Jan-Willem, we've been working on our IT strategy for a few months now. How do you reflect on this period?
Jan-Willem: ‘I'm happy with the progress we've made. We've dedicated ourselves to refining the strategy and engaging our IT staff. From the outset, we took targeted steps to motivate everyone and bring them along in this process, aiming to create a strong sense of involvement and responsibility within the team. All of this requires ongoing collaboration, open communication, and making clear agreements.’
Can you summarise the essence of our updated IT strategy? And why is this important?
Jan-Willem: ‘Our new IT strategy positions us as a full-service partner for the VU, combining the roles of supplier, partner, and innovator. At its core is the provision of reliable IT services, sharing our knowledge on digitalisation, and actively seeking innovative solutions that align with new working methods.
This strategic shift is crucial due to the indispensable role of technology in every aspect of our university, essential for both education and research. IT must not only be expert but also flexible, to effectively respond to changing needs.
We are underpinning this ambition with a three-year plan. This plan allows us to plan carefully, act strategically, and thus create lasting change.’
“With our new IT strategy, we transform into a full-service partner for the VU; IT is a supplier, partner, and challenger”
What do you expect from the IT department to successfully fulfil this role?
Jan-Willem: ‘For the IT department to be successful in this role, it's essential that we intensify our collaboration with all faculties and services. This starts with clear communication and a deep understanding of support needs to provide effective assistance. Reliable adherence to agreements is fundamental for delivering consistent service.
To maximise our efficiency, it's important that we clearly define our roles and responsibilities. This goes hand in hand with ensuring transparency and openness in all our actions, ensuring decision-making and information are accessible to everyone, respecting privacy.
Moreover, embracing a culture of learning, development, and innovation is vital. Given the rapid technological advancements, adaptability and innovation are indispensable. Therefore, we aim to create an environment where challenges are proactively addressed, and every member takes responsibility.’
What are the main achievements so far and what are the plans for the near future?
Jan-Willem: ‘ So far, we have laid a solid foundation for our strategic direction, with a three-step approach focused on improved adaptability, agility, and efficiency that aligns with the university's goals.
In the first phase of implementation, we have made clear progress. For instance, we have started with leadership development, identifying process owners, and carrying out fleet reviews with follow-up actions. We have also committed to developing diversity policies, improving social safety, and evaluating our entire IT landscape through brown-paper sessions. A special moment was the commencement of two IT-related final-year projects by VU students, in collaboration with the Faculty of SBE.’
What are the biggest challenges in realising our IT strategy?
Jan-Willem: ‘A major challenge is finding a balance between our current activities and the steps towards new goals. Daily operations take up a lot of time, which makes it difficult to devote sufficient attention to strategic renewal.
A key role is played by tactically deploying our team. We need to use everyone where they have the most impact while simultaneously supporting their growth to achieve our IT goals. Our processes also deserve attention; we need to continuously assess and optimise them. Working more efficiently and using smart technology leads to innovation and development.
Another challenge is keeping our IT infrastructure strong while embracing new technologies. Finding a balance between risks and opportunities is crucial, always with the well-being of our organisation and users in mind.’
Finally, what is your vision for the future of IT at the VU?
Jan-Willem: ‘ I envisage a future where IT not only supports but also strategically contributes to the university's goals. Technology enriches our core activities — education, research, and valorisation — and opens up new possibilities for innovation and collaboration.
It’s important that we remain eager to learn, flexible in dealing with changes, and intensify collaboration with faculties and services. By constantly evaluating and adjusting our approach, we are well on our way to this future with our updated IT strategy.’
Henny, jij speelt een cruciale rol in het tot leven brengen van onze nieuwe strategie. Op welke manier gaat deze strategie de dagelijkse routine van het IT-team veranderen, en welke vaardigheden moeten we ontwikkelen?
Henny: ‘Our strategy unfolds in three steps, focusing now on increasing our capacity for change. It's important to acknowledge that change is challenging and may require different skills. Department heads and team leaders play a key role in this; they are, together with HR, the first point of contact for employees, including for personal development and training.
Furthermore, we are committed to actively applying lessons from projects, encouraging experimentation, and making conscious choices for individual growth. All this falls under the broad principle of 'lifelong learning'. It is essential that everyone takes responsibility for their own behaviour.’
Can you elaborate on the influence of leadership on the success of the strategy rollout?
Henny: ‘This leadership is crucial. Leaders are not only focused on setting (high) standards but also on the question: How can I best mobilise and utilise people's energy and capabilities? This involves creating an environment where making mistakes and learning from them is allowed. Give appreciation, strengthen trust and confidence. I cannot be clear enough about this: leadership is potentially the biggest success or failure factor in this change. Good leadership also involves acting proactively when things go wrong and making teams work effectively and efficiently. This never happens by itself and may require difficult decisions when, even after support and a chance for improvement, it is not at the desired level.’
“Give appreciation and strengthen trust. Leadership is potentially the biggest success or failure factor in this change”
How do you ensure lasting engagement and enthusiasm within the IT service during the implementation process?
Henny: ‘The reality is that I can't achieve this on my own; it requires enthusiasm and commitment from everyone. In 2024, we have planned seven work sessions with the management team and team leaders, spread throughout the year. During these sessions, we look ahead, review, seek depth, keep each other sharp and hold each other accountable.
Additionally, we share updates on our progress and invite questions to offer help and support where necessary. The goal is to keep all IT staff connected with our current position, everyone's contribution, and what we can mean for each other.’
What specific support do you offer to help IT staff successfully navigate this transition?
Henny: ‘To guide our IT colleagues through this transition successfully, our focus is on both personal and professional needs in this evolving context, supported by a training budget. Open communication about upcoming changes and opportunities is crucial. During annual reviews and one-to-one meetings with managers, we focus on the optimal use of energy, talents, and abilities, which should align with the changing work environment. The agreements that emerge from these discussions are documented and followed up; this contributes to clarity and progress on both sides.’
How do you evaluate the success of our transition to a 'full-service partner', and what indicators do we use for this?
Henny: ‘We employ a clear strategy and roadmap, linked to KPIs that align with our pillars. We're making significant strides VU-wide by: 1) critically evaluating our range of services and products with the aim to rationalise where possible, and 2) strengthening our position through strategic portfolio management in collaboration with Research & Education, where any overlapping priorities will be assessed in the VU Programme Board. We are expressly seeking collaboration with, for example, Prof. Dr. Bart van Hooff (Professor of Organisation Communication and Information Systems) from the SBE faculty.
Progress in these areas is measured using two main indicators: customer satisfaction, measured through satisfaction surveys, and employee well-being, measured via IT-wide surveys. This methodology is part of a wider array of measurement tools that we continuously evaluate and adjust, to evolve successfully into a full-service partner for the VU.’
What does this strategic move mean to you, and how do you see your contribution to the success?
Henny: ‘Seeing ‘success’ in relation to my contribution I consider to be too much ‘honour’. It is truly a TEAM (management team and team leaders) effort to achieve this together with the employees, where it is up to me to guide, in coherence and with perseverance, towards achieving the goals.
Personally, it means a lot to me to establish an IT service within the VU that fits what will be needed in the future, that is diverse and at the same time professionally, cost-consciously and innovatively led and managed. But above all, it is a place where people work with confidence and pleasure and have the opportunity to develop.’