td>42%</td><td>35%</td></tr><tr><td>3D printing</td><td>19%</td><td>19%</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Healthcare: market size $15 trillion:

<table><thead><tr><td></td><td>I</td><td>WEF</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Big data</td><td>96%</td><td>87%</td></tr><tr><td>Biotech</td><td>96%</td><td>87%</td></tr><tr><td>Machine learning</td><td>89%</td><td>80%</td></tr><tr><td>Cloud</td><td>80%</td><td>73%</td></tr><tr><td>Portable electronics</td><td>80%</td><td>73%</td></tr><tr><td>IoT</td><td>77%</td><td>67%</td></tr><tr><td>AR/VR</td><td>74%</td><td>67%</td></tr><tr><td>Encryption</td><td>70%</td><td>67%</td></tr><tr><td>Blockchain</td><td>69%</td><td>67%</td></tr><tr><td>New materials</td><td>66%</td><td>60%</td></tr><tr><td>3D printing</td><td>58%</td><td>53%</td></tr><tr><td>Fixed robots</td><td>52%</td><td>47%</td></tr><tr><td>Quantum computing</td><td>40%</td><td>33%</td></tr></tbody></table>

Source: Future of Jobs Report 2018, World Economic Forum
The future is fascinating and intimidating at the same time. What are the implications for us and our children? What consequences will it have for the various sectors? In this book, a clear vision is outlined by thought leaders at KNVI who have launched Smart Humanity.

SMART reading material for a SMART audience, indeed!

Stephen Ibaraki, November 2020
<figure><img src="image_3.png" /></figure>
# Introduction

by Sandra de Waart and Wouter Bronsgeest

Smart Humanity, a theme that many people immediately have an image or association with when they hear or read about it. The Royal Dutch Association of Information Professionals (KNVI) has introduced the concept and organised<fnref n="1" /> two large and successful events about it. The theme has been used to give direction to the many professionals who make up the professional group of information management, information provision and information technology.

## Trends

Within that broad field, various specialisms are at work, with individual interest groups, communities and forums. Overarching that field, a number of trends are visible that affect all these professionals. Trends in content and a more general trend of continuing and accelerated awareness. Awareness of the fact that professionals not only have a role within the field, but also from within the field after the fact.

<footnote n="1">1. Go to www.knvi.nl for more information.</footnote>
They have an explicit responsibility for their environment, for society. Attention to the interaction that occurs, attention to the effects and the impact that new applications and technology have on the environment has become an essential subject. In training, in work, in intervention and during large and small meetings. The central question is: do we get the best out of ourselves and our products, services and inventions for the benefit of mankind?

## Publish insights and findings

Smart Humanity has come at just the right time. The agreement within KNVI had already been made that we would publish the findings after three years of discussions within and outside the association with scientists, policy makers, professionals, students and users. We could not have foreseen that the discussions about the use of technology, available information, ethics, behaviour, legality and the rule of law would be so topical as a result of a vision. Smart Humanity would primarily be a guiding theme for policy plans, training plans and publications. The successor to major KNVI themes such as Digital Transformation and Information Professional 3.0.

At the publication of this book, however, we see that we are accelerating our efforts to participate even more intensively in the social discussion - and the scientific discourse - about fundamental changes in society. There is not only a virus that is going around the world at breakneck speed, more visibly than any other (biological and technical!) viruses of the past. There is also an increased speed of information passing through the world [Hinssen, 2017]. This concerns both the supply of and the need for information. And there is an increased need to take care of our world, because we are using up ever faster what nature - under the present circumstances and with our present means of production - can provide us with [UN, 2019; WEF, 2019; see also https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org].
Five underlying themes

In order to deepen the theme of Smart Humanity, five underlying themes were identified. These have been tested and deepened during many sessions and events since2017. The themes are not about technologies, but about subjects that affect us as professionals and as people. Technology comes and goes. However, when technology catches on, trickles through into everyday life or into production processes, it has an effect. And that is precisely what we want to put on the agenda.

* **Smart Professional** is about keeping up with the profession. Lifelong development: a nice aim [Hoff, 2014; Kodden, 2018 Kodden, 2020]. But the question is how to do that, in a society that is developing rapidly, and asks more and more of professionals, and often sooner. Our brain seems flexible enough, right [Swaab, 2016]? How do you stay strong as a professional, in terms of content and process, as a knowledge worker and as a human being? And how do you not only stay upright, but also in balance [see also: Dijksterhuis, 2016]? Learning facts is not enough, it is also about knowledge and skills, about continuing to develop competences [Op de Coul, 2018]. And it's not only about your own familiar competences: the boundaries of the work field of IT professionals and the 'traditional' information professionals, such as archivists, librarians and documentary information specialists, are blurring [De Vries et al., 2014].

* **Smart Designer & User** is about the contribution of information professionals to the creation of facilities. We call it "the production process": a chain of activities that ensure that an idea, a wish or a law is analysed and implemented. This usually involves technology. New technology, a modification of existing technology or a combination of both. Plus a process adjustment in the way an organisation works. And often a change in management and control as well. An information professional can no longer do this alone. And neither can a 'user'. It has to be done together [Visser, 2016]. Consumers become producers and others [Bronsgeest et al., 2017; Hinssen, 2014]. What to do?
We have not yet made up our minds. It can be done agile, with
multidisciplinary teams. It requires different architectures. It is
clear that there is still a lot of room for improvement in the
creation of information services.

* **Smart Citizen** is about the role of citizens. Because within the boundaries of organisations, all sorts of things can go right and all sorts of things can go wrong. But the actual impact of what organisations do (profit and nonprofit), we all notice. We as citizens, we as society. The question is therefore: are citizens sufficiently involved in the choices that are made for them? Not only in politics, but also in the implementation of political decisions and the following of (new) laws by that same government, public administration and business. Is the citizen allowed to co-decide on the information facilities that are made for her or him and can citizens bridge the 'digital gap' [Van Dijk, 2017; Rathenau, 2020]? Is there any question of inclusiveness, is there any question of access to information and can citizens assume that administrators and politicians are making the right choices [Kranendonk et al., 2019; Winter, 2017]?

* **Smart Data** is about everything we do and can do with data. Is data insightful, and how is it converted into useful information and by (and for) whom? What does the other party know about you, especially if 'the other party' is a company that is all too happy to combine all sorts of data to make its own profits [Brockman, 2016; Mayer-Schönberger & Cukier, 2016]. But also: how do we organise ourselves as a society [Pentland, 2014]? Does the government protect us, and if so, how? Or does the government centralise all that data - so that future generations of (elected) government officials can benefit from it? And is that to the detriment of or to the benefit of society [Gleick, 2011]?

* **Smart Ethics** is the thread that connects all contributions. Ethics does not exist in a vacuum. Ethics and ethical standards change over time. As the world changes, our world view changes [Geertz, 2000]. What did not fit within a norm before, now fits. Ethics is alive, and the discussion about it is more important than the
solidified knowledge (or even "rules" and "frameworks") on a given moment in time [*for inspiration*: Februari, 2017]. For the professional, ethics are essential: the use of an information system and access to information is often a binary matter. An ICT system is like a hammer. What you do with it, or what you can do with it, that is what the conversation should be about.

## Answers?

Does a book on Smart Humanity provide some answers? Very possibly, but perhaps not. The themes flow into each other in terms of their effect - that is obvious. For example, it is not possible to separate professionals who are developing from ethical questions they have to answer as individuals. Elements of various themes are visible in many contributions. This makes this book an anthology of contributions from writers who have explored the theme of Smart Humanity on the basis of their knowledge and expertise. It provides articles worth reading with eye-openers, warnings and food for thought.

Each contribution concludes with a number of key messages. These offer perspectives for action. Sources are also mentioned for each contribution, inviting the reader to do his or her own research, deepening and reflection. To encourage such reflection, the contributions are interspersed with columns by various writers from various KNVI journals. This is not just an appeal to look at a theme from a different angle. We are also trying to arouse interest in these journals (the *Od/Overheidsdocumentatie*, the *IP/Informationprofessional* and the *AG Connect*) that are available to KNVI members.

We are proud that, as KNVI, we have access to experts who have been willing to contribute to this book. The present KNVI 'is standing on the shoulders of giants', for almost a 110 years now. That is also how we experienced it when compiling this book. All new contributions have been written especially for *Smart Humanity*, and we are honoured to be able to introduce them here. We wish all readers much inspiration.
Sources

□ Brockman, J. (red.) (2016). *Machines die denken*. Amsterdam: Maven Publishing BV.

□ Bronsgeest, W.L., Wesseling, M., De Vries, E. & Maes, R. (red.) (2017).
*Informatieprofessional 3.0, Strategische vaardigheden die u connected houden.*
Amsterdam: Adfogroup.

□ Dijk, J.A.G.M. van (2017). Digital Divide: Impact of Access. In: Patrick Rössler (hoofdredacteur), Cynthia A. Hoffner en Liesbet van Zoonen (redacteuren), *The International Encyclopedia of Media Effects*. New Yersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

□ Dijksterhuis, A. (2016). *Op naar geluk, de psychologie van een fijn leven*.
Amsterdam: Prometheus.

□ Februari, M. (2017). *Klont*. Amsterdam: Prometheus.

□ Geertz, C. (2000). *The interpretation of cultures*. New York: Basic Books.

□ Gleick, J. (2011). *Informatie, van tamtam tot internet*. Amsterdam: De Bezige Bij.

□ Hinssen, P. (2014). *The Network Always Wins, How to Survive in the Age of Uncertainty*. België: Across Technology N.V.

□ Hinssen, P. (2017). *The day after tomorrow, how to survive in times of radical innovation*. Gent: Nexxworks N.V.

□ Hoff, R. van den, (2014). *Mastering the global transition on our way to Society 3.0*. Utrecht: Society 3.0 Foundation.

□ Kodden, B. (2018). *De kunst van duurzaam presteren. Model voor Werving & Selectie en Professionele Ontwikkeling*. Deventer: Vakmedianet.

□ Kodden, B. (2020). *The devil inside. Stop met saboteren van jezelf en je organisatie*. Amsterdam: Boom Management Impact.

□ Kranendonk, M., e.a. (2019). *De ontwikkeling van democratische kernwaarden*. Universiteit van Amsterdam. Geraadpleegd op www.adks.nl.

□ Mayer-Schönberger, V. & Cukier, K. (2016). *De Big Data revolutie*. Amsterdam: Maven Publishing BV.

□ Op de Coul, J.C. & Oosterhout, C.M. (2018). Werken in een digitale wereld, het KNVI competentiemodel, alles over functies, taken, rollen en competenties. Zaltbommel: Van Haren Publishing.

□ Pentland, A. (2014). *Sociale Big Data, opkomst van de data-gedreven samenleving*. Amsterdam: Maven Publishing BV.

□ Rathenau Instituut (2020). Plannen voor CoronaMelder vragen om verduidelijking. Geraadpleegd op https://www.rathenau.nl/nl/digitale-samenleving/plannen-voor-coronamelder-vragen-om-verduidelijking.

□ Swaab, D. (2016). *Ons creatieve brein, hoe mens en wereld elkaar maken*. Amsterdam: Atlas Contact.
* UN – United Nations (2019). The Sustainable Development Goals Report. Geraadpleegd op https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2019/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2019.pdf.

* Vries, E. de, Maes, R. & Bronsgeest, W.L. (red.) (2014). *De Informatieprofessional 3.0*. Strategische vaardigheden voor de informatieprofessional. AG reeks. Den Haag: BIM Media Groep.

* Visser, T. (2016). *Inzicht in keteninitiatieven*, proefschrift. Universiteit van Utrecht.

* WEF – World Economic Forum, (2019). The Global Risks Report 2020, Insight Report 15th Edition, Geneve, Zwitserland. Geraadpleegd op https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/top-global-risks-report-climate-change-cyberattacks-economic-political/.

* Winter, B. de (2017). *Digitale stormvloed*. Den Haag: Einsteinbooks.
0

Smart
Humanity:
the core
In our professional association, a new theme has emerged from the themes of Information Professional 3.0 and Digital Transformation: *Smart Humanity*. This is an umbrella theme that reflects the many developments in society and the professional group with each other. It also redefines the information professional's profession: not only is the focus on creating, managing and using information facilities important, but also the interaction with society and the impact on society have become an explicit topic of discussion.

Smart Humanity as a theme has a number of pillars on the basis of which KNVI has entered into dialogue with the professional group. This generated many conversations with many professionals during the two major events in 2018 and 2019. To introduce Smart Humanity, it is important to know more about the significance of the digital transformation, the need to redefine the profession, the need for acceleration and also the way information professionals go about their daily work. Do we shuffle digital stacks of paper from left to right or do we also change the way we work from within? In other words, to improve the world we have to start with ourselves.

'Full circle'. And so this part is the prelude to all the other contributions in this book. Hence part 0.
# On the meaning of digital transformation

by Rik Maes

Digital transformation is still hot, but everyone seems to mean something different by it. The interpretation spectrum is evidently very broad. At one end, people associate digital transformation with the disruptive change of entire branches of industry, and at the other end the term is used for what used to be called simply "automation".

Within this range of interpretations, I try to give a brief interpretation of what I consider to be the essence of digital transformation. I also go into the deeper consequences for the information profession. Digital transformation makes a lot possible, but also sets preconditions: not least leadership by the information professional. In times of profound transformation, it requires empathy and personal commitment.

## Frame of reference

I have previously published my frame of reference [Maes, 2017]. In a nutshell: organisations have long been in a phase of *more* (organisational growth, more information systems, continuous reorganisations, etc.).
At the moment, organisations are mainly in a phase of *better* (more streamlined, cleaning up information systems, process optimisation, etc.), while around the corner, something else is beckoning (a *different* mindset, working in complex and changing networks, radical innovations, etc.). This "different" is given an extra dimension by the corona crisis.

In the world of "more", the organisation primarily produces products and services that customers are obliged (by the government) or encouraged (by advertising) to buy. In the world of "better", an organisation rediscovers that the customer is its final reason for existence, if it has not already lost contact with this customer to information-based intermediaries such as Booking.com or the customer himself to newcomers such as Uber or Airbnb. The concept of 'customer' is, for that matter, an organisation-centric concept in which people are reduced to what they, as homo economico, can mean to the organisation (the 'company'). In the case of a citizen, patient or student, the concept also undermines the true nature of the relationship. "The citizen is not a customer, the citizen is a human being" (Herman Tjeenk Willink). To summarise: the world before 'otherwise' is dominated by the concept pair of company/customer.

## Digital (?) transformation

In essence, I associate digital transformation with the transition to "something else". What it is about is the change from a world in which the organisation is central, to a much more multiform world of actors who connect with each other in changing compositions and of which the own organisation is just one. The boundaries of the latter fade in the context of interwoven networks. It is no longer the potential benefit for and from the customer that is decisive, but the varied value system of the participating human being. The central pair of concepts becomes man/ecosystem. To put it clearly: apart from the fact that they are 'digital native' organisations and therefore not transforming in the real sense of the word, Uber and the like are not examples of digital transformation, but of copying or extrapolating the existing by means of Internet-based services.
platforms. They are an expression of 'more', at best of 'better', but not of 'different'.

For an organisation, digital transformation as just described means essentially dealing differently with both the external and internal environment, which are increasingly merging into one another. (Semi-) public authorities are just as subject to it as companies. Above all, it raises a number of specific challenges of an organisational cultural nature: it requires a fundamentally different mindset from every individual in the organisation, including an innovative use of information. Digital transformation is a misleading term in this respect. It means, first of all, the inevitable task of mental transformation.

## From organisation to ecosystem

Functioning as a component of one or more ecosystems, Ashby's law teaches us, is necessary to survive in the increasing variety of the environment [Ashby, 1955]. But this means that also the organisation itself should operate much more as an internal ecosystem: ignoring or even opposing silos is out of the question, even if this means clearing away a lot of old wounds. For many organisations, this is a first step towards the world of 'different'! However, this is not enough: in this latter world, work is primarily based on synergy, regardless of organisational boundaries. In a number of cases, this leads to the emergence of small, goal-oriented and flexible organisations, as evidenced by the many such initiatives in healthcare and elsewhere. The future of hospitals, but also of energy companies, universities and the like is 'smaller', not necessarily 'bigger'.

In order to function in an ecosystem context, many organisations realise that their information facilities are inadequate. Getting the basics right' is a slogan that is often heard and, in my opinion, is too easy to hear. Of course, in many cases these facilities must be made more resilient, but focusing excessively on this means approaching the issue 'differently' with one's back turned and one's gaze fixed on the past.
If we do not consistently share and elaborate a vision of our own
position in the world of 'otherness', it is all too easy for 'getting the
basics right' to become an alibi for not doing anything fundamental
about 'otherness'. One consolation: the basis will never be in order,
the excuse will remain valid forever.

From customer to person

Moving away from an organisation-centric view of the customer
means recognising the latter as a full, active member of the
ecosystem. It offers numerous opportunities, provided the
organisation can take the necessary mental steps. For example, a
division into target groups, characteristic of a marketing-like
customer approach, is at odds with the individualistic approach of
the world of 'different'. This also applies to working with averages,
approaching customers by means of standard procedures and
protocols, ignoring small-scale, 'bottom-up' citizens' initiatives,
working with 'customer journeys' (which only map out a customer's
history of experience with one's own organisation) and so on. In this
world, every individual wants to be heard and taken seriously.
Functioning here as an organisation means taking account of
(sometimes contradictory) value systems. In addition to the
functional, there is also an ethical component. Which organisation
can say that it is ready for this?

This people-oriented approach is not limited to the outside world:
the employee also wants to be involved in the organisation in a
different way. A good example of an attempt to respond to this is
the CEO initiative at T-Mobile: the Customer Experience Officer.
Employees who excel in listening to and dealing with customers
acquire credits that they can use to make family and friends a better
than standard offer. The notions of inside and outside world are
fading fast, by the way. The Dutch Police, for example, is
experimenting with various forms of citizen participation, including
the launch of an app that allows citizens to conduct their own
investigation if they have become the victim of a crime. In this way,
an ecosystem is being shaped along the human axis.
## From vision to realisation

The actual implementation of both transitions, also and especially in the ICT sphere, is no sinecure. It presupposes a great deal of mental flexibility and decisiveness, among other things with regard to making interdisciplinary cooperation the norm, structurally anchoring innovation instead of pilots that invariably die in beauty, protecting innovation even in times of restraint, reassessing the often-inserted position of the ICT department, weighing up the pros and cons of strict process and system standardisation, promoting and utilising diversity, and so on.

Working together in an ecosystem also means an intensive exchange of information. Traditionally, attention is paid to standardisation of interfaces, but that is not enough if it is not preceded by meticulous harmonisation of the semantics of the data. A striking example of this is the use of the BRP (Personal Records Database) by a very large number of parties. The BRP uses 'address' as the criterion for inclusion, which, for example, gives rise to serious discrepancies when compiling the electoral lists (legally entitled voters without an address - 'non-residents' - are left out of the equation) [Widlak & Peeters, 2018].

All information is based on interpretation and interpretation is based on a certain context: information is contextual. Simply taking over old data from the "more" and "better" spheres will inevitably lead to interpretation problems. In the phase of "different", an organisation knows too little rather than too much: a lot of information is not the same as relevant information.

## Information leadership

In the world of 'other', appropriate information about the different actors in the ecosystem becomes crucial, diverse and vulnerable. Classic customer information is no longer sufficient, but needs to be supplemented with a much wider range of information from all kinds of external sources. Mutual trust between the partners in the ecosystem is a great asset here.
Information is also becoming more diverse in format, including videos, cameo-ray images, sensor output, AI-generated information and so on. Only those who know how things work can catch them. But it is precisely here that an organisation not only comes up against increasingly strict privacy rules, but also becomes a competitor to and dependent on the giants in this field such as Google, Facebook and so on. Conversely, every organisation runs the risk of becoming a hare: a single tweet from an individual can trigger a cascade of reactions. This much is clear: operating in this information eco-world requires totally new capacities from the organisation and its information professionals.

The mental transformation required for all of this, more than the techno-logical transition, is a work of simultaneous longevity and urgency - it demands leadership. It is both a process and a mindset. As a process, attention should be paid to the visionary imagining of the future (the 'different'), building the capacity not only to want this future but also to be able to cope with it, making the existing resilient towards this future and clearing the mental burden of the past. As a mindset, mental transformation addresses the internalisation by everyone in the organisation of thinking and acting in terms of "different" and the joint creation of a trustworthy organisational culture that supports this mental and digital transformation. It requires first and foremost empathy and commitment (see the article "The information manager: a sheep with five legs" on page 55). Leadership has never been so challenging, information professionals grab your chance!

* Digital transformation is mental transformation.

* People are the measure of digital transformation.

* The basics are never in order.
Sources

□ Ashby, W.R. (1955). *An Introduction to Cybernetica*. Londen: Chapman and Hall.

□ Maes, R. (2017). Geen digitale transformatie zonder mentale transformatie: de nieuwe werkelijkheid van de informatieprofessional.

□ In: *De informatieprofessional 3.0* (p. 15-27). Amsterdam: Boom Uitgevers.

□ Maes, R., (2020). De Informatiemanager, een schaap met vijf poten. In: Bronsgeest, W.L., De Waart, S. (2020), *Smart Humanity*. Hilversum: Nubiz.

□ Widlak, A. & Peeters, R. (2018). *De digitale kooi: (on)behoorlijk bestuur door informatiearchitectuur*. Den Haag: Boom Bestuurskunde.
# Professional association re-profiles the profession of the information professional

by Rian van Heur

Digitalisation changes society, but it also changes the role of people. The visions of the future differ, but according to the professional association for information professionals, people remain central. The KNVI expects that mankind will become ever smarter and thinks that the next ten years will be the time of Smart Humanity.

The visions of how the role and place of mankind will change as a result of digital technology vary widely. Some expect robots and algorithms to take over the world, while others see a fusion of humans and cybernetics. There is also a group that sees mankind using ICT to bring the polluted earth back to a biologically correct balance. "Whatever the case may be, man is central to our information society and should remain so, also in all current and future changes," responds Wouter Bronsgeest, KNVI co-chairman.

The KNVI has put down the concept of 'Information professional 3.0' and the 'Digital transformation' and elaborated on it in various policy plans and publications. "The core of the disruptive waves of change is having an unprecedented impact on professionals and on the organisations in which they are
professionals. A great responsibility rests on the shoulders of the
information professional 3.0," says Bronsgeest.

## Smart Humanity

According to Bronsgeest, everyone will have to be aware of the issues raised by new technology, new business models and new ways of communicating. He believes that we are moving into the decennium of Smart Humanity. "Smart Humanity stands for people who know how to apply digital developments and deal with this technology in an ethical way. For a society that knows how to bring the earth and the use of its raw materials back into balance. A society that uses technology to turn around the pollution and depletion of the earth. And a society that uses innovations to counteract injustice and give every individual - no one excepted - a chance to live in dignity.

## Task force set up

KNVI plays a crucial role in putting knowledge and education on the agenda and is professionally involved in implementation - both at macro and micro level. The professional association actively contributes to informing and educating professionals, partly on the basis of a constantly updated classification of digital functions and professions. To this end, a task force will be set up, which will work within and outside the professional association.

## Other approach

According to Bronsgeest, from this perspective there is no shortage of ICT people in our country. "There is a shortage of training to keep people in meaningful and valuable work. Nor is there a shortage of jobs and opportunities - there is a shortage of organisations that dare to take the step towards new business models." There is also a shortage of educators who look ahead and prepare pupils and
students for their task in the new society, and of well-informed and
educated politicians and policy makers. "There is a lack of
knowledge among politicians and educators about already existing
competence frameworks and the European and global
developments."

The KNVI says it is doing all it can to help these omissions by
organising knowledge sharing, offering a platform where experts
from the field, knowledge institutions and policy makers can meet, and
reinforcing the recognition of professionals. Bronsgeest: "As the
KNVI, we are increasingly involved in the social debates on ICT and
the role of information provision in society. To this end, we are
strengthening our ties with science, for example through our
scientific representatives in IFIP, the international umbrella
organisation for ICT professional organisations." In addition, the
professional association is increasingly taking part in discussions
on the subject, for example at the Rathenau Institute, the SER, The
Hague Legal Delta, the Dutch Digital Delta and iPoort.

"The new KNVI explicitly establishes the connection between creating, managing and using information. For example, we are also closely involved in developments within the IFLA, the International Federation of Library Associations, the leading international institute representing libraries and information services and their users."

Source

Previously published online on: AG Connect,
https://www.agconnect.nl/artikel/beroepsvereniging-herprofileert-vak-van-
informatieprofessionals, 9th of January 2018
Smart
Humanity, short
and long

Wouter Bronsgeest

This question recurs regularly: what is Smart Humanity? Various press releases and articles have already been published about this. It is KNVI's deepest conviction that mankind owes it to itself to make the most of its own inventions for the benefit of humanity.

In other words, information professionals make technology and help implement it. They are creators as well as users and educators. They facilitate other people and organisations in accessing information. People are therefore central to the professional organisation: they must remain standing in the successive disruptive waves in society, and their social consequences and ethical impact.

A possible short answer to the question is simply to refer to a

Sing to the BBC dramatised film about the Brexit. If you see it (or are about to), you will know how our information society works at the moment. And what role we as information professionals have in it.

There are also longer answers. Take the example inspired by Alex Pentland, the MIT professor who focuses on the application of big data. One of the big tasks he sees for society is to learn to understand communities. This is becoming increasingly possible with the help of the many data that we as humans leave behind everywhere. In his vision, market mechanisms no longer work, economic paradigms are outdated and we must move towards a new world in which we describe and implement new patterns on the basis of social physics. Patterns which are statistical regularities describe society, and can therefore be implemented in that society.

Pentland can map out people's streams of ideas and help shape them. We can do this because we measure and know so much more, and so we can
identify good ideas much more quickly. And these ideas can then be implemented collectively. Data becomes our nervous system, together we end up in a living 'lab': society as a large network. Where many

When people come together, for example in cities, these networks can develop quickly.

These are images that also recur in reports by the Council for Public Administration (ROB). In their studies, they state that the house of Thorbecke is crumbling, and that a networked society is emerging in its place.

Governments become equal to each other and work together with citizen initiatives or Public

Private Partnerships. The legislator is no longer asked for more rules or to work out political compromises in impracticable legal texts. The legislator is asked to facilitate cooperation, to tax objects in a sharing economy and to establish a basic income. The big question is, of course, whether networks can also guarantee harmony and human dignity.

Especially if we let data analyses guide our choices - even if the patterns we show through our data turn out to be statistically the best for mankind. I tell you: the information professional is needed more than many people still think!

## Source

Previously published online at: AG Connect, https://www.agconnect.nl/blog/kort-en-lang, 16th of June 2019, and in IP - vakblad voor informatieprofessionals, June 2019
# Companies have to deal with
with a digital tsunami

Rian van Heur in conversation with Stephen Ibaraki

"What is happening in the world now is unprecedented," says futurologist Stephen Ibaraki. He calls the developments - digital, social and biological - a digital tsunami. "It is more than just technology. We've never had a period where hyper-automation meets hyper-innovation. It is an impressive time of change."

Using three Cs, he explains why he thinks the period is now a digital tsunami. The first C is of compression. "Almost every day you receive announcements of wonderful innovations. Innovation now takes place on a weekly basis, instead of monthly or yearly. " We also have to deal with convergence. "Digital developments, such as Internet of Things, are coming together with biological developments, such as synthetic life, genetic editing or cloning. And it reinforces each other. "The last C is of connectivity. "We are dealing with hyperconnectivity due to the availability of ever-increasing computing power. In 2021, there will be a computer on the market that has the computing power of 160 super computers. Not to mention the quantum computers that manufacturers such as Google, Microsoft or IBM are working on. "
Ibaraki says he sits at the table of many leading parties. "I was invited to give advice to a hundred US CEOs of the world's largest financial institutions. The companies they were affiliated with collectively managed 92,7 billion-dollar assets. They asked me in 2015 to look into the future over ten years so they could make the right decisions for their organisations. So I started an advisory board, almost a think tank, for them. And I helped them set up the Fintech Ideas Festival, so that innovative ideas and new business models get the extra attention they deserve."

## Spirit for innovation

Ibaraki's love of technology was instilled early on. "I built my first computer from scratch. I was 10 years old at the time. An analogue computer, but it had some artificial intelligence. You could make it play a game. Then I made digital circuits, I played with semiconductor tubes and transistors and built my own digital computers. That evolved into building one of the first microcomputers that was connected to a mainframe. And then to stand-alone microcomputers that were connected to each other to form the first networks and communication systems."

He has now been working in IT for a long time and has seen almost every aspect of it. "Think of artificial intelligence, communication systems, operating systems or databases." He has worked as a teacher, an information analyst and a writer. Now he is an investor, entrepreneur, trend watcher and speaker. He started several initiatives such as AI for Good of the United Nations and the Global Industry Council of IFIP.

## Knowing what is going on is important

Topics he discussed with these leaders include artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Knowing what is going on is important, says Ibaraki. "As a CEO, you have to know what is coming at you. And you have to pay attention to it. If you
don't, your organisation won't survive." The same goes for IT professionals. "Visit conferences, read books. And not only nationally or regionally, but also internationally. It is necessary, because change is happening fast. Do it to support your organisation and to keep it decisive." After all, it is not only important how your business is affected, but customers are also changing. "They are also becoming much more sophisticated through technology, know more. There's an app that monitors someone's activities and then diagrams them based on time and location. As a company, you need to be aware of major developments, so that you can anticipate."

## AI has the biggest impact

He attributes the greatest impact to artificial intelligence. "That's what I talk about the most. It is actually already everywhere. Think of your phone, it's in there, for example through face recognition. Thanks to that intelligence, a product can do more and more. Artificial intelligence is now in every aspect of your life. "That is why, he says, every company is working on it. "Google and Microsoft, for example, are also AI companies. All major countries are working on comprehensive AI initiatives. Artificial intelligence is expected to add billions203016 to the gross national product. There is no other technology with such an impact."

"And don't forget that it also comes together with other developments, such as biological manipulation or genetic modifications." As an example, he mentions finding black holes and objects in the universe. Deep learning is now being used for that. "People are now seeing things they didn't see before, because humans simply can't do that. It is used to make a model of the universe. And calculations can be made with this. For example, to see what has happened in the past or what will happen in the future. This is really about millions of years. Thanks to these models, we are now discovering objects that we had never thought of before."
## Completely different

Because these developments are happening so fast, Ibaraki expects the world to look completely different in ten years. "The world we live in now will be so different that we can't even imagine it now. It will be the biggest transformation ever. "All these changes will affect culture, education, government and industry. The future of our children will look completely different from the life we have now, says the futurologist. He cites the example of transgenic humans: "In China, there are already the first transgenic monkeys in which genes have been implemented to give them a more human-like brain. It's about the gene that makes our brains the way they are. You're probably thinking of *Planet of the Apes* right now, but these monkeys are possible in the future. "Another example is Facebook's research into communication through thoughts alone.

"These are developments that are already taking place. People don't always like it. Or they don't understand it. But it will have a huge impact on our future world."

## Source

Previously published online at: AG Connect,

https://www.agconnect.nl/artikel/bedrijven-hebben-nu-te-maken-met-een-

digitale-tsunami, 9th of Augustus 2019
# Information professionals in times of crisis

Wouter Bronsgeest
and Sandra de Waart

**COVID-1984. No, you are not reading a conspiracy theory here. But we do have a question. Do you believe everything you read about the pledge? Do you understand all the figures and facts that you read?**

We'll let you in on a secret: we don't. There are a number of simple reasons for this. There is so much news that we don't have time to check all the sources and read the scientific studies. There is simply too much information. This was true before the corona crisis and it is still true today. The difference, however, is that now 90 per cent of the news is all about corona. Even the most obscure social media pages start with 'the pandemic'. It appeals to our insecurity, the desire to know more, the rush of sensation and the fear of getting sick - or worse - dying.

And what a lot of work all those fellow workers do in, for example, healthcare, logistics and government - respect! We couldn't do it ourselves and actually we prefer to watch the weather forecast. The weather has been remarkably nice these past weeks - but we are not sure (yet) whether that is due to the Gulf Stream or the lack of unnecessary air travel.

So, what to do after the summer. Plant a vegetable garden? Gather supplies? Learn a trade that is not dependent on technology and electricity and become self-sufficient? Ploughing alone or working together with the neighbourhood? I'm sure you've thought about it too. In any case, the fact is that you are now thinking more than usual about your profession, your job, your family and your place and contribution to society. A fact of a different category: our Prime Minister is trying to find a balance in all the advice that is given to the Cabinet and to himself - knowing that, in the end, everyone is responsible to him.

will be held accountable for the consequences of whatever choice the government makes.
Rightly or wrongly. Rightly or
wrongly informed. What a lonely
job in this day and age! And what's
more, there are so many possible
solutions. We don't know which of
them leads to the right solution.
Because what is the definition of
right?

What we see, and also hope a
little, is that we are indeed all
becoming a little more aware of the
way in which we shape our society.
This is necessary: the annual 'Earth
Days' show that every year we
consume more than the earth can
cope with. That we cut down more
trees than will grow. That the bio
power stations pollute more than
the old power stations they replace,
and that solar cells, wind turbines
and electric cars have a larger
carbon footprint than they can ever
compensate for during their working
lives.

And finally, should we share
more or less information? We

Start with an app for everyone.
Well-intentioned. Maybe even
safely programmed. After the app
comes a call or (emergency) law
with mandatory use of the app. In
fact, the app should always be on.
And no, you don't leave home
without your phone with you. For
those who are less well-off, we can
easily subsidise a phone or another
mobile device. And after the app,
we think it could be done with a
chip. A chip can easily be inserted
under the skin. Incidentally, these
chips are already being produced.
The tech companies are helping us
through the 'corona winter'. On to
the next pandemic - we are ready
for it. COVID-1984? We hope not.
Information professionals, stay
critical, audible and visible and help
our society in this debate!

Source

Previously published online at: AG Connect, https://www.agconnect.nl/blog/informatieprofessional-crisistijd, 2nd of June2020
# Beyond the dogma of the document - the knowledge worker

by Martijn Aslander

The knowledge worker of 2020 is trapped in a dogma. And, as Johan Cruijff used to say: "You only see it when you realise it". Without realising it, we use software every day that is based on analogies and metaphors of the '70s office environment.

That is at best a pity and actually just a bit stupid, if we look at the current state of technology. Within organisations, information still generally travels from A to B in the form of A4 documents in portrait or landscape format. Standing, they are usually called a Word document or a PDF and lying, they are called a PowerPoint or a spreadsheet. For years, many economists have wondered how it is that we have come so far in terms of automation and technology, but that labour productivity has hardly risen at all. I suspect that I have found part of the cause (and the solution): most people use their computer like a modern typewriter. Often with two fingers, because they never learned to type blind. That's a bit like using an aeroplane to drive on the motorway. It's fine, it has wheels. But the wings are there for a reason. Just like those enormous engines. And that is exactly what is happening now in the daily life of the knowledge worker.
## How then?

In the three KNVI documentaries in which I participated, we explored respectively the information society, the network society and the nature of knowledge work. The aim of the documentaries was to initiate discussions on these themes. What the documentaries deliberately did not address was the question: "But how should it be done? Mainly because many answers are possible and it is all a matter of guesswork, especially given the speed of developments in the field of technology. What is starting to become clear is that the vast majority of the millions of knowledge workers in the Netherlands are not digitally fit. And without digital fitness, for the average knowledge worker it will irrevocably lead to reduced mental fitness. And with it, damage to physical fitness. I am convinced that these three themes are inextricably linked.

## No digitalisation or digital transformation without digital awareness

You wouldn't want to know the organisations that are running projects in the area of digitalisation or are even trying to bring about a complete digital transformation. In the past ten years, as founder of lifehacking.nl and author of books such as *Easycratie* and *Nooit af*, I have been on many stages. And almost always I checked in the audience who was busy maintaining or learning digital skills. With a few exceptions, almost no organisation in the Netherlands has taken this point seriously. It's amazing that works councils and HR departments haven't picked up on this. Especially in an era when work-related stress is becoming public enemy number one. And it is even more surprising that boards and management teams are still paying so little attention to this, because there is so much to be gained in terms of power and innovation. What few decision-makers want to face is that the dynamics of the network and information society are changing the rules of the game in organisations. And the game with society. And even the dynamics of power are changing, as Moisés Naím aptly put it in his book *The End of Power*.
As long as you keep on whittling away at themes and projects such as AI, big data and blockchain without making digital awareness and skills the order of the day, all attempts are futile.

## Digitally fit

Darwin's views on "survival of the fittest" have been explained for years as "the strongest wins". But Darwin meant to say that the species that can best adapt to the changing circumstances have the greatest chance of survival. According to the Dutch dictionary Van Dale, 'fit' in our language means 'in good shape'. While employers have realised for years that it is a good idea to stimulate the physical fitness of their employees for many reasons (and certainly also financial ones), the importance of mental fitness is now also starting to make itself felt. After all, sleep, attention, focus and concentration are under great pressure in our current work reality. In addition, we now know that sitting is the new smoking. Sitting behind a desk all day is not exactly conducive to our health. These are all aspects of the physical and human conditions under which we do our work.

But we will only really win if digital fitness is also given a place in new policy. This has everything to do with the most recent insights from brain science regarding the coveted concentration and thought. Moreover, since a pioneering article in the New York Times last year, it appears that psychological safety on the shop floor is rather decisive when it comes to people's procrastination behaviour. So in my opinion, mental fitness, physical fitness and digital fitness clearly go hand in hand. And in this day and age, you first need to develop digital awareness, otherwise you're building on the wrong foundation.

It's crazy, really, that we don't give the biggest cost in almost any organisation, namely people, the attention it deserves with the help of today's insights. An example: 20% of all people are at their best in the evening. Seen from the cost side, you are therefore using 20% of your biggest expense (personnel) at the time when it is least useful. And this new way of working, which has been hijacked by a few
large market players, has mainly led to open plan offices which are disastrous for concentration. I think it is no wonder that so many people suffer from burn-out. If you are distracted all day by stimuli, meetings and managers, you don't get anywhere.

So the big question is: how do you adapt to all the changing circumstances?

## Learning to filter and handle your tools

The amount of information coming at us daily keeps increasing. But information overload does not have to be a problem, as Clay Shirky argues in his story about filter failure. But then you have to learn to filter. We don't learn that at school, but also not in organisations. If being a knowledge worker is a craft, then few have mastered it. Most people just do something. If you zoom out to a slightly higher level than everyday reality, knowledge workers are mainly busy collecting, processing, analysing, synthesising, storing and sharing information and knowledge. But a lot goes wrong in this process. This is partly due to the tools used, partly to a lack of insight and strategy and sometimes simply to a lack of training. We usually don't take a close look at our digital work tools. For example, most Outlook users do not know that you can set rules for e-mail and turn off notifications, and most Apple users have no idea that you can create handy macros for text replacement that save you a lot of time.

Together with Arjan Broere and Mark Meinema, I wrote a doctrine for information tools for the yet to be published book *De nieuwe werk-werkelijkheid [The new working reality]*. If you look at our work tools through the lens of that doctrine, most tools fall by the wayside. As far as we are concerned, information should be storable, searchable, sortable, orderable, re-orderable, meta-datable and sharable. In seconds instead of minutes, and preferably on a smartphone. Because tools that are too slow for what they are supposed to do, end up being used less or not at all. The success factor is ease of use and therefore speed.
## Micronotes

Most of the information that flies around us every day in articles, podcasts, magazines, blogs, emails, newspapers and at the coffee machine, we hardly ever store. And if we do save it, it usually gets lost in the big jumble of notes and we rarely look at it or we simply lose it. And yet this collection of small notes and observations is the real gold of organisations. But then you have to be able to reach it. Where and how do we store the valuable pieces of information that consist of a minimum of two words and a maximum of three sentences? Usually, it is too little to create a separate document for it. So most people e-mail it to themselves or put it in a task list or note-taking app. I call these chunks *micro notes*. If we manage to store and interconnect these notes easily and quickly, we can build a digital exoskeleton, a kind of second brain.

## Second brain

Technology has recently enabled us not to store all that information in our heads, but to process it in a second, digital brain. Tens of thousands of people around the world are already doing this, with people like Tiago Forte at the forefront. They are building on age-old traditions such as commonplace books and the more recent ‘zettelkasten’- principle, but with the enormous leverage of the computer and smartphone as an added superpower.

There is a good chance that the real reason why knowledge management projects generally fail is that it was 'imposed' top-down, without the employees seeing any personal benefit in it. In contrast, the reverse path, employees who have their own knowledge in order, keep it and share it, seems a very promising one. There is a whole text renaissance going on, with tools like Workflowy, Roam Research, Notion and Obsidian making all this possible and easy.
## The new working reality

The permanent job as a certainty is increasingly proving to be an illusion, which will force many workers to continue their development in order to remain permanently deployable. After all, those who are and remain physically, mentally and digitally fit will be better able to adapt to changing circumstances in the world of work. But if employees and employers also start building a second brain in which knowledge, information and insights can be found quickly, they will be able to compete with the classic bureaucratic environment that is limited to A4 pages.

In the near future, the speed and ease with which you can be of value to others will largely determine your personal success. In addition to generating income and pleasure, work should therefore above all be an engine for personal development and growth. It's time we involved technology much better in this. Not from within the organisation, but from within ourselves.

* With a few exceptions, almost no organisation in the Netherlands has taken the maintenance or teaching of digital skills seriously.

* The importance of mental fitness is now starting to sink in, where employers have realised for years that it is a good idea to stimulate the physical fitness of employees.

* Knowledge workers are primarily engaged in gathering, processing, analysing, synthesising, storing and sharing information and knowledge. But a lot goes wrong in this process.

* The speed and ease with which you can be of value to others will largely determine your personal success in the near future.
Sources

□ Aslander, M. & Witteveen, E. (2010). *Easycratie*. Amsterdam: Business Contact.

□ Aslander, M. & Witteveen, E. (2015). *Nooit Af*. Amsterdam: Business Contact.

□ Broere, A. (2016). *De kleine lifehacking voor dummies*. Amersfoort: BBNC Uitgevers.

□ Lieberman, C. (2019). Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control), *New York Times*.

□ Naím, M. (2015). *Het einde van Macht*. Amsterdam: Overamstel Uitgevers.

□ Rettner, R. (2019). Life Really Is Harder for Night Owls. Here's Why. *Livescience*.

□ Shirky, C. (2009). It's not information overload. It's filter failure. *Web2.0 Expo*, New York.

□ Winsemius, P. (2017). *Je gaat het pas zien als je het doorhebt*. Amsterdam: Balans.
1
Smart
Professional
In this section, the authors explore the ways in which the
information professionals' profession is changing, and the
new demands and wishes that these professionals are
having to deal with. Changes that you can and must
anticipate. If you don't, you price yourself out of the market.
This inevitably creates dilemmas. Because the expectations
of the environment are getting higher, and with them the
demands on you as a person are getting higher.

How do you deal with the demand for 'the sheep with the
five legs', and how do you take the next step? Whether you
lead or are led, you make an essential contribution to
society from your expertise. In any case, self-reflection,
lifelong development and adaptability are important keys
to this.
# The information manager: a sheep with five legs?

by Rik Maes

Many information managers and, more generally, information professionals find it difficult to put their strategic contribution, position and expertise clearly in the limelight: "Help, I'm going to be an information manager! First of all, we position (strategic) information management on the basis of the Amsterdam framework for information management.

The focus of this article is on the professional expertise that may be expected from an information manager (or team of managers). To this end, we extend a well-known model of Bolman and Deal from organisation theory and then apply it to the information function. Successful information managers show information leadership - they therefore possess a balanced mix of structural, social, political, symbolic and ethical expertise, but above all the ability to switch smoothly between these perspectives. The information manager: a sheep with five legs? Rather, it is a plea for organisation-wide information management, with the information manager as a flexible driving force.
## The issue

Information management seems to have acquired its place in organisations, and yet ... "At parties I just tell people I'm from ICT," is a statement that is still often heard from information managers. No wonder that such an attitude leads to a lack of clarity in many organisations and the information managers become either a jack-of-all-trades or a homeopathic form of hairdressing oil: they don't help, they don't hurt. There is also something contradictory in this situation. On the one hand, we talk about the information society and information as the umpteenth organisational resource, but those who deal with it specifically often have difficulty explaining their added value. Time for change!

"Information management is no longer what it never was. "Under this cryptic title, I have spent some time telling stories about the misperception of information management in the past on the one hand and its changing character in the future on the other. In times when "better" is no longer enough and "different" is the message, information and therefore the information manager play a crucial role [Maes, 2018]. This role is versatile and not devoid of ambiguity. We like to mention that it is strategic in nature, but what exactly do we mean by it? What requirements must an information professional meet to be able to fulfil this strategic role? Can he or she fulfil it at all or is strategic information management a mirage? I would like to offer the beginnings of an answer to such questions.

## Strategic information management

The Amsterdam framework for information management (the "nine-square", in figure 1) is a much used and unfortunately too often abused model for information management [Maes, 2003 ; Maes, 2007]. In short, and perhaps unnecessarily, a few comments:

* The framework is an aspect model, in which the factors of information and ICT are highlighted. It is emphatically not an organisational model:
It cannot be used to justify the existence of the information
management function. It is pre-eminently suitable to start the
discussion with the various parties involved: "What are we doing
as an organisation (section) about these nine factors and their
mutual connections?".

□ ICT ("technology") is linked to the activities of an organisation ("business") by the "information/communication" factor. In some organisations, this middle factor is still too much governed by the technological interpretation rather than by its contribution to the business. If technology is the syntax and business is the pragmatics, then the middle column represents the semantics, the giving of meaning.

□ Strategy/policy ('aiming') is linked to operations ('directing') by means of a design layer - this layer is often set up unilaterally according to the vision of the policymakers, supported by a technological interpretation that assumes an ideal organisation and not the reality.

In practice, many organisations today tend to work according to
the dominant logic plotted in the figure on the nine-square.

<figure><img src="image_4.png" /><figcaption>Figure 1: The nine-square and the dominant logic in many organisations</figcaption></figure>
According to this logic (the U-curve in figure 1), business and ICT organise themselves relatively independently of each other. Typical bad consequences of this are systems that do not sufficiently meet the legitimate but neglected wishes of the users and irresponsible outsourcing of ICT ("outsource the mess and ditto worries to get rid of them"). Both logics then meet at the operational level, with the functional managers, who, without clear frameworks, must try to reconcile the two worlds. The result is often a permanent work with ad hoc solutions without any prospect of structural improvements, let alone a real business-ICT dialogue (just try to create support like that!) and under-utilisation of the ICT facilities.

We define (strategic) information management as the activities that take place within the area surrounded by an oval in figure 1. These 1.are necessary components of a business-oriented information provision: without these activities in relation to the other components of the nine-square-area, there can be no question of an effective, information-driven organisation. Information-driven work without a clear formation position (and ditto information management) is a utopia. It would be going too far to describe the components of strategic information management in detail here, but in general terms I'm thinking of things like:

* A vision of the importance of information for the organisation, now and in the future

* An unambiguous and organisation-wide shared information policy aligned with the organisation's policy

* Setting frameworks for the organisation of the information component, e.g. for information ownership, information sharing, information security, required quality of information, etc.

* Ditto in the context of cooperative relationships in ecosystems

* The overall set-up of information flows for the business processes

* Framework for the management of information facilities
## Information leadership

What is clear is that if a strategically operating information manager (including the CIO) wants to fulfil his or her role fully, then she or he will have to display actual information leadership. To find out what this entails in terms of expertise and profile, we start from the leader model of Bolman & Deal [Bolman & Deal, 2017]. They state that a leader must know how to use four different "frames" to look at the challenges of his organisation. Crucial in their vision is that sticking to one or a limited number of lenses leads to inadequate leadership and consequently ineffectiveness. They distinguish the following four frames:

* **Structural frame**

The most formal, task-oriented frame with activities such as: setting policy and translating it into measurable goals, making tasks, responsibilities and reporting lines clear, setting up systems and procedures, ...

* **Social frame** (what they call "HR frame")

This frame emphasises the social needs: empowering employees with attention to mutual contact, personal growth and job satisfaction, ...

* **Political frame**

Central to this frame are: the ability to deal with conflicting interests, to understand and influence the game in the "upper world", to form coalitions, to form a power base, ...

* **Symbolic frame**

This frame addresses the need for supportive organisational culture and its associated symbols - it focuses on inspiring, creating common belief, sharing stories, maintaining meaningful rituals, ...
In the light of the present time and of the concentration on the information component, I would like to add a fifth frame:

### ☐ Ethical frame

It is becoming increasingly clear that the value system of an organisation is of prime importance, but is often neglected: the incalculation of social effects, the use of an ethical compass, compliance with sustainability requirements, the creation of trust, ... and that reliable and safe information use is an essential part of this.

According to this vision on leadership, an information manager who transcends the operational level will have to approach information issues from these five frames. Depending on the concrete situation, this will mean that he or she will have to be able to combine a number of these perspectives or to switch easily between them.

## The strategic information manager

In table 1, I have translated the preceding extensive leadership model to the role of and instruments for the information manager. After the vision on the information factor according to the different frames, the following four rows of this table mainly refer to the role and positioning, the others to broader intervention possibilities available to the information manager. The concrete application of the table is situationally determined. Here are a few examples:

* If the information manager is confronted with a situation in which there is a lack of clarity about priorities and responsibilities, she or he will benefit from applying a structural or political frame.

* If, on the other hand, a lack of motivation and commitment is the order of the day, an approach based on the social or symbolic frame will be appropriate.
<table><caption>Table 1: Translation to role and instruments of information manager</caption><thead><tr><th></th><th>Structural</th><th>Social</th><th>Political</th><th>Symbolic</th><th>Ethical</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th>Information</th><td>Image</td><td>Binding agent</td><td>Power</td><td>Inspiration</td><td>Beacon, footing</td></tr><tr><th>Role</th><td>Information planner<br>Architect</td><td>Connector<br>Translator</td><td>Director<br>Negotiator</td><td>Explorer<br>Disruptor</td><td>Information Security<br>Officer</td></tr><tr><th>Intstuments</th><td>Content knowledge</td><td>Relationship network<br>Empathy</td><td>Authority</td><td>Inspiration</td><td>Ethical compass,<br>ethics/privacy<br>by design</td></tr><tr><th>Purpose of information policy/planning</th><td>Alignment with company policies</td><td>Keeping or making employees involved</td><td>Balancing and secure interests</td><td>Shared values development</td><td>Information, enlarge reliability</td></tr><tr><th>Process of information planning</th><td>Rational, step-by-step</td><td>Open, focus on commitment</td><td>Opportunity to exercise power</td><td>Ritual to (re-)assess values</td><td>Possibility of reassessment information usage</td></tr><tr><th>Motivate</th><td>Financial incentives</td><td>Growth, self-development</td><td>Manipulation, Secuction</td><td>Symbols, celebration</td><td>Value System, trust</td></tr><tr><th>Meetings/ communications</th><td>Formal, focused on implementation of decisions</td><td>Informal, sharing opinions and feeling</td><td>Competitive: Scoring. Need for management</td><td>Opportunity to calibrate or change values & culture</td><td>Value driven reflection on information cycle</td></tr><tr><th>Source of resistance</th><td>Uncertainty</td><td>Fear, uncertainty, no longer belonging</td><td>Diminishing responsibility, belong to losing group.</td><td>Decrease of meaning, holding on to the past</td><td>Efficiency thinking, technology dominance</td></tr><tr><th>Change strategy</th><td>New policies, clear communication</td><td>Support in acquisition new skills</td><td>Providing space for new coalitions</td><td>Rituals of transition, mourning the past, celebrate the future</td><td>Broadening horizon, personal reflection</td></tr><tr><th>At conflict</th><td>Escalating</td><td>Speaking out, poldering</td><td>Negotiation, Authority</td><td>Finding shared Business values</td><td>Finding shared values</td></tr></tbody></table>

* In situations of intense transformation, a successful information manager may fall back on the symbolic and ethical frame.

In practice, information managers, especially in rather bureaucratic organisations, appear to have primarily acquired knowledge and skills in the structural frame, which is closest to substantive knowledge, with the social frame coming in a close second. For many, the political frame is something they would rather not have to deal with, however inevitable that may be.
In practice, the symbolic frame is often a far cry from a recurring desire to really get better at it. The ethical frame has only recently come into play.

## A sheep with five legs?

If a strategic information manager wants to have an impact, he or she will probably have to supplement the arsenal of expertise. But even then, it remains a real task to adequately combine the five frames. The following plays a role here:

* Information managers (too) often focus only on content (the structural frame) and get stuck in being right without getting it.

* Perhaps most importantly, an information manager should have a sense and an eye for a situational reality and be able to make a well-founded assessment of the required expertise and the mutual importance of the five frames.

* Usually, an information manager works in a team. Table 1 is then an excellent tool to form a team or to test its composition in a given situation.

* Information management is not an exclusive task of the information manager, but an organisation-wide task. Expertise can also be brought together across the whole organisation.

* Real digital transformation takes place beyond the borders of organisations in an ecosystem context. It is precisely there that it is important to use the various dimensions of the frames.

The role of information manager is at once complex and challenging - the five frames can help him or her to evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses. The premise of this approach is that a broadly oriented, flexibly shifting information manager is preferable to one who has developed unilaterally in (substantive) depth.
In an age of digital transformation, mental transformation is crucial. For an information manager and, in a broader sense, an information professional, this means thinking and acting in terms of the strategic, potentially disruptive application of information. She or he can be a 1pioneer in this in the various roles of table, but she or he is not alone: information management is a matter for everyone in the organisation. Whether she or he succeeds depends not only on her or his authority in the organisation, but also on acceptance by the organisation. To continue the metaphor: no matter how many legs a sheep has, if it falls on its back it is dependent on the help of third parties.

* Working without information is a utopia.

* A content-rich information manager is often right, a many-sided information manager gets it.

## Sources

- Bolman, L.G. & Deal, T.E. (2017). *Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership, 1984 (1e ed.) – 2017 (6e ed).* New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

- Maes, R. (2003). Informatiemanagement in kaart gebracht. In: *Maandblad voor Accountancy & Bedrijfseconomie*, november 2003, p. 521-529.

- Maes, R. (2007). An integrative perspective on information management. In: De Vries, E.J. & Huizing, A. (red.), *Information Management: Setting the Scene*, Elsevier, p. 15-24.

- Maes, R. (2018). Geen digitale transformatie zonder mentale transformatie. In: Bronsgeest, W., Wesseling, M., De Vries, E.J. & Maes, R. (red.), *De Informatieprofessional 3.0* (p. 15-27). Amsterdam: Boom Uitgevers.
# Digital leadership

by Dion Kotteman

Leadership has been in the spotlight since time immemorial. For example, the Biblical Moses was mentioned early on as an important leader. In our days, there is interest in the subject: pre-corona and also post-corona. This gets an extra dimension when we look at digital leadership. But is that different from classical leadership?

In this article, we look at the distinguishing characteristics of digital leadership. Three aspects are important here: direction, transformation and digitalisation. For each aspect, we mention things that are characteristic of digital leadership. Is it directive or not? What is the importance of vision, of innovation, of experimentation? And: what is new there? Ask yourself the question: did Moses have a smartphone?

## Introduction

Good leadership is scarce in literature. Much has been written about it and from very different angles. There are schools with extreme differences from one another: for example, there is a school which proclaims that a leader does not actually lead - he (and she, of course) stimulates, unites and coordinates, gives space to staff, makes the most of differences, is aware of his or her own blind spots, is culturally, sociologically and emotionally intelligent, a real collaborator. He is a servant.
At the other end of the spectrum, we see a more directive style of management, there is hierarchy, leadership is accepted, preferably combined with a clear vision.

These schools have, of course, been at loggerheads from time to time and this has led to a compromise: situational leadership. This means that you can apply all kinds of leadership styles, depending on the circumstances. This requires high school gymnastics and a high level of maturity from the leader. As André Wierdsma used to say: "Management is a question of damping and strengthening" [Swieringa & Wierdsma, 1990]. The big question is, of course, when do you mute and when do you reinforce? You can muffle the crisis sounds around corona, but then you may have underestimated it. You can amplify the 5G uprising, but then you also run the risk of missing the mark.

There is less literature on digital leadership than on classical leadership; it is therefore a younger term. Moses did not have a smart-phone, but only texts chiselled in stone.

We can break down digital leadership a bit, for example, into three aspects. The first part is about giving direction, focused on a digital world. What then are characteristic matters? The second part is about change and transformation, the predictable third part about digitalisation.

## The first part: Giving direction

What immediately stands out here as a distinguishing point is speed. Leadership in a digital world is based on speed: lead times are short, changes are intense and they follow each other in rapid succession. That means short-cycle management, fast interactions and steering. The world is VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) and digital leadership enables you to respond to this. Whether this is successful depends strongly on the environment.

In government, we see that experimentation does not fit well with the nature of the organisation. Government organisations strive for reliability, predictability, transparency and soundness.
Making mistakes stands not in a good light; the government primarily rewards the prevention of mistakes! And this while much literature teaches that making mistakes can actually help: "Failure is not the opposite of success: it is a part of success." Of course, you shouldn't make the same mistake over and over again, but the idea is: if you analyse it properly, you can learn from it. Moreover, it allows you to experiment, which is appropriate in a fast-paced environment. Is it not working? Throw it away!

It is clear that agile working methods fit in nicely here. After all, it is about achieving results in a short period of time, based on empiricism. That result can then be the basis for adjustment. It is iterative and short-cycle. A special point is the leadership: the teams are generally self-organising and do not have a team leader. You could say that there is self-management at the team level. This does not alter the fact that there must be leadership at the level of the organisation as a whole, or of the project as a whole. In other words, it is not true that the existence of agile teams means that there is self-management throughout the organisation. That mistake is sometimes made, resulting in chaos.

Now all this seems a bit ad hoc. But here comes the second point: to steer this turbulence in the right direction, vision is needed. The long term must be clear: WHERE are we going? HOW we get there, we will see. The 'how' is more experimental.

This brings us to the third point: decisiveness. This applies strongly to digital leaders: the clock speed of the environment has increased. Change happens faster than before and you have to keep up if you don't want to end up like a mammoth in the tropical rainforest [Kotte-man, 2015]. Google did a study on the pillars for a Top Team [Google, 2016]. One of the five pillars is structure and clarity - does everyone know their goals, tasks and action plans?

In the regular concept of leadership, decisiveness has always been an important point. Some even take the view that a wrong decision is better than no decision at all. As long as you remain agile and adjust when necessary, we would add.
What does not fit well with this are connective leadership profiles. There are plenty of those and they are very popular. What does not fit at all are "seducers" (that term is really used!). If there is a dynamic, adequate and swift decision-making is required. You can connect, but it does not make you more decisive.

The fourth point is innovation. More than in regular leadership, digital leadership is about innovation. This leads to a style of leadership that gives room for experimentation and smart failure. It is not primarily about maintaining what already exists. Organisations do have the natural reflex to do so; the first thought is to preserve and expand what already exists. This does not lead to adaptation, but to increasing turnover and production. That does not fit with digital leadership, which goes from more to better to different [Maes, 2017]. This also means that uncertainty is a factor: the digital leader must be able to deal with this. Certainties are gone. The importance of structure is much less than usual. People can be deployed independently of hierarchy, in ad hoc teams. Organisations are "reframed" [Bolman & Deal, 1991].

The corona crisis has increased the pressure: waiting is not an option. To survive as an organisation, adaptation and making choices is the dominant story. Survival of the fittest. And that is not the one who has trained well in the gym, but the one who knows how to adapt best. The danger is that there is too great a call for firm leadership: there is a need for clarity, but you can also exaggerate that. You only have to look at the world stage, at Erdogan, Trump and Bolsonaro.

This certainly includes moral leadership, a very separate issue, which this article does not provide enough space for.

## The second part: transformation

The second part is about transformation. In particular, of course, digital transformation. There is a lot of literature on this subject. The corona crisis is causing even deniers of this transformation to change their position, even though they are not the only ones.
if only because they have to go digital and skype anyway. Before
corona (B.C.), this aspect was doused with a 'geek sauce'. Terms like
blockchain and IoT frightened people away. But now we see that the
change is accelerating and also becoming more accepted. It has
become more concrete and visible.

This digital transformation is strongly linked to the mental transformation. It is not just a technical issue, but also has to do with image and attitude. The crisis has also changed this: it is no longer appropriate to say that you don't like the technology, or to invent fake reasons why you don't like a transformation [Kotteman, 2019]. The way in which an organisation works becomes different. Management can be different: less top-down, less centralised, less emphasis on rules and procedures, greater autonomy for employees because they have a much better information position. The Erasmus University, in particular the ECBI, the Erasmus Centre for Business Innovation, claims that innovation depends 25 per cent on technology and 75 per cent on people.

Now there seems to be a contradiction creeping into this
argument: is there to be less top-down work or is it just about
decisive leadership? The answer lies in differentiation and cartoons.
Differentiation because situations and people differ and leadership
must differentiate: for example, according to the task maturity of
employees. Cartoons because a digital leader is not a caricature -
she or he must be able to show different faces. She or he must be
able, in terms of Amy Edmondson [2013], to offer psychological
security. There is the learning aspect to it: short-cycle steering, the
first point of leadership for this.

The differentiation also has a second aspect: in which phase does
the organisation move? A different style is appropriate for
developing organisations than for structuring organisations. In the
first case, there is an orientation towards the environment; in the
second, it is the internal orientation. The predominant point is that
in the case of digital transformation and digital leadership, this
happens rather quickly.
## The third part: digitisation

You could say that the speed with which the corona crisis is spreading like an economic crisis is a consequence of the very fast world-wide communication. How different it was in the days of 1929 when carrierpigeons brought the Rothschilds their stock market fortunes. This means that technology has a key role as a facilitator. It is sometimes said that we are "highly dependent on technology", but then it seems that we do not let technology work for us. The technique is there, it is important, but it is a tool, nothing more. A tool that can change your organisation, or that, if you do not use it, can ruin your organisation. "A fool with a tool..."

Look at software development, for example. DevOps makes short releases possible. As Forrester writes: "This is not your father's IT with a release every three years" [Forrester Research, 2014]. The technology works as a facilitator that makes it possible to work in a short cycle. For the leadership this means that the digital leader must have technical-substantive insight. In their recent book, Stoker and Garretsen [2020] make fun of process managers who do not know the content.

What you sometimes read is that digital leadership is there because "everything is digital nowadays". But that is very easy. We are in a digital world and then a leader would automatically become a digital leader. That is not true. It is hoped that this article has made some distinction.

* Digital leadership can be distinguished from regular leadership.

* It requires a different pace of decision-making, it requires short-cycle working, flexibility and a different attitude towards experimentation.

* So: digital leadership is here, it will stay and it deserves a special place.
Sources

* Bolman, L.G. & Deal, T.E. (1991). *Refraiming organizations*. San Francisco, VS: Jossey-Bass.

* Edmonson, A. (2013). *Teaming to Innovate*. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

* Forrester Research Inc. (2014). *Social Media Forecast 2014-2019*.

* Google Factory, (2016). *Project Aristoteles*. Accessed at https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html en https://rework.google.com/print/guides/5721312655835136/.

* Kotteman, D. (2015). *Ga toch leidinggeven!* Zaltbommel: Van Haren Publishing.

* Kotteman, D. & Gietema, J. (2019). *The Project Saboteur*. Londen: Claret Publishers.

* Maes, R. (2017). *Geen digitale transformatie zonder mentale transformatie: de nieuwe werkelijkheid van de informatie-professional*. In: *De informatieprofessional 3.0*. Amsterdam: Boom Uitgevers.

* Stoker, J. & Garretsen, H. (2020). *Goede leiders zweven niet: De fundamenten van effectief leiderschap, in organisaties en de maatschappij*. Amsterdam: Business Contact.

* Swieringa, J., Wierdsma, A.F.M. (1990). *Op weg naar een lerende organisatie*. Groningen: Wolters Noordhof.
# Humanity, Smart Professional

by Petra van Driel and Klaas Brongers

Smart Humanity, what a great ambition for every information professional to contribute to. How? By becoming aware of different perspectives of personal actions together with professionals from different disciplines.

The value of Smart Humanity is that our work serves both ourselves, others and society. The question is: how are you going to understand each other if you don't understand each other, because you have a different background, work ethic or professional discipline? We advocate starting and ending with empathy [Krznaric, 2014].

The developments in the information society, the increasing dependence on digital services and the vulnerability of society are at the centre of contemporary discussions on technology and innovation. The question behind this is what freedom means in relation to responsibility. This question recurs in the national discussions about the changes in the privacy legislation: the link with the democratic system was made [Brongers & Van Driel, 2019]. Meanwhile the 'yellow shirts' rose from discontent and distrust in the present social system. The paradox between one world and another becomes clear when we look at technological developments: on the one hand everything goes super-fast and the possibilities seem endless. On the other hand, making rights, policies and decisions about the use of technology takes time.
## Who are we and why is this important?

What applies in society as a whole also applies to the people involved in the development and deployment of new technology. Just think of the (imaginary) laboratory, the work floor. During the process of working together, people's unconscious comes to the surface in the form of insights and development. This is the moment when clarifying and managing expectations becomes important. Because you assume that your intentions and viewpoints are clear to the other, but in practice they are often not. This applies to all sorts of areas. Between people on the shop floor, in the relationships between stakeholders and in the relationship between the government and the citizen. This so-called 'vertical image' of society has its counterpart in a 'horizontal image'.

The horizontal image of society consists of all kinds of thorough preparations and moments of information gathering, processing and communication (see also: [Van Driel, 2019]). This concerns, for example, the run-up to decision-making, final communication and the 'real' recording of information. A lot goes on behind the scenes of many organisations around such a process, which we do not observe, but which is important, namely: reaching well-considered decisions on the basis of knowledge, experience and solid information. This horizontal view of society mainly serves the sharing or not of enlightening information, which we can say has reached a (temporary) end point in an information supply process. The question that arises, however, is: where is the interest of the citizen reflected in the complex social (decision-making) processes and in projects [WRR, 2006]?

## Digital transformation: from inside to outside and back again

The term 'digital transformation' implies the use of ICT in both the organisation's goals and the means to achieve them. Organisations with a high degree of digital maturity perform better. But what does that mean and how do we get there?
Firstly, it can be built on the idea that human behaviour is
shaped by the context of the organisation. Secondly, the chosen
technology also has an institutional impact when used. In other
words, the people in companies, organisations and society are the
actors who determine the construction of technology, from their
social environment.

At the same time, technological applications acquire meaning
through their use by people with different backgrounds. In the
development of technology, therefore, both the design and the use
of it influence the success factors of technological applications
[Outvorst et al., 2007] In this context, the importance of the
innovative development of human values in the tension field
between policy and employees, politics and society becomes clear. It
is also the human being who shapes the environment in which he
works. He does this both in the role of connector and on the role of
connector [Van de Luijtgaarden, 2017].

Case study

Who we are, therefore, also determines our actions. In order to know
what we (do not) do, we are dependent on our subconscious [Jung,
1992]. For one professional, 'doing nothing' is an active attitude and
'passivism' is a conscious choice, while for another it may seem
indecent. This will quickly be noticed, as it is a clash of values and
traditions. But behaviour can also be used consciously by
professionals. If, for example, a specific response is deliberately
provoked, the aim may be to obtain information early in the process
for one's own benefit. It may then be right (very consciously) not to
react. It is not only a matter of avoiding a conflict at a controlled
moment, but also a way of giving the conflict a twist.

In order to solve complicated problems in which interests differ
and different parties determine the field of influence, it is important
to determine the starting position of the (intended) cooperation
between care providers and care providers.
This requires a careful choice of timing, content and people involved in the decision-making process. This requires a careful choice of timing, of content and of the people involved in decision-making. In business development, it is in the preparation of projects, in the phase that is comparable to presales. In the initial phase, it is about the relationships between people and their shared interests within the project. This is the starting point for actual cooperation with a common goal. Creating the desired result with the most suitable means is the core of the conversation. It starts with naming the goal, means and result and agreeing on them. If that fails, the question is whether starting a project makes sense. Although stopping a project is often seen as 'not done', in some cases it can still be the best option. It can make the difference between an expensive "failed" ICT project or not: a project whose products are not taken up by the users - the business (see also: [Mulder & Mulder, 2013]).

## What can you do as a professional?

For professionals, the digital transformation actually creates a para-dox between the inner and the outer world. Crucial to this is that you, as a professional, continually test your observations and assumptions. You do this with each other, with yourself and with your environment - an environment in which users, citizens and companies also play an important role! After all, others may have different goals and motivations. External influences and your own insights are particularly important here, because they, in turn, also influence your actions. We do not have to do everything on our own: working together can help to bring in different perspectives. It is precisely in an open discussion that you can reach a common perspective of action. If we put agendas on the table, it will become clear that collective and personal goals can go hand in hand. See, for example, the approach of Nonviolent Communication [Rosenberg, 2015]. It helps to outline the context of what you are doing and why. The precondition for this is a common goal of the organisation: knowing who you are precedes knowing what you do and why. This prevents getting in each other's way or working separately.
Like recognising different perceptions precedes bringing these visions of the world together. Ultimately, the aim is to achieve our goal with the right efforts at the right time. That is the essence of accountability and decision-making, and Smart Professionals can contribute to that.

## What and why?

Our working method is therefore mainly aimed at building bridges through Smart Professionals, with the intention of passing on what we learn to others. The proposed approach is to first establish a basis in a lab. This is a small, sometimes (partly) virtual group of people from various disciplines who start an innovative process - even before there can be talk of a project. At that point, it is a matter of simply starting somewhere. In other words, setting a point on the horizon and going for it, while continuously making adjustments along the way. The recommended method for this is to alternate between carrying out the task in hand and reflecting on its implementation (see also: [Van de Luijtgaarden, 2017]). In doing so, we look at the various competencies, qualities and talents of those involved, with the starting point being to trust each other. The most important element is then to find forms in co-creation to respect human dignity and its limits and, moreover, to incorporate it in daily practice. This then becomes the new version of what we call the decision-making process. Sounds like innovation, right?

* Working together and achieving something starts with agreeing on actions, means and results. If that doesn't work, ask yourself if it makes sense to continue.

* Be aware of the different perspectives of personal actions. Try to understand each other with empathy.

* Test your observations and assumptions, with each other, with yourself and with those around you.
Sources

□ Borst, W. (2019). *De verdachte in de ketens: Informatie delen in ketens en netwerken*. Den Haag: Boom bestuurskunde.

□ Brongers, K. & Van Driel, P.C. (2019). Vrienden worden met de tijd. In: *AG Connect*, editie oktober, p. 78.

□ Driel, P.C. van (2019). Ethics and Digital Transformation: The Role of Democratic Institutions. In: *Proceedings of the 15th European Conference on Management Leadership and Governance ECMLG 2019*, 14-15 november 2019, Porto, Portugal, p. 528.

□ Jung, C.G. (1992). *De mens en zijn symbolen*. Rotterdam: Lemniscaat.

□ Krznaric, R. (2014). *Empathie*. Utrecht: Uitgeverij Ten Have.

□ Luijtgnaarden, H.J.L.M. van de, (2017). *Preventive Law: Aanzet tot normatieve professionalisering in de opleiding van juristen*. Soesterberg: Uitgeverij Aspekt.

□ Mulder, H. & Mulder, T. (2013). Waarom grote ICT-projecten vaak mislukken. *Informatie, maandblad voor de Informatievoorziening*. Den Haag: Sdu.

□ Outvorst, F. van, Visker, C. & Waal, B. de (2017). Digital Leadership: the consequences of organizing and working in a digital society. In: (red.) *Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Management, Leadership and Governance ICMLG 2017*, 16-17 March, Johannesburg South Africa, p. 463-471.

□ Rosenberg, M.B. (2015). *Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life*, 3e editie. Encinitas Californië: Puddle Dancer Press.

□ Wetenschappelijke Raad voor Regeringsbeleid (WRR) (2006). *Lerende overheid, een pleidooi voor probleemgerichte politiek*. Amsterdam: University Press Amsterdam.
# It's 'smart' me!

Wouter Bronsgeest

> My little daughter got her first smartphone last week. After a period of educationally sound discussions, she was allowed to try out comparison sites on her own. After weeks of searching and comparing, "the best" was found.

Besides online comparison, the social network was also benchmarked. Not a cheap device, but not an iPhone 10 either. And with Snapchat and WhatsApp, and preferably Instagram too ... but we won't be doing that just yet. There are quite a few risks involved. Fortunately, a child knows (at least in this case) that photos of yourself shouldn't just wander around the digital world. This had already been discussed in class; digital skills and safety start early. Fortunately.

The first message - in style, of course, i.e. in the form of five separate messages - was worth its weight in gold. To

to frame: "Hi, Dad! Look, my first message to you! Your child." And then followed by a picture of my wife, with the brilliant caption "proof". You can understand that for a while I couldn't seriously read the voluminous policy paper I was reading.

Children with smartphones: Our society is changing rapidly. The very young can literally grasp new technology and integrate it into their lives within minutes. They are online in seconds, and suddenly so are their friends. The trick now is to guide children in such a way that they understand how to use this technology, but also how their brain deals with it. Ever wanted to take a tablet or smart-phone away from your child after agreed 'playtime'? It causes a lot of stress and often irritation. Many children do not know how to deal with the increased cortisol levels after playing games and tapping messages back and forth.

In addition to the fact that tablets and smartphones seem to be particularly 'addictive', the interaction with them speaks for itself.
The "reptilian brain" is constantly under attack. That is the brain of the basic 'fight-flight-freeze' reactions. In children, this is very noticeable because they often react on the basis of the emotion of the moment. In adults

That is less noticeable. But do you also recognise that colleagues have completely forgotten what was just agreed in a conversation or meeting? Chances are, they've immediately focused their attention on their smart device. Busy with themselves, checking mails and apps ... and therefore immediately tap into another brain function. And therefore no longer save what they have just committed themselves to.

Neurospecialist

Susan

Greenfield's research has seen how the brain responds to the impulses

of a computer or smart device. Her recommendations for the proper upbringing of children speak volumes, and are - once again! - scientific basis: read before, play outside and eat together. Activities that appeal to other parts of the brain and which re-establish the brain's hormonal balance. And perhaps most interestingly, they normalise the neurosynapses of "gaming" and build up other neurosynapses.

I wish all colleagues with children to apply this pedagogical advice. And in fact, I wish all colleagues in the organisation where I work that they also apply this advice - to themselves!

## Source

Previously published online at: AG Connect, https://www.agconnect.nl/blog/its-smart-me, June 26th, 2018
# Lifelong development: the adaptive professional

by Guido Ongena and Pascal Ravesteijn

Digital transformation is characterised by six phases [Solis, 2019]. The last phase is labelled as an organisation that is innovative, but also adaptive and thus able to respond to the opportunities offered by the external environment. Out-of-the-box thinking, experimentation and innovation should be encouraged to reach this stage.

But what about our own adaptability? Our agility in absorbing new knowledge? How agile are we as professionals? An agile professional is smart, able to prepare for changes in his or her field and, for this reason, will have to keep developing throughout his or her working life.

## Up- and reskilling of the region

The Netherlands is facing a major and complex challenge to cope with the impact of technology on the labour market. There is a discrepancy between what people learn and are able to do and what the labour market needs. Also the influx into the labour market does not match the demand for knowledge and skills [Kemna, e.a., 2019]. This applies in particular to the ICT sector, where there is also a great shortage of (new) employees.
The prognosis is that this influx will also decrease. In addition to
new influx, current ICT professionals will have to develop skills to
be able to transfer to another IT profession and/or role (reskilling).
They will also have to develop skills aimed at growing with the
changing demand for technical skills within their own function/role
(upskilling). Hüsing, Korte & Dashja [2016] provide a nice overview
of the rapidly changing need for e-skills and digital leadership skills
during 2014-2015. Their predictions towards 2020 have proven to
be quite accurate: the conclusion is that the need for ICT
professionals in Europe is generally growing stronger than the
supply. However, the nuance is that this can differ enormously per
function/role.

In a rapidly changing market, IT professionals must constantly
stay up to date with the latest developments. It now seems to be in
the DNA of the IT professional to brush up their knowledge and
skills on a regular basis. This continuous pressure to invest also
takes its toll. More and more IT professionals are considering
quitting because of this continuous pressure [AG Connect, 2020a].
Employers, on the other hand, seem to be giving their employees
plenty of leeway. This is not without reason, as training
opportunities determine job satisfaction [AG Connect, 2020b].

However, we also see a broadening of the demand for IT and data
expertise in other domains. Data in particular seems to be becoming
a common denominator with all kinds of different sectors. For
example, marketers are working with marketing analytics, HR
specialists with HR analytics, engineers with predictive
maintenance and even fintech has its fair share of data analytics.
These sectors are therefore increasingly looking for a connection
with IT (education).

Flexibilisation of education

In recent decades, more and more attention has been paid to
personalised education. This attention stems from the shift in vision
on learning, from standardisation to customised learning. The prin-
ciples of personalisation, in which tailoring education to the
individual is central, are increasingly seen as core values [Beetham
& Sharpe, 2013]. Not surprisingly, because research shows that
individualised instruction produces better results than a uniform
approach to more traditional, classroom instruction [Hattie, 2008].

We also see this trend in higher education. In recent years,
considerable efforts have been made to make education more
flexible. Following the advice of the advisory committee "Flexible
higher education for those in work" [2014], a pilot was started by
the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science to abandon fixed
programmes in part-time higher education [MinOCW, 2016]. A
large number of universities (21) of applied sciences are taking part,
offering a range of different 345 courses. Central to the pilot are the
learning outcomes. In contrast to learning objectives, learning
outcomes are grafted onto the greater whole. They describe a
correlation between knowledge, insights, skills and attitude that
the student has to demonstrate. Important here is that learning
outcomes are linked to assessment and not to the learning process.
This disconnects the lessons from the assessment. A student can
determine his own learning path. This is what is referred to as a
learning path independent assessment (LOT). The routes to the
diploma can therefore be varied and tailored to the student. These
learning outcomes thus describe what a student is expected to
know, understand and be able to apply upon completion of a
learning period. Learning outcomes should meet the following
quality requirements [NVAO, 2019]:

- Learning path independent: they enable students to determine their own learning path

- Representative of the learning outcomes of the programme

- Recognisable for the field

- Specific and measurable: they provide an unambiguous
  assessment framework for course-independent testing

- Transparent: the relationship between learning outcomes, units of learning, learning activities and assessment is clear
* Coherent: they form a coherent unit and can be distinguished from other (units of) learning outcomes

* Sustainable: they are formulated in such a way that they can be used for a number of years

## Linking education and practice

As mentioned above, an important quality requirement for learning outcomes is recognisability for the professional field. For full-time higher professional education ICT courses (bachelor's programmes), most universities of applied sciences use the HBO-i framework [HBO-i, 2018] as an umbrella for the development and implementation of the curriculum. However, for part-time programmes for professionals who already have several years of work experience, this is not self-evident. In such a situation, it is often better to connect to a framework that has been (more) developed from practice. Within Europe, it is then logical to align with the e-Competence Framework (e-CF). The e-CF is a framework to describe professional ICT skills. The most recent version (4.0) consists of competences and levels, which have been laid down as standards [CEN/TC 428, 2020]. A competence is described in this framework as a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge, skills and attitudes to achieve observable results. Four dimensions are distinguished. The first two dimensions are set up from an organisational perspective. Dimension one describes the five e-competence areas, derived from the IT business processes: plan, build, run, enable, and manage. Dimension Two describes a set of forty-one e-Competence references with a general description of each competence. For each competence, levels are defined which are referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and which can be achieved by an individual (dimension three). The last and fourth dimension gives examples of knowledge and skills that a professional should have in relation to the competence in question.

A further contribution to the usefulness of the e-CF is the overview of ICT Roles Profiles [CEN/TC 428, 2018], in which the 30 most common roles in ICT are described, along with the tasks,
competences and responsibilities, the corresponding competences are also included. Organisations that are not satisfied with these profiles can always use the latest version of the KNVI Competence Model [Op de Coul & Van Oosterhout, 2018], which provides a much more comprehensive overview of functions, tasks, roles and competences and which also has a link to the e-CF.

The advantage of developing a curriculum based on a framework such as the e-CF is that the competences lend themselves well to translation into learning outcomes. This not only guarantees recognisability, but also ensures that there is a coherent whole from which the learning outcomes can be set up. Finally, it can be said that the e-CF framework is sustainable. Europe is continuously working on improving the competences formulated and the alignment with practice. For example, a number of transversal aspects have been added to the version; these are generic aspects that are important when exercising competencies in practice. Examples include attention to ethics, sustainability, ICT legislation and privacy issues, and the accessibility and usability of systems for users.

In addition to the e-CF, various initiatives have been launched to make application even easier. These are subdivided into four domains, also called pillars, which must be taken into account when developing courses and training programmes (see figure 1). In addition to i) competencies, ii) the development of guidelines for curriculum development and assessment criteria related to the competencies, iii) providing insight into the Body of Knowledge of the ICT domain, and (iv) researching the normative ICT professional and developing an associated code of ethics. As shown in the figure, many of these components are still under development. However, once these various initiatives have been completed, they will collectively provide a whole set of instruments that can be used by both education and practical organisations to develop education, courses and training-on-the-job. This will create a whole range of possibilities for ICT professionals to continue their development.
<figure><img src="image_5.png" /><figcaption>Figure 1: The four pillars of ICT professionalism for Europe (CEN/TC 428, 2020)</figcaption></figure>

## Finally

The attention to flexibilisation in education is a good reason for employers to re- and upskill their professionals. Short-cycle modules make it possible to brush up on knowledge and skills, but also make it possible to work towards a diploma using individual routes. This is also an invitation to the same employer to think along and actively participate in flexible education programmes. Thanks to this flexibility, updating the programme has become more accessible and it can therefore increasingly respond to the needs of the market.
* For ICT professionals, it is extremely important to continue to develop, not only in their own expertise but also in the broader ICT field. This is the only way to keep up with rapid developments and avoid ending up 'on the bench' one day.

* Jobs change faster than competences, so training should be built from there.

* Higher education should offer more flexibility in training routes, both for professionals and for full-time students.

* The professional field should participate more in the development and content of curricula.

## Sources

* Adviescommissie ‘Flexibel hoger onderwijs voor werkenden’. (2014). *Flexibel hoger onderwijs voor volwassenen: adviesrapport*. Geraadpleegd op www.scienceguide.nl/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/adviesrapport-flexibilisering-hoger-onderwijs-1.pdf.

* AG Connect. (2020a). Constante druk om bij te blijven eist zijn tol. Geraadpleegd op AG Connect: https://www.agconnect.nl/artikel/constant eist-zijn-tol.

* AG Connect. (2020b). Steun en ruimte voor kennisontwikkeling IT'ers groeit. Geraadpleegd op AG Connect: https://www.agconnect.nl/artikel/steun-en-ruimte-voor-kennisontwikkeling-iters-groeit.

* Beetham, H. & Sharpe, R. (2013). *Rethinking pedagogy for a digital age: Designing for 21st century learning*. Londen: Routledge.
* CEN/TC 428. (2018). CWA 16458-1:2018 European ICT professionals role profiles Part 1: 30 ICT profiles. Geraadpleegd op https://www.cen.eu/work/areas/ict/eeducation/pages/ws-ict-skills.aspx.

* CEN/TC 428. (2020). EN 16234-1:2019 ‘e-Competence Framework (e-CF)’ - A common European Framework for ICT Professionals’. Geraadpleegd op https://standards.cen.eu/dyn/www/f/?p=204:110:0:::FSP_PROJECT, FSP_ORG_ID:67073,1218399&cs=1A148766F9EC80CBD3340728E3B8BB892.

* CEN/TC 428. (2020). European ICT multi-stakeholder requirements collecting. Workshop: Summary of Outcomes and Workshop Conclusions. Parijs.
* Hattie, J. (2008). *Leren zichtbaar maken*. Rotterdam: Bazalt Educatieve Uitgaven.

* HBO-i. (2018). Domeinbeschrijving. Geraadpleegd op HBO-i: https://hbo.i.nl/domeinbeschrijving/.

* Hüsing, T., W.B., K. & Dashja, E. (2016). *e-Skills & Digital Leadership Skills Labour Market in Europe 2015-2020: Trends and Forecasts for the European ICT Professional and Digital Leadership Labour Market (2015-2020)*. Bonn: Empirica. Geraadpleegd op https://www.empirica.com/fileadmin/publikationenseries/documents/Schriftenreihe_2016_Nr_02_eSkills_eLeadership_Skills_Figures_and_Forecasts.pdf.

* Kemna, A., Haar, B. ter, e.a. (2019). *Arbeid in Transitie: Hoe mens en technologie samen kunnen werken*. DenkWerk.

* MinOCW. (2016). Experimenten flexibilisering deeltijdonderwijs. Geraadpleegd op https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/hoger-onderwijs/experimenten-om-deeltijdonderwijs-flexibeler-te-maken/pilots-flexibilisering.

* NVAO. (2019). *Beoordeling Bestaande Experimenten Leeruitkomsten: Protocol*. Den Haag: NVAO.

* Op de Coul, J. & Van Oosterhout, M. (2018). *Werken in een digitale wereld*. Zaltbommel: Van Haren Publishing.

* Solis, B. (2019). *Digital Transformation 101*. Geraadpleegd op https://www.briansolis.com/2019/07/digitaltransformation101/.
# Return on learning for the professional

by Anita Bosman, Jacques Jan Muller and
Rick Strijbos

In the rapidly changing world, working has become learning. The corona crisis has given a boost to the use of new technology and new opportunities. The need for continuous learning is greater than ever.

ICT has ensured that learning has become very accessible and that the distinction between learning and working is increasingly blurred. Working is learning and learning is working. Organisations and trainers will have to fundamentally change their ideas about learning. Training and education should therefore demonstrably achieve something at the work behaviour level. Concepts such as "blended learning" and "agile learning" address this need. The time of pure classroom learning is definitely over.

## Investing in learning

How can you ensure that you learn as effectively as possible? Remaining powerful in your work also means making the right choices when it comes to training and education. This is not only about choosing the content you want to learn, but also about how you want to learn.
What the right training format is is very personal: more traditional classroom sessions led by a (practice) teacher or self-study (MOOCs, e-learning, books, learning by doing, blended etc.). When making the right choices, the question always arises: how do you actually know what you don't know? And what does a training course or meeting actually deliver?

The question for professionals and their managers is often: "How do you get more out of your training? After all, training costs time, money and effort. With the right knowledge and skills, you achieve better results in less time. How do you ensure that you not only have a fun learning day, but that you immediately start applying it on the work floor? Optimisation of the investment in the learning process is therefore important."

## Return on learning

A recent study by the Association for Talent Development (ASTD) supports this development (www.astd.org). ASTD is the world's largest platform on development and learning in organisations. It reports that only a third of the respondents in the study indicated that their current training efforts are effective. To increase the efficiency of learning and reduce costs, informal learning seems to be one of the golden eggs for the future.

## Forms of learning

In the literature, the link between forms of learning and returns is frequently made. In particular, the concepts of formal and informal learning are often mentioned.

Formal learning is conscious, actively directed and planned [De Laat, Poell, Simons & Van der Krogt, 2001] and the outcomes are often predictable [Hager, 1998]. These outcomes consist of explicit and formal knowledge and skills [Slotte, Tynjälä & Hytönen, 2004]. Formal learning includes well thought-out forms such as courses, workshops and training. The return on investment of formal learning has been under discussion for many years. Wenger
wrote in 1998 the following about it: "At present, attention has shifted from formal training to informal learning in the workplace and to ways in which these can be improved" [Wenger, 1998]. Burke & Hutchins [2007] indicate in their research that the transfer of courses is low. Shortly after the course, the transfer is still at a level of 60 percent, but the degree of transfer decreases significantly over time - after a longer period of time, the value is only one 10 percent.

Informal learning means learning in daily practice. It happens spontaneously and unplanned, without a trainer or a training programme. Informal learning is mainly the result of processing the experiences that employees gain during their work. Taris [2007] states that most learning in organisations (at least in quantitative terms) is informal learning. According to Jennings & Wargnier [2012], 90 percent of learning occurs in informal settings through workplace learning, job aids, mentoring and social networks.

The results of informal learning are often unpredictable [Hager, 1998] and consist of implicit knowledge [Eraut, 2004; Hager, 1998]. At the same time, the literature also shows that informal learning does not have to be entirely coincidental. Creating the right, challenging learning climate contributes directly to the development of a professional [Frietman, Kennis & Hövels, 2010]. It is therefore about maximising the conditions for informal learning in an organisation [Smith & Sadler-Smith, 2006].

## Transfer of learning

Another way of looking at learning efficiency is by using Velada's transfer model. This involves looking at the factors that influence the transfer for learning. Velada [2007] has developed a model for transfer of training. In his model, he divided transfer into the three key areas:

1. **Transfer climate.** Transfer climate is about situations, consequences and possibilities in an organisation that make employees
will or will not apply the behaviour learned during the training.
Examples are an open learning climate, personal development plans, coaching role of management and colleagues and so on.

2. **Training design.** This core area is about the way in which training is designed and implemented. This includes, for example, classical education, e-learning, blended learning, project-driven or agile learning.

3. **Individual factors.** Individual learning factors are characteristics such as cognitive ability, personality and motivation. Think of driving forces, intelligence and learning motivation of the participant.

In summary, the dividing line between formal and informal learning is not always easy to make in practice. The distinction is particularly valuable in making clients and trainers realise that learning in organisations is a joint challenge.

**What does this mean for the ICT professional?**

Valeda's model provides insight into the factors that influence learning efficiency. For the professional this means that he or she chooses a learning path in which formal and informal learning can be combined as much as possible. In this way she or he ensures the highest learning efficiency. Based on Velada's model we can give the professional the following tips:

1. **Transfer climate (learning climate)**

- Organise feedback from those you work with, but especially for.
Use your manager, experienced colleagues or clients to support
you in your learning process. Think of periodic progress meetings,
client evaluations and 360° feedback.

- Make sure your training fits your personal development needs and the needs of the organisation. What "value" will the learning path bring you and your organisation?
* Make sure your training is 'just in time'. At the time of your training, are there sufficient opportunities in your work to apply what you have learned? Which assignment or task can you use as a 'test' environment? Learning is experimenting. Other examples are innovation projects, hacking sessions or work placements.

* Schedule the training at a time when you and your organisation can make sufficient time for it.

## 2. Training design

* Choose a suitable education at the right level. It seems obvious, after all nothing is as frustrating as too high or too low a level of education. And frustration is counterproductive. Yet in practice it is difficult to find the right match. Are you looking for knowledge or competences? Is a certification or title important? Or is it also about practical knowledge? What is a good training course that fits in with the existing knowledge and experience? So spend enough time investigating what the learning objectives of the training are and how the training is structured.

* Choose to spread out in time: our minds have their limits in terms of absorption capacity. Everyone has a certain span of attention. Bootcamps of many long days in a row ignore this. At most, this works to pass an exam in a short period of time, but the space for insight, depth and application is often compromised. Spreading training courses that last longer than a few days, for example with a fixed day per week, has advantages. You can then let the material sink in, reflect on it and then build on an existing foundation. You learn from trainings with room for interaction, practice and discussion.

* Similarities with your practice: the experience of the training or education should resemble the real work situation as much as possible. This means exercises, case studies and assignments that are as close as possible to your own practice. You can also learn a lot from your fellow participants. So their level and practical experience are also important.
* Research shows that the yield is higher when learning is done through active learning. So choose a programme that encourages you to get actively involved by means of assignments, simulations, work placements and so on. Look for an education in which you can combine formal and informal learning.

### 3. Individual factors

* Take control of your own development. Make sure you want to do the training yourself. Do not allow yourself to be steered by your manager. Think about your learning goals in advance. What do you want to get out of the training? The more concrete you formulate your goals, the better you will be able to see the steps you have made during and after the training.

* Prepare well. A wise man once said, "To fail in preparation is to prepare for failure." This preparation of course includes selecting the right institute and the right training. Shortly before the start of the training, it is also a good idea to go through the curriculum again. What can I expect? What are the learning objectives? What are my goals? Why do I want to do this course again? If you set yourself goals, learning becomes more focused, better and easier. At the same time, relaxation is also an important advantage. If it is possible to rest well beforehand, this also increases your absorption capacity. After all, a rested mind absorbs more.

* Create an active learning motivation. It has been proven that active learning gives a higher yield. So what is active learning? You can read a text alone or listen to an explanation from the teacher. But making a diagram or mind map helps you structure the material. Above all, ask questions. Just thinking up the question encourages you to think actively and gain insight. Imagine what the teacher's answer or the reaction of your fellow student could add! Critical thinking (analysing and judging information independently of others) also helps you learn and remember better. Making a summary afterwards re-arranges what has been learned and ensures that it will sink in better. Give yourself
some homework (if the teacher doesn't do it already) and work
with additional information and record your own learning
experience.

* Learning styles. The fact is that everyone learns differently: we call these learning styles. Many learn the most by doing and learn by trial and error. Others are good at observing and reflecting and learn the most in this way. Being able to look up and read more information afterwards works better for those who need it. Good training takes this into account. This variety of didactic methods ensures that everyone is offered something that works best for him or her. In addition, it keeps the course or training lively and interesting until the end.

* Have fun. This is perhaps the most important tip of all! After all, learning is fun. When you feel safe and good, you absorb more. And remember that there is no such thing as failure. Discovery does.

* A learning process costs time, money and effort. Learning should directly support your performance as a professional. That is why the return on investment of learning is increasingly important.

* Learning is not only about formal but increasingly about informal learning.

* For the professional, this means choosing a learning path in which formal and informal learning can be combined as much as possible. By doing so, he or she ensures the highest learning efficiency.
Sources

Burke, L.A. & Hutchins, H.M. (2007). *Training transfer: An integrative literature review*. Human Resource Development Review 6 (3), p. 263-296.

Eraut, M. (2004). Informal Learning in the Workplace. In: *Studies in Continuing Education*, 26, p. 247-273.

Hager, P. (1998). Understanding workplace learning: General perspectives. In: D. Boud (red.), *Current issues and new agendas in workplace learning*. Springfield, VA, NCVER, p. 31-46.

Jennings, C. & Wargnier J. (2012). *Effective Learning with 70:20:10* (White paper). Londen: CrossKnowledge.

Laat, M. de., Poell, R., Simons, R. J. & Krogt, F. van der (2001). Organiseren van leren op de werkplek. In A. Wald & J. van der Linden (red.), *Leren in perspectief*, p. 69-84. Apeldoorn/Leuven: Garant.

Sadler-Smith, E. & Smith P. J. (2001). Work-Based Learning: some perspectives from Australia and the UK. In: J.N. Streumer (red.), *Perspectives on Learning at the Workplace. Supplement to the Proceedings Second Conference on HRD Research and Practice Across Europe 2001*. Enschede: University of Twente.

Slotte, V., Tynjälä, P. & Hytönen, T. (2004). How do HRD practitioners describe learning at work? In: *Human Resource Development International*, 7, p. 481-499.

Smith, P.J. & Sadler-Smith, E. (2006). *Learning in organizations: complexities and diversities*. London: Routledge.

Taris, T.W. (2007). *Al doende leert men: Werkkenmerken en leergedrag op het werk*. Inaugurale rede. Nijmegen: Radboud Universiteit.

Velada, R., Caetano, A., Michel, J. W., Lyons, B. D. & Kavanagh, M. J. (2007).

The effects of training design, individual characteristics and work environment on transfer of training. In: *International Journal of Training and Development*, 11, p. 282-294.

Wenger, E. (1998). *Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity*.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Wenger, E. (1998). *Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity*.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2
Smart
Designer
& User
Designing and using facilities is no longer the domain of 'ICT people'. No, that domain belongs now to information professionals in the broadest sense of the word. Starting with the people who have to use technical facilities, are looking for information or want a question answered. We talk more and more about 'chains' of production. From idea to user requirements via the design, creation, construction, testing and operation of facilities to the implementation of those facilities. From 'ICT project' to 'projects with an ICT component'.

To achieve this, other ways of working together and of producing are needed. More agile, more focused on modern architectural principles and managed on the basis of different kinds of measurement indicators. This part of the book deals with a number of these current perspectives.
# The new mantra: data

Klaas Brongers

Once an organisation has found an answer to Simon Sinek's why-question, the next mantra comes into play: data. Or rather, data-driven work. This has become an existential issue for many organisations.

Data architects design landscapes with data (science) platforms, data alakes and data hubs and set up master data management. Data scientists are able to translate terabytes of data into new insights with artificial intelligence.

Process mining and digital twins help you understand how processes really work and how you can make *what-if predictions*. Self-assessments, with the well-known 5-point scales, offer support in determining the maturity of your organisation in working with data. And there is already a good range to be had at college and master level.

training. For supporting tooling, there is a wide range on the market, with the characteristic that at the time of purchase you are already lagging behind.

The top players in data-driven work are the tech giants Ama- sun, Facebook and Google. Apple and Microsoft will come pretty close. As soon as Amazon enters a market, it will dominate that market. The announcement that this web shop is coming to the Netherlands makes bol.com, Wehkamp and many other retailers shudder. Facebook is a trendsetter in the creation of bubbles and is criss-crossing our democratic system with click-like fake news. Google, with its parent company Alphabet, is now much more than the ultimate search engine that answers almost all of our questions. The stock market value of the tech giants is such that their ability to take over other companies and invest in innovation cannot be kept up. The Chinese omnivores and semi-state-run Alibaba and Tencent are in another class in the ranking of data-driven tech giants.
With these examples, the question is how to become such a top player yourself, or at least come close to it. And how useful is it for an organisation to invest so much thought and capital in data-driven work? In terms of financing, the step from investing in tooling yourself (CAPEX) to paying for what you use, such as the cloud (OPEX), is a precondition for surviving at all. The trick is to be able to benefit as much as possible from what the tech giants have devised for themselves.

My primary requirements? To be able to work in a similar way to the tech giants, with maximum data efficiency and to profit maximally from all technological developments without having to think about it every time. Oh yes, I prefer doing justice to European public values to the commercial ideology of America and certainly to the state-led ideology of China.

Which relationship manager can I contact?

## Source

* Previously published online at: AGConnect, https://www.agconnect.nl/blog/de-nieuwe-mantra-data, 26th of March 2019
# Agile: hype or trend?

by Lineke Sneller

> "So in the final analysis, the meteoric rise of interest in - and sometimes tremendous criticism of - Agile Methodologies is about the mushy stuff of values and culture." [Agile Alliance, 2001]

## Introduction

Software has become indispensable for the realisation of the strategy of many organisations. As a result, software development has become a process of strategic importance. Traditionally, software development was roughly done in three successive phases. First, the user organisation made functional specifications of the software to be built. Then the developers built the software based on these specifications. When construction was completed, testers checked whether the software met the functional specifications. The testers' findings then had to be incorporated into the software and sometimes even into the specifications, after which the testers carried out a re-test. It was not unusual for these three consecutive phases to take a year or more, and the whole process was characterised by extensive documentation to support the phase transitions.

According to a group of leading software developers, traditional software development was too slow and too bureaucratic for the e-commerce era. They felt that a radical change was needed and looked for a method of software development that would be based on the principles of
trust and mutual respect. Their aim was to create organisations where people would work together in a way that they themselves would like to work there. In 2001 they met in Utah, called themselves the Agile Alliance and laid down their ideas in the Agile Manifesto [Agile Alliance, 2001].

The ideas of the Agile Alliance really struck a chord. Many organisations have embraced Agile methods in recent years and have rapidly implemented them. The question is how long this embrace will last. Agile could be a hype in our IT field, a development that is introduced with great enthusiasm but ultimately dies a quiet death. However, it could also be that Agile should be seen as a trend, a development that helps us move forward permanently. This contribution therefore focuses on the following question: is Agile a hype or a trend?

## Agile: core values and principles

The Agile Alliance wanted a fundamentally different approach to software development. Based on their years of experience, the group formulated four core values for software development - these four core values are shown in figure Each 1.value consists of a left and a right-hand method. Both ways of working are valuable, but if choices have to be made, then with Agile you choose the left way of working. For example, the second core value has 'working software' as its left-hand method and 'extensive documentation' as its right-hand method. In software development, you want to create both working software and comprehensive documentation. However, if for any reason you have to choose between the two, you choose the left-hand approach: working software.

The core values of Agile lead to a number of principles for software development. In applying these principles, a whole jargon has been created. For more information on the various Agile methods and frameworks, please refer to Agile Alliance [2020].
# Manifesto for Agile Software Development

We are uncovering better ways of developing software
by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work
we have come to value:

- Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

- Working software over comprehensive documentation

- Customer collaboration over contract

- Responding to change over following a plan

- That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left

<caption>Figure 1: The Agile Manifesto. Source: Agile Alliance [2001].</caption>

The first principle of agile software development is the short-cycle delivery of software, where each delivery has value for the customer. A software development cycle usually lasts three to six weeks and is called a *sprint*. During *sprint planning*, the backlog is determined, the list of new features, changed features, fixes and other things that will be realised in the sprint.

The second principle is cooperation in multidisciplinary autonomous teams, also called *scrum teams* or *squads*. Employees are assigned full-time to a team. The team is composed in such a way that all required competencies are available, both in the field of technology (programming, design, testing) and in other fields (domain knowledge, decision-making). The team is autonomous and is as a team accountable for the results. Within the team, the *product owner* has the decisive voice in determining the backlog, while the *scrum master* is responsible for working
according to the Agile core values and the agreed processes. The
team discusses the progress of the sprint in the *daily stand-up
meeting* on the basis of the *burndown chart*, a graphic
representation of the part of the backlog already realised and the
part still to be realised in the current sprint.

The third principle is that the development process leads to working software that has added value. In a sprint, a number of *user stories* are developed and delivered, with each user story delivering a predetermined value to the customer. By delivering and offering *minimum viable products* to customers, the scrum team can learn from the experiences of customers. When delivering *minimum marketable products*, a price can be charged for the product with the least possible development effort.

The final principle of agile software development is attention to
evaluation and structural improvement. After each sprint, the *velocity*, the total time spent per user story, is determined; this is then used to make ever better estimates of the backlog in subsequent sprints. In a *retrospective*, the way of working is also discussed and, where useful or necessary, improved.

Implementing Agile requires a transformation

Agile arose from the desire to tackle software development more
effectively. Agile working does not start and end in the IT
department, but extends throughout the entire organisation. The
switch to agile working means that other organisational processes
must also be redesigned.

This applies, for example, to the organisational hierarchy. In
major agile transformations, the organisation is involved from top
to bottom. ING, for example, has carried out a major agile
transformation in recent years. The 2018 annual report shows that
the Executive Board played an important role: The Executive Board
reports that ING's agile way of working brings employees together
in multidisciplinary cross-functional teams. This allows the
company to respond more quickly to changing business needs
and feedback from customers, and to foster an innovative attitude and active engagement on the part of employees. The Board gives teams end-to-end responsibility to make collaboration across the organisation easier and more effective [ING, 2019]. For a traditionally hierarchically managed organisation like a bank, Agile is a big change.

Agile also means paying attention to renewal of the personnel policy. The usual annual planning and assessment interviews are not in line with constantly changing market conditions. Individual performance measures and remuneration methods do not fit in with working in multidisciplinary teams. The traditional relationship between manager and employee does not relate well to new team roles such as product owner and scrum master.

ABN Amro realised in 2018 that as a result of agile working, a new performance and assessment system became indispensable. A new system was introduced through the collective labour agreement, in which the annual planning discussion was replaced by a continuous dialogue about objectives [ABN Amro, 2019].

Mollie is a payment service provider that wants to compete with the big banks by being faster and more innovative. When recruiting and selecting new employees, the company profiles itself with innovative technologies, not only in the systems, but also for managing and controlling the organisation. "Scrum, Agile and continuous innovation are completely ingrained in us" [Mollie, 2015].

An agile transformation also requires a rethink of risk management. The Agile core values emphasise flexibility, trust and collaboration. In the risk management of many organisations, commitment plays an important role. Agile and risk management do not always go hand in hand, as the following examples show:

* The Dutch Central Bank requires that all insurers in the Netherlands write down their processes and instruments for information security and record the implementation [DNB, 2017].
If the core value of 'individuals and interactions over processes and tools' is applied stringently, problems with the central bank could arise here.

* The government must always be able to explain decisions made about citizens, because otherwise an unequal procedural position arises [Eck, 2017]. Applying the core value "working software over comprehensive documentation" may mean that decisions can hardly be understood without reading the software code - citizens will not be satisfied with this when they want an explanation of a decision.

* In software development, it is nice if teams, in accordance with the core value "customer collaboration over contract negotiation", work well with the customer. However, when projects do not go as planned, a good contract can strengthen the position of the parties. The Sociale Verzekeringsbank was pleased in 2014 that, in a conflict with a software supplier about a difficult project, good contractual agreements had been made [Doorenbosch, 2017].

* A great strength of Agile is the flexibility that the core value "responding to change over following a plan" brings. Sometimes, however, the deadline for legislation and regulations is very tight and software modifications must be implemented before the deadline in order to make the organisation compliant. For example, when implementing the General Data Protection Regulation (AVG) in 2018, many organisations will have had a preference for following the plan over reacting to change.

When an organisation embarks on an agile transformation, this means that trade-offs have to be made between software development processes and risk management.
## To conclude

Agile is a reaction to traditional methods of software development that are perceived as rigid and bureaucratic. Agile is characterised by short-cycle delivery of customer value, collaboration in autonomous multi-disciplinary teams, emphasis on software as a product and a culture of continuous improvement.

Scientific research summarised in the box below shows that Agile can have a positive influence on employee satisfaction, project results and financial business results. These positive results encourage organisations not to consider Agile as a hype, but to seriously consider its introduction. However, the introduction of Agile should be seen as a transformation that is not limited to the IT department. For example, Agile means a new way of working together, innovation in personnel policy and a rethink of risk management.

The question at the beginning of this paper was whether Agile is a hype or a trend. The characteristics of Agile, the results of scientific research and the position that Agile has acquired in many companies, led to the following answer. Agile is not a hype, it is a trend that has started inevitably and is helping software development permanently.

## Agile and scientific research

Since the publication of the Agile Manifesto in 2001, a great deal of scientific research has been carried out on agile. The results of some of these studies are presented below.

### Does Agile lead to higher employee satisfaction?

Tripp, Riemenschneider and Thatcher [2019] investigated the connection between the application of agile working methods, characteristics of the work and employee satisfaction. The agile practices studied fall into
agile project management and agile software development. The
characteristics of the work in this study were autonomy, feedback,
variety, individuality and meaning.

The authors conclude that the application of agile project
management leads to higher employee satisfaction directly and via
the experienced autonomy and feedback. The application of agile
software development leads to higher employee satisfaction via
individuality and meaning of the work. According to this study,
agile therefore has a positive effect on employee satisfaction.

Does Agile lead to better project results?

Lee and Xia [2010] investigated the relationship between the
characteristics of the agile team, the handling of change requests
and the project results. The team characteristics examined were
autonomy and diversity in functional background, skills, expertise
and work experience. The handling of changes was examined in
terms of the percentage of change requests submitted that were
actually implemented and the efficiency of this implementation.
Project results were measured in terms of on-time project
completion, on-budget completion and delivery of requested
functionality.

The authors concluded that team autonomy has a negative effect
on the percentage of implemented changes, while team diversity
has a positive effect. The efficient handling of change requests leads
to an improvement of all project results, while a higher percentage
of implemented changes only leads to better delivery of the
requested functionality. According to this study, Agile therefore has
a predominantly positive effect on project results.

Does Agile lead to better business results?

Bennet [2019] argues that the introduction of Agile involves a
transformation that should result in a trend change in the financial
performance of companies. He examined the impact of the
introduction of Agile
on the financial indicators Revenue, Return on Assets (ROA) and Operating Expenses on Revenue. He compared these metrics before the introduction of Agile with those after the introduction of Agile.

The author concludes that after the introduction of Agile, the Turnover and ROA measures increase, while the cost measure OER decreases. Thus, according to this study, Agile brings about a positive trend break in the financial business results.

## Sources

* ABN Amro Group NV. (2019). *Annual Report 2018*. (2018) Amsterdam: ABN Amro Group NV.

* Agile Alliance. (2020). *Subway Map to Agile Practices*. Accessed 08/02/2020 at www.agilealliance.org/agile101/subway-map-to-agile-practices/.

* Agile Alliance. (2001). *The Agile Manifesto*. Accessed 24/02/2011 at www.agilemanifesto.org.

* Bennett, A. (2019). *An Empirical Longitudinal Analysis of Agile Methodologies and Firm Financial Performance*. (January 20 1910,) Washington DC: George Washington University.

* De Nederlandsche Bank. (2017). *DNB Framework Information Security Version 5.4*, final, update Jan 20 13 Baveco, M.P.P. Consulted on 03/01/2019 at www.toezicht.dnb.nl/binaries/50-230767.xlsx.

* Doorenbosch, T. (2017). SVB gets millions after ICT failure. *AG Connect*, 2017 (9-10), p. 1.

* Eck, M. van. (2017). Computer law 2017/256. *Computer law*, (2017Afl. 6), p. 392-397.

* ING. (2019). *2018 ING Group annual report*. Amsterdam: ING Groep NV.

* Lee, G. & Xia, W. (2010). Toward Agile: An Integrated Analysis of Quantitative and Qualitative Field Data on Software Development Agility. *MIS Quarterly*, (341), p. 87-114.

* Mollie. (2015). *Working at Mollie: atmosphere, opportunities and possibilities*. Accessed 10/02/2020 at www.mollie.com/nl/news/post/werken-bij-mollie-sfeer-kansen-en-opportunities/.

* Tripp, J., Riemenschneider, C. & Thatcher, J. (2016). Job Satisfaction in Agile Development Teams: Agile Development as Work Redesign. *Journal of the Association of Information Systems*, (174), pp. 267-307.
# Smart Enterprise Architecture for Smart Artificial Intelligence

by Martin van den Berg, Ouren Kuiper, Sieuwert van Otterloo and Huib Aldewereld

Developments in artificial intelligence (AI) are moving fast. We are increasingly concerned about the extent to which machines or computers determine our lives. One of the great thinkers of our time, Yu-val Noah Harari, holds up images of the future in which mankind is "hackable".

According to him, the time is coming when a machine will know more about us than we do ourselves. At the same time, there is a widespread awareness that human rights must be protected in light of these developments. Bodies such as the European Commission plead for 'trustworthy AI' [HLEG, 2019].

Prominent scientists and business leaders, including Demis Hassabis, Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk, have established 23 principles to ensure a safe future with AI [Asilomar AI Principles, 2017]. A group of scientists from Harvard conducted a meta-study to synthesise which themes contribute to an ethically sound, rights-respecting and socially desirable application of AI. These themes were found to be broadly expressed in the bulk of recently drafted principles from various documents [Fjeld et al., 2020]. Through all of these principles, a good
image of what we call 'Smart AI', a trusting and human-centred approach to AI. Yet the fear remains that machines are 'black boxes' making choices or decisions that we do not understand. More is needed than just nice words and principles. In this paper, we argue that enterprise architecture (EA) should be used to achieve Smart AI. But then a form of EA that is fundamentally different from the current form: 'Smart EA'. In order to understand the why of Smart EA, we will first zoom in on Smart AI.

## What is Smart AI?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is in the spotlight. The number of applications is countless and growing rapidly. We all know the AI applications of Amazon, Spotify and Netflix, which make recommendations based on our buying, listening and viewing behaviour. But there are also algorithms that can recognise pictures and voices, determine which applicants are selected for an interview and determine whether or not you get a loan. Worldwide, states and organisations are tumbling over each other to make funds available for AI research and to promote the use of AI. Europe and the Netherlands are also participating fully and will invest billions in the coming years [Rijksoverheid, 2019]. But AI also has a dark side, namely when it is used irresponsibly. It conjures up images of fear of machines, and the algorithms they use, making humans superfluous. And even more frightening, that machines become so intelligent that they can make their own decisions which we do not understand and can impose their will on humans [Kurzweil, 2005]. It is for this reason that there is so much attention on the responsible application of AI. The Harvard study cited earlier gives a good picture of the themes on which we want to be able to test AI applications. Box 1 contains these themes.
**Box 1: Eight key themes** [Fjeld et al., 2020]

* **Privacy.** AI applications must respect the privacy of individuals, both in the use of data in developing these applications and by giving people who interact with these applications control over their data and the decisions that are made with it.

* **Accountability.** Responsibility for the effects of AI applications must be properly assigned and appropriate remedies provided.

* **Safety and Security.** AI applications must be safe, perform as intended and be resistant to unauthorised use.

* **Transparency and Explainability.** AI applications should be designed and implemented in such a way that monitoring is possible, including translating their operation into understandable output and providing information on where, when and how those applications are used.

* **Fairness and Non-discrimination.** There is a lot of concern about the bias that seems to be embedded in AI applications. Therefore, these applications should be designed on the basis of fairness and non-discrimination and their use should also be aimed at fairness and promoting inclusiveness.

* **Human Control of Technology.** Important decisions should always be subject to human review.

* **Professional Responsibility.** Individuals involved in the development and implementation of AI applications must act with professionalism and integrity by, among other things, consulting with appropriate stakeholders and considering the long-term effects of their AI applications.

* **Promotion of Human Values.** The goals we want to achieve with AI and the means we use to do so must be consistent with core human values that promote the well-being of humanity as a whole.

............
Looking at the themes in the box 1, we regularly see the word 'individual' and 'human'. We state that smart AI is about building, implementing and using AI applications in accordance with these eight themes and the underlying principles. Principles in which people are central. Principles that guarantee human rights and at the same time give people the confidence that AI applications are there for the benefit of people. But how do we implement these principles correctly so that AI applications actually comply with them? Perhaps enterprise architecture can help.

## Smart EA for Smart AI

Enterprise architecture (EA) is a discipline that is applied in almost every large organisation. An EA is seen as "a consistent whole of principles and models that gives direction to the design and realisation of the processes, organisational set-up, information provision and technical infrastructure of an organisation" [Wagter et al., 2001]. The beauty of this definition is that it contains the word 'principle'. So there is a discipline within organisations that draws up principles and supervises the enforcement of these principles. Enforcement is usually done by means of the comply or explain principle. If we consider AI applications to be part of the information provision, an obvious assumption, then EA seems perfectly suited to also supervise the correct design of AI applications, especially since, as we saw above, there are more than enough AI principles available. But it is not that simple.

The principles that an EA traditionally focuses on are mainly the hard aspects of business management. If people are mentioned at all, we are talking about roles or actors. What is often lacking in the application of EA is the human-centred perspective and the accompanying principles, as mentioned in box 1. In addition, the application of EA is often limited to aspects of the own organisation, while that organisation is part of an ecosystem with all sorts of stakeholders, including citizens and customers who are worried about not being discriminated against by algorithms and policymakers who are trying to keep a grip on the situation with
legislation and regulations. We need to move towards a form of EA
in which an architecture is not only It is based on functional and
non-functional requirements, but also on the smart AI principles
such as transparency, non-discrimination, explainability and
accountability. It must then also be tested from the perspective of
all stakeholders in the organisation's ecosystem. This way of filling
in and applying EA based on the Smart AI principles is called smart
enterprise architecture. Smart EA thus has a more people-oriented
and broader focus than traditional EA. This means that besides
technical and business knowledge, enterprise architects must also
have an understanding of how people interact with machines and of
social sciences. For AI applications this is a must [Miller, 2016].

## Methods for Smart EA

Whereas EA originally arose in the IT domain and later moved to
the business domain, 'Smart EA' now extends it to the human
domain. This implies that human values are taken into account
when drawing up a Smart EA. Value sensitive design (VSD) is an
existing design method based on the use of human values, which
fits well within Smart EA [Friedman et al., 2008]. Box 2 contains a
short explanation of VSD and values that can be used within VSD.

### Box 2: Value Sensitive Design [Friedman et al., 2008]

Value-oriented design with VSD is done in three phases (not
necessarily in this order):

* **Conceptual investigation.** Phase in which the prevailing values and their interpretation are determined.

* **Emperical investigation.** Phase in which the designer determines the conflicts between the values and resolves them with the help of the stakeholders.

* **Technical investigation.** Phase in which the translation is made from abstract values to their concrete technical interpretation(s).
Values that can be used within VSD:

<table><tr><td>Human welfare</td><td>Informed consent</td></tr><tr><td>Ownership and property</td><td>Accountability</td></tr><tr><td>Privacy</td><td>Courtesy</td></tr><tr><td>Freedom from bias</td><td>Identity</td></tr><tr><td>Universal usability</td><td>Calmness</td></tr><tr><td>Trust</td><td>Environmental sustainability</td></tr><tr><td>Autonomy</td><td></td></tr></table>

Although VSD has been around for a long time, with the strong rise of AI, the interest in this method has increased dramatically. The VSD process is an iterative process consisting of conceptual, empirical and technical research, leading to the design of a specific solution. Within an EA process, a distinction is often made between different levels of abstraction, such as enterprise- or organisation-wide, domain or portfolios within the organisation and within these, projects or solutions. At each of these levels, principles and designs are made, which in turn provide a framework for the underlying levels.

Figure 1 shows how we have made the EA process smart by adding three elements:

* The principles that the organisation wants to apply to all its AI applications, in relation to the context in which the organisation operates. As indicated, there are many sets of principles that can be used as a starting point [Fjeld et al., 2020]

* The context relevant to each of the three levels. As argued, an organisation is part of an ecosystem. At each level, principles and designs need to be created that take into account the context of relevant
stakeholders in that ecosystem. Every architecture is highly
determined by its context.

* Applying VSD at all three levels of architecture. At each level, designs are made in an iterative process in which values are explicitly considered.

<figure><img src="image_6.png" /><figcaption>Figure 1: Smart Enterprise Architecture (Smart EA)</figcaption></figure>

The use of VSD is not only applicable to AI applications. VSD is suitable for every technological development [Aldewereld, Dignum & Tan, 2015]. Due to the large and often disruptive influence of AI on people and society, the necessity of its use only increases.

## Application of Smart EA in the financial sector

Let's use an example to illustrate how Smart EA could work.
Imagine a bank that provides credit to SMEs. It wants to develop
an advanced AI application based on deep learning to decide
whether or not to grant a loan. One of the architectural
principles of the bank is 'explainability'. The bank wants to be able
to explain in all its applications, and certainly to its customers, how
a particular decision was arrived at. The bank has adopted this
principle based on its mission of social and sustainable banking and
the associated value of 'trust'.

In the design of the AI application, first the stakeholders of the AI application are identified, to what extent they are affected by the new application, and which values are involved. These can be higher level values such as trust and privacy, but also specific values for this AI application, such as preventing bias. At the same time, the bank needs to make quick decisions and control the time and costs involved in assessing loans. Next, stakeholders are interviewed to find out which values are most important. Once it is known which values are important and to what extent, the advanced AI application can be technically designed. Relevant architectural principles, such as explainability, are used. This can lead to design changes such as extra controls, sharing of information and making the operation of the AI transparent. The explainability that this ultimately ensures helps to protect trust in the bank.

The explicit use of values as referred to in VSD in combination
with architectural principles can be a powerful tool to achieve more
people-oriented applications. We therefore call on architects to
apply VSD in their daily work, especially in relation to AI
applications.
## Conclusion

The goal of this article was to provide insight into how we can be more certain that AI applications are actually human-centred. Enterprise architecture is a discipline that can make an excellent contribution to this, but it must be a form of EA that incorporates the AI principles, that thinks strongly from the context and that develops applications from a value perspective as offered by VSD. With a more human-centred EA, we then realise more human-centred AI applications. In short, Smart EA for Smart AI.

It is necessary to design AI applications in a human-centred way: Smart AI.

Smart EA is a context- and value-oriented form of EA that enables Smart AI.

Smart EA ensures that organisations deal with the development of AI applications responsibly and humanely early on in the process.
Sources

□ Aldewereld, H., Dignum, V. & Tan, Y.H. (2015). Design for values in software development. In: Hoven, J. van den, Vermaas, P.J. & Poel, I. van de, *Handbook of Ethics, Values, and Technological Design: Sources, theory, values and application domains*. Dordrecht: Springer.

□ Asilomar AI Principles (2017). *Geraadpleegd op https://futureoflife.org/ai-principles/?cn-reloaded=1*.

□ Fjeld, J., Achten, N., Hilligoss, H., Nagy, A. & Srikumar, M. (2020). *Principled artificial intelligence: Mapping consensus in ethical and rights-based approaches to principles for AI*. Berkman Klein Center Research Publication.

□ Friedman, B., Kahn, P. H. & Borning, A. (2008). Value sensitive design and information systems. In: Himma, K.E. & Tavani, H.T., *The handbook of information and computer ethics*, p. 69-101. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

□ HLEG (2019). *High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence: Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI*. European Commission.

□ Kurzweil, R. (2005). *The singularity is near: When humans transcend biology*. Londen: Penguin.

□ Miller, T. (2019). Explanation in artificial intelligence: Insights from the social sciences. *Artificial Intelligence*, 267, p. 1-38.

□ Rijksoverheid (2019). Strategisch Actieplan voor Artificiële Intelligentie. Accessed on https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/beleidsnotas/2019/10/08/strategisch-actieplan-voor-artificiële-intelligentie.

□ Wagter, R., Van den Berg, M., Luijpers, J. & Van Steenbergen, M. (2001). *DYA®: snelheid en samenhang in business-en ICT-architectuur*. Den Bosch: Tutein Nolthenius.
# AI in 2020 - autonomous systems raise ethical questions

Rian van Heur

2020 is the year when systems, devices and processes become increasingly autonomous. This raises ethical questions. To what extent do we want systems to make decisions autonomously? And to what extent is the algorithm free of bias?

"Systems, devices and processes are becoming more and more autonomous, perhaps not yet specifically through cars on the road, but in agriculture and factories, for example," says Ron Tolido, Executive Vice President and Global CTO Capgemini Insights & Data, to *AG Connect*. According to him, artificial intelligence is here to stay. "Technology is definitely not entering another 'AI winter'. There are simply too many practical, real-world developments going on - enthusiasm no longer cools."

*AG Connect* asked experts which developments they see for 2020.

AI is seen as important, for the coming years, also confirms trend watcher and futurist Richard van Hooijdonk. "Everything will soon be done by robots and machines". It is mainly about tasks that can be repeated and are predictable. In a presentation during the Whizpr Technology Outlook he sketches a world in which everything is connected. He gives extreme examples, such as chips in the body that prevent you from getting ill or a brain chip that makes sure you learn another language quickly.

The fact that systems are becoming increasingly autonomous does raise ethical questions. Co-chairman Wouter Bronsgeest of professional association KNVI: "Technically, a great deal is possible, and technology is developing at a furious pace. Taking humanity further, and taking account of the human dimension, how do you do that? This requires a discussion about ethics, digital skills, new ways of training and staying in touch with your fellow man. The professional association is conducting this discussion under the heading Smart Humanity."
Van Hooijdonk mentions another ethical issue. "There are already employers who measure the productivity of employees and decide whether or not to dismiss them on that basis. The question is, do we want this?" Citizens wonder whether they can trust technology and that question is justified. Bias is a common problem in algorithms, says Van Hooijdonk. "Codes of ethics are needed."

Both Bronsgeest and Van Hooijdonk believe that attention should be paid to training good information professionals. "Do we still know what we are doing?" wonders Bronsgeest. "We need software to classify information for us, to repel cyber attacks, to build software, to drive vehicles.

People are losing contact with the 'work surface'. So what is needed? More investment in other ways of training, more and thorough knowledge of information technology and more attention to craftsmanship and digital skills and competences.

According to Van Hooijdonk, the emphasis is currently on training generalists, but the focus must shift to specialists. "We need brilliant players." He is talking about people who embrace change and see the new possibilities, but who also have the passion, curiosity and optimism to drive change forward. "Hard skills can be taken over by machines, it's now about how do you change the world and for that soft skills are important."

## Source

Previously published online at: AG Connect, https://www.agconnect.nl/artikel/AI-2020-autnome-systemen-zorgen-voor-ethics-questions, January 17th, 2020
# Lean governance

by Daniël Smits

In the ICT sector, new always seems better and we follow each other from hype to hype. A system that was the latest thing five years ago is quickly seen as 'legacy'. A euphemism for obsolete, or we should get rid of it soon. Besides, some things never seem to change. Blueprint thinking still prevails in governance.

Recent developments show that we are at a turning point. The human measure is emerging, also in the field of governance. This is high time, given the challenge of managing the ever-increasing ICT complexity.

## Introduction

There are recurring hypes in ICT. Users (organisations) like to be taken by the hand by a supplier - certainly in view of the rapid developments in ICT. Suppliers then show them that a new product, development platform (low-code, no-code) or new technology (process mining, artificial intelligence) can solve existing questions considerably faster or more simply. In the past, 2nd (assembler), 3rd (e.g. C) and 4th generation languages (4GL) followed one another. Now low-code and no-code platforms are on the rise. In the past, RAD
and DSDM as successors to the waterfall method. Now they are
Agile, DevOps and Lean (see table 1).

<table><caption>Table 1: Recurring hypes: past and present</caption><thead><tr><th>Hypes of the past</th><th>Hypes of the present</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2nd, 3rd, 4th generation<br>programming languages</td><td>Low-code, no-code<br>platforms</td></tr><tr><td>Datawarehouse and<br>Business Intelligence (BI)</td><td>Big data,<br>data/process mining</td></tr><tr><td>DSDM, RAD</td><td>Agile, DevOps, Lean</td></tr></tbody></table>

The patterns of new hypes seem to return every time, but always
in a slightly different guise - and with improvements, of course.
After all, much more is possible with technology these days. For
example, systems can process more and more data. This makes
solutions possible that were previously unthinkable. Think of
developments such as big data, artificial intelligence and video
manipulation. The Internet has also made a lot possible: thanks to
increasingly far-reaching standardisation, connecting systems has
become a lot simpler.

If a product can be delivered ready-made or highly standardised,
it can easily be produced on a large scale. This is what consumers
experience in the services of the big five (Google, Facebook,
Microsoft, Amazon and Apple). Employees increasingly expect the
same from the information provision of the organisation they work
for or cooperate with.

In organisations, things usually work differently. The specific
characteristics of the business processes, legislation, but sometimes
also simply the requirements and wishes of the employees who have
to work with it, ensure that out-of-the-box solutions often have to
be customised. Automating complex processes with IT is not easy
and there is no magic bullet. And then it becomes just human work
again.
In short, it is time to accept that developing and implementing information systems in large organisations is not easy, but takes a lot of work. A panacea does not exist. Sometimes it is possible to choose a standard solution. This solution has then been realised elsewhere with a lot of effort. But in cases where specific requirements and wishes of an organisation must be met, it is especially important to carefully determine what is really necessary and what can be omitted. This also applies to the controls.

## Governance and Lean governance

Determining what is really needed, for the customer and for the organisation, is the core of Lean. Governance is mainly internally focused. Lean governance is internal and external. So, in addition to guaranteeing the continuity of an organisation, the value for the customer is also important. What delivers immediate value is usually clear. But something that does not provide visible value for the customer may still be necessary. An example of this is complying with legislation and regulations or having a payroll administration. What does not contribute can be left out (waste). Lean applies to the entire organisation. Applied to governance it looks as follows (see table 2).

<table><caption>Table 2: Lean governance</caption><thead><tr><td>Question</td><td>Governance</td><td>Lean governance</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>What delivers value?</td><td>Performance</td><td>Performance<br>Delivering customer value</td></tr><tr><td>What is needed for the continuity?</td><td>Performance<br>Complying with laws and regulations</td><td>Performance<br>Complying with laws and regulations<br>Delivering customer value<br>Value for the organisation</td></tr><tr><td>What does not contribution?</td><td>This question is often forgotten</td><td>No value-added activities (waste/waste)</td></tr></tbody></table>
In many organisations, the current governance is described in detail with a listing of the organisational structure, the governing bodies (e.g. the executive board, a divisional MT or an IT board) and a good number of RACI charts. These kinds of tables indicate exactly who is responsible (R) or has final responsibility (A) and who should be consulted (C) or informed (I). This way of organising is a consequence of the widely spread tendency to design and implement organisations in a rational way. The so-called blueprint thinking in terms of De Caluwé and Vermaak [2004]. Yet there is considerable waste here. Have you ever come across a director who reads such a report to know what she or he may or may not do? Never or only in very exceptional cases. More importantly, there is a crucial omission: the human factor is hardly taken into account.

How should it be done? This will be discussed later, but for now I will explain the human factor.

## The human side of governance

Attention to the human side is also reflected in emerging methodologies such as Agile and Lean. The Agile Manifesto puts people and their interaction above processes and tools. An important principle of Lean is respect for others. The philosophy of Toyota's Lean Production System states that the culture must support the people doing the work [Gao & Low, 2014].

Another example is the attention paid to ethics in the application of artificial intelligence. Attention is even paid to this in legislation. The AVG, for example, contains a ban on automated decision making and requires that automated decisions based on algorithms must be independently verifiable and transparent.

The human side is also being further developed in practice frameworks for governance. Where "culture, ethics and behaviour" in COBIT 5 [2013] was still seen as an *enabler*, in the most recent edition it is included as a component of the governance system [ISACA,
2018]. Such frameworks are often originally process-oriented. However, human behaviour cannot easily be captured in processes and structures.

In other words, the problem is that the human side is now recognised, but little guidance is given on how to integrate it into decision-making, working methods and processes.

**Further concretisation is needed**

Methods such as Agile and Lean recognise the importance of human behaviour. In COBIT, the expectation is 2019even expressed that it must be possible to formulate desired and undesired behaviour, including the corresponding maturity levels of capabilities. The question is whether this will succeed as long as practical frameworks in IT mainly apply a process approach. The mechanisms on the soft side are hardly process-oriented. In recent years, the process approach has therefore been more or less abandoned (e.g. ITIL v3 in 2007) or supplemented (e.g. COBIT 5.0 in 2012 and BiSL Next in 2017). The question is whether this is sufficient. The frameworks themselves have not become any simpler.

The ISO 38500 is a welcome exception in this respect. So far, this standard does not contain much more than six principles: responsibility, strategy, acquisition, performance, compliance and human behaviour. As such, the standard is not very concrete, but the inclusion of human behaviour in the basic model of the standard does offer the prospect of arriving at a practical standard.

But without further concretisation, a framework still provides little support for the organisation in practice. This impedes the implementation, but also the learning capacity of an organisation to achieve an ever-improving organisation of governance. However, it is certainly possible to pay attention to the soft side of governance. Recent research provides leads for this [Smits, 2019].
## How then?

The design of the governance thus requires a mix of hard and soft governance. Hard governance answers questions about the structure and processes. For example, how an organisation is split up into units: is a divisional structure preferable or do we prefer working with regional offices? The composition of the management boards (CxOs), the units and departments, the MTs and the governing bodies. In short, what does the organisation chart look like? So far, no different from what we are used to.

A pitfall is to then give everything further shape in detail in RACI charts. It is better to formulate some global frameworks and leave the further interpretation of these frameworks to the responsibility of the managers involved. Just like in the rest of the Lean philosophy, you may expect that the managing teams with common sense, autonomy and within the frameworks do what is good for the customer and for the organisation. After this, it often stops. The soft side is largely skipped. It is, however, just as important.

## Which focus areas are relevant for soft governance?

Research shows that for the design of soft governance, attention must be paid at least to the following six focus areas: continuous improvement, leadership, participation, mutual understanding and trust, the organisational culture and the informal organisation [Smits, 2019]. Four of six focus areas are part of a maturity model, two in context.

This provides the basis for a practical framework for the design of hard and soft governance. With the help of this framework, the 'how' question can be answered in a much more concrete manner. We will return to this practical framework in the final section.
## How can we improve soft governance?

By using a maturity model, it is easy to determine which improvements are possible. If the current maturity level is known, the model helps to show the improvement step. To illustrate, here is an example of each of these focus areas. It is assumed that the current situation for an organisation is always the lowest maturity level. A practical example is always given. We will return to both focus areas in the context below.

### 1. Continuous improvement

Continuous improvement is at the heart of Lean: the pursuit of perfection. But also in many other methods such as Kaizen and Agile. Determining what has value for the customer and what is needed to achieve this, and doing this better and better. This also applies to governance. The real value of Lean is in the pursuit of perfection through continuous improvement and the elimination of waste with a focus on the customer's wishes. An underlying principle of continuous improvement is that all employees can contribute. However, many organisations today are focused on the conviction that an organisation consists of thinkers and doers (the so-called *Taylorism*). In order to bring about a lasting change in behaviour with regard to continuous improvement, efforts are therefore also needed to unlearn old routines. This example also shows that this is sometimes a principle with far-reaching implications. A first step on the maturity ladder here is the formal agreement that an organisation will set up a system of continuous improvement that covers the entire organisation.

### 2. Leadership

The first level of leadership maturity in Collins' terms [2001] is the "capable individual" who contributes to the organisation through talent, knowledge, skills and good working practices. This applies to all employees, not just managers or board members.
In order to grow into maturity, this employee must grow into a member who contributes to the team. This is a prerequisite for advancing to the third level of competent manager or fourth level of effective leader. The growth step from competent employee to contributing team member is often skipped. Employees make pro-motion because they are extraordinarily competent without paying sufficient attention to the social skills of the employee in the different teams and not only in the hierarchy.

Employees who have above-average competence and skills to work together efficiently in a group setting are suitable for an executive or managerial position in the hierarchy of a Lean organisation. Instruments for transforming an organisation into a Lean organisation include selection, training or 360° feedback. It is also essential that past "mistakes" are repaired. The latter is often neglected.

## 3. Participation

The first improvement step in the maturity of participation, after ad hoc, is the introduction of mutual coordination. It must be determined for which subjects coordinating measures or roles are desirable. These can be structural elements such as intermediary roles between units (e.g. account managers), but also soft subjects such as cultural differences between countries. For example, it was sometimes said of Germany that the hierarchical distance is greater than in the Netherlands. Research by Hofstede in the 1980s and later showed that the Netherlands and Germany are very close to each other [Hofstede, 1994]. Statements about cultural differences per country are often of little use. The culture can differ considerably per organisation or even per organisational unit. It is therefore better to measure the organisational culture and act on it (see also the section 'The context' below). At a later stage, as soon as it appears that teams are sufficiently autonomous, coordinating measures can also be phased out.
## 4. Mutual understanding and trust

If the employees in a team trust each other, it all works a lot easier. This sounds like an open door. The basis for this is the organisational culture (more about this later). This includes shared norms and values, for example showing mutual respect and appreciation. But even if the norms and values are in line with each other, conflicts sometimes arise from a lack of understanding. For the management of an organisation, a common strategy and vision are crucial. Therefore, the next improvement step formulated in the framework is that the members of the team have a general understanding of each other's current goals and vision for IT.

## The context

The context includes at least the organisational culture and the informal organisation. To measure organisational culture, the model of "competing values" developed by Cameron and Quinn [2005] is used, the accompanying questionnaire is one of the most widely used questionnaires to quantify an organisational culture.

In a clearly hierarchical organisational culture, governance may rest to a greater extent on hard governance. For example, in a clan organisation, a department or division behaves like a family (the clan). For governance, the clan leaders play a more important role. Here, the clan leader may have both formal and informal positions.

This kind of knowledge must be included in the design of the governance. A mechanism that can work well here is an advisory board or expert group in which the informal leaders are involved in decision-making.
## Framework for Lean Governance

By taking into account the human dimension in the design of governance, not everything depends on the talent, knowledge, skills and good practices of the managers and directors involved. Such a practical framework helps organisations to grow and save directors time which they can spend on other tasks such as making the right decisions.

On the basis of a baseline measurement you can determine where you stand and in the framework you can see which improvement actions are best suited to the current maturity level of the organisation. The aforementioned promotional study was carried out because such a framework does not exist and there is a need for it in practice. This resulted in a scientific framework with an accompanying measuring instrument.

Together with KNVI, the ISO 38500 committee and NEN, we are looking at how to achieve a practical standard that will help organisations measure, shape and improve human governance in an organisation.

* The soft side of governance is at least as important as the hard side.

* Implement what is really necessary for the control: no more and no less.

* Governance must also fit in with the organisational culture and information.

* A practice framework helps to grow as an organisation.