A new IT governance model for Maastricht University

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Maastricht University (UM) is the most international university in the Netherlands and, with over 17,000 students and 4,000 staff, is still growing. The university distinguishes itself through its innovative educational model, international character and multidisciplinary approach to research and education.

The challenge

Maastricht University has strategically ambitious plans and partnerships that require IT innovation, but at the same time has found that the information provision is insufficiently capable of moving with it. A bottleneck analysis is available, but it does not tell the full story. There is more to it than roadmaps of systems and substantive IT choices. The clearer the vision, the easier the choices. Forming a vision, organising decision-making and adapting working methods in combination with content, that's when things fall into place.

Contribution Takeshape - Organisational Change of the IT Domain - Vision, Design, Implementation

As a part of the Wielinq brand, Takeshape forms a team which together shapes the renewal of the IT domain of Maastricht University. The goal is to become an adaptive organisation and to better connect and embed the IT domain in the organisation. Using the motto "practice what you preach", the team lays down a vision and translates it into a design for organisation and decision-making. The principles of the intended organisation are also applied in the programme itself. Taking "User-centred" design seriously means making the organisational design in sprints in which a broad reflection of the institution participates. Using the power of visual communication. Step by step, sprint by sprint, the design of the intended IT domain takes shape.

The design becomes reality with the recent appointment of the new CIO who chairs the IT Board, core of the new IT Governance organisation.

The new organisational model cannot be introduced as a big bang, the change is too big for that. The next step is therefore a period of learning and experimentation. Important parts of the organisational design are put into practice. Takeshape also supervises this phase, the 'learning programme', after which the supervision moves to the background and the organisation itself will take over the management of the change.

Professional IT support for growing engineering firm

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In 2016, a Private Equity party stepped into the already successful Petersburg, which by then had 25 consultants. In view of the energy transition, the newly appointed management team is tasked with achieving strong growth and upgrading the organisation.

St. Petersburg is a highly qualified engineering company in the field of high voltage and pipeline infrastructure. It offers engineering, consultancy and advisory services within the energy sector. It makes designs for high-voltage substations, high-voltage connections, carries out life cycle studies. In doing so, it uses the latest techniques. In order to remain at the forefront of the sector, it opts for strong growth.

Takeshape was asked in 2018 to bring the IT support to the desired level because the current informal model is not scalable. Petersburg Consultants now has 45 employees. In a short time, I mapped out the requirements, drew up a programme of requirements and carried out a supplier selection. At the same time, I carried out an AVG assessment. This freed up engineering capacity and increased the level of IT support.