Shows
FusionTalkScope TriangleIn this episode of FusionTalk, Anouck and Steve embark on a lively discussion about the essential aspects of app development, focusing on the critical themes of security, scalability, and liability. They kick off with a humorous debate on the need for user understanding in the development process, emphasising the importance of clear communication and partnership between developers and users.The conversation delves into the concept of "app impact," exploring how poor decision-making can affect both the application and the business. Anouck and Steve highlight the need for users to grasp the implications of their requests, discussing the...2025-04-2239 min
FusionTalkBuilt TriangleIn this episode of FusionTalk, Anouck and Steve take their podcasting on the road, recording from the stunning backdrop of sunny Austria. They reminisce about their recent travels to the Google and Microsoft campuses in San Francisco and Seattle, sharing insights and experiences from their tours that highlight the contrasting atmospheres of these tech giants.The hosts delve into the core principles of app development, focusing on three key concepts: security, scalability, and liability. They discuss the importance of security measures, including data protection and compliance, emphasising that understanding the risks associated with user data is paramount...2025-04-2226 min
FusionTalkGoverance ManagedIn this episode of FusionTalk, Anouck and Steve dive into the often-overlooked world of governance, sharing personal anecdotes and humorous mishaps that highlight the importance of understanding and adhering to governance protocols. They recount a recent presentation in Stockholm where technical issues arose due to a lack of preparation, leading to a broader discussion about the necessity of reading instructions and the pitfalls of ignoring governance rules.The hosts explore the governance lifecycle, emphasising the need for clear definitions, testing, and ongoing reviews to ensure processes are effective and compliant. They discuss practical examples, such as onboarding...2025-04-1158 min
FusionTalkGovernance Blueprint In this episode of FusionTalk, Anouck and Steve reflect on their recent adventure at the Collab Days event in Bremen, where they both spoke and shared insights with the community. The conversation takes a humorous turn as they recount their driving experiences and the unexpected distractions on the road, leading into a deeper discussion about rules, regulations, and governance in the tech world.The hosts explore the complexities of governance in Microsoft 365, emphasizing the importance of defining clear rules for various areas such as site security, content lifecycle, sharing, and sensitivity labels. They share anecdotes from their e...2025-03-0358 min
FusionTalkCollaboration TriangleIn this episode of Fusion Talk, Anouck and Steve delve into the intricacies of collaboration. They begin with a recording mishap from the previous week. The main focus is on defining collaboration, which they describe as a combination of the right people, process, and challenge, akin to a security triangle. They emphasize the importance of having clear goals and the right team to ensure successful collaboration.The conversation touches on various mediums of collaboration, such as emails, team messages, and meetings, and the necessity of a well-defined process. They debate whether newsletters constitute collaboration or mere communication...2025-02-1941 min
FusionTalkThe TeamIn this episode of FusionTalk, Anouck and Steve record from their new studio, discussing its ongoing construction and improvements aimed at enhancing podcast quality. The conversation shifts to team dynamics, focusing on the importance of team agreements, motivation, and iding political issues. They reference the book "Five Dysfunctions of a Team" and emphasize the need for consensus, clear communication, and summarizing key takeaways during discussions.Anouck and Steve delve into methods for ensuring team members express honest opinions, the significance of aligning goals with roles, and the necessity of an action plan with clear tasks and commitments...2025-01-1747 min
FusionTalkFacilitator GuideAnouck and Steve recount their experience running a SharePoint strategy, governance, and structure workshop, sharing their insights on a successful approach to preparation, delivery, and follow-up.The first step in their process is preparation. They emphasize the importance of carefully planning the workshop's length, taking into account breaks, meal times, and enough flexibility to accommodate any unforeseen delays. Choosing the right participants is also critical. The attendees should represent a mix of strategic, operational, and user perspectives, ensuring a comprehensive discussion while avoiding overcrowding or redundant roles. Defining clear objectives is another essential element, as it sets...2024-12-301h 05
FusionTalkFusion future In this thought-provoking episode of FusionTalk, Anouck and Steve step into the unknown by inviting an unexpected guest—Holly, an AI assistant—into their podcasting world. Together, they explore the intriguing question: Can AI contribute to collaboration and innovation just like a human partner?The hosts begin by discussing their recent experiences with AI tools like ChatGPT and reflect on how they’ve started integrating AI into their workflows. They share insights on the evolving role of AI, from a personal assistant to a potential collaborator in brainstorming and problem-solving. Holly, their AI co-host for the epi...2024-12-2452 min
FusionTalkEvangelist Defined In this episode of Fusion Talk with Anouck and Steve, the hosts delve into the world of technical evangelists. They explore the responsibilities and value that these professionals bring to organizations. The hosts begin by discussing the role of technical evangelists, likening them to consultants who educate and advocate for a specific technology or product. They highlight a scenario where a technical evangelist explains the benefits of SharePoint to C-level executives. To effectively communicate the value of SharePoint, the hosts outline seven steps that a technical evangelist would take in this scenario. These ste...2024-11-2742 min
FusionTalkBoundless Thinking Welcome to today’s podcast, where Steve and Anouck, will dive into the concept of 'thinking outside the box' and why it’s crucial in both life and business. Let’s start with a little exercise to illustrate what thinking outside the box really means. Grab a pen and paper, place nine dots on the page in a 3x3 grid, and challenge yourself to connect all the dots using only four straight lines. Here's a tip: don't place the dots too far apart from each other. You'll find that solving this puzzle often requires you to go beyond t...2024-10-2847 min
FusionTalkRisk PitfallsWe assess risk constantly in our daily lives, like when we cross the street. So why don’t we do the same for our projects? In today's episode, Steve and Anouck delve into risk analysis for IT projects. Steve brings extensive experience, while Anouck is keen to learn new things. As we explored this subject, we realized that we perform risk assessments more frequently than we acknowledge, although not always as thoroughly as we should—but nobody's perfect. Executing a thorough risk analysis for IT projects can uncover often missed insights. Steve introduces Anouck to an ess...2024-10-1745 min
FusionTalkFusion-Shorts Facilitated2024-08-2919 min
FusionTalkFusion-Shorts QuestionsIn this episode, we're diving into how we should name this shorter version of our podcast. We've got a question, and we need to figure out the best way to answer it. We're exploring the process of getting everyone's input in the room. Steve is challenging Anouck with LLP, FLP, SLP, and TLP, and yes, we had a great time coming up with these ideas together. When you're looking for people's input, avoid yes/no questions—they won't give you the depth of answers you need. Earlier in the podcast, we discussed the concept of the center rin...2024-08-2625 min
FusionTalkFusion-Shorts SolutionsIn today's Fusion short on collaboration, Steve and Anouck discuss finding multiple solutions. How do you determine the best solution for your company? It's a challenge we've all faced at some point. But don't worry—Steve and Anouck are here to help guide you toward the right choice. And yes, Post-its make a comeback! Start by dividing your audience into groups, allowing each group to discuss one solution. Afterward, they’ll present their ideas to the other groups. Finally, use dot voting to select the best solution. 2024-08-2118 min
FusionTalkFusion-Shorts Answers Welcome to our podcast series on collaboration, where we explore different facets of working together effectively. This is the first of four short episodes, each no longer than 20 minutes, packed with insights and ideas to help you collaborate better, wherever you are.In today’s episode, we dive into the heart of collaboration when the answer is unknown. How do you approach a problem when no one knows the solution yet? This is the perfect time for open brainstorming, where we define the problems, collect ideas, and focus on achieving results.Steve and Anouck, our co...2024-08-1621 min
FusionTalkAudience DefinedIn today's episode, Steve and Anouck discuss the art of giving presentations that keep the audience engaged from start to finish. This is particularly challenging because different generations have distinct preferences when it comes to presentations.Each generation has a unique attention span and focus. When giving a presentation, it's crucial to be aware of these differences. Not everyone enjoys live demos or gamification; a good presentation needs to include elements that appeal to all audience segments.Anouck's personal experience inspired this topic. She created a presentation about prompt writing, initially finding it boring and...2024-08-1456 min
Microsoft Innovation PodcastInfectious Enthusiasm for SharePoint and Beyond: Anouck Fierens' Rise to MVP and the Evolution of Digital WorkspacesFULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/564 Meet Belgium's latest MVP, Anouck Fierens, who brings her infectious enthusiasm for SharePoint, Microsoft Viva, and the Power Platform to our show. We chat about her ascent to MVP status in 2024 and how her journey evolved from developer to low-code/no-code aficionado. Anouck opens up about her personal passions, from her commitment to charity to her love of Italian fare, and even lets us in on why the charming city of Ghent is a must-visit. The conversation then turns to the future of digital workspaces, as Anouck expresses her...2024-06-2719 min
FusionTalkKnowledge ManagedIn this episode of Fusion Talk, Steve and Anouck delve into KM, a subject that has been around for many years and is constantly discussed. Why, may you ask? Well with Topic being depreciated, CoPilot on the horizon, and all the scare stories about how CoPilot needs you to restrict access, it was time to get practical and talk Knowledge Management.Steve gets excited and starts interrupting, and Anouck tells him to wait until she is finished. Anouck interrupts, and so it is 1 each on the interruption scoreboard. But that’s OK because these two experienced consultants hav...2024-05-2555 min
FusionTalkTesting ≠ DevelopementIn this episode of Fusion Talk, Steve and Anouck delve into the purpose of testing. Testing is often underestimated and frequently overlooked by organizations due to cost concerns. However, as they both agree, testing can save organizations a significant amount of money. By following test cases, unit testing, integration testing, functional testing, performance testing, security testing, and usability testing, the quality of software improves, leading to impressive savings for the organization.As they continue their discussion, they not only cover the various stages of testing but also explore different testing profiles. They emphasize the importance of involving...2024-05-181h 04
FusionTalkThats BrainstormingIn this episode, Anouck and Steve kick things off by exploring the concept of brainstorming. Moving on from their initial discussion, they delve into the intriguing question: Is collaboration merely communication with a goal? They examine how collaboration integrates into communication strategies and discuss whether any straightforward, linear processes enhance communication through collaboration. And yes, they do get stuck a little on how much of the process is brainstorming... agreement is not forthcoming in this episode... maybe in the next episode we will have a consensusTune in to discover their insights and conclusions on w...2024-05-0551 min
FusionTalkMapping CreativityWelcome to FusionTalk, where your hosts Steve and Anouck unlock the secrets and strategies behind effective mind mapping. In today's episode, we delve into the fundamentals of ‘what a mind map is’ and its transformative potential as a tool for clarity and organization. But that's just the beginning. We'll explore why incorporating mind mapping into your routine can be a game-changer, especially when bridging the gap between business and IT departments. Through engaging discussions and expert insights, we discover how mind maps can serve as a dynamic communication tool, fostering understanding and collaboration across disciplines. Further...2024-03-2354 min
FusionTalkDevelopment UnpackedIn this podcast, Steve and Anouck engage in a thought-provoking discussion on whether companies should buy software or develop it themselves. Steve opens the conversation with strong arguments in favor of buying software. He points out the immediate access companies gain to their needed tools and the ease with which they can stay updated, always running the latest versions thanks to automatic updates. As promised here is the IT Depends link https://www.youtube.com/@ITDependsSteve On the other side of the debate, Anouck presents a compelling case for in-house development. She emphasizes the unmatched ben...2024-03-1656 min
FusionTalkIT Speed DatingAfter shouting out on the community, we met at Bremen, Anouck, and Steve. Mentions to the people we met and the people we missed. Cool ideas around Minecraft as a change tool with Gamification.Eventually, the subject at hand is discussed, and how IT and business need to be aligned more on how business units and IT should be working together. Lots of ideas discussed: Speed dating, gaming nights, a little competition to give people… who knows where this might turn up.The discussion looks deeper at how IT and Business need to get closer and...2024-02-1859 min
FusionTalkKill or be Killed!Have you ever been involved in a project and felt like you were going around in circles and not moving forward... well Anouck has a solution “Kill it or be Killed” Listen to Anouck and Steve as they describe the situation where no solution appears to work... so... This podcast looks at the process of being blocked, stuck and unable to move forward. How it feels and when a drastic solution is needed, throw it away and start again.Using a real-world example of a connected workflow drawing content from a remote system, we look at the...2024-02-1239 min
FusionTalkDynamic PrototypingHave you ever wondered how to control the Demo Gods? Well, Steve and Anouck discuss the art of Live customer demonstrations or, in their words, Dynamic Prototyping... sometimes you win, and yes, sometimes you lose.In Episode 3 of FusionTalk, we look at how to shorten the development cycles and not simply walk through the usual lifecycle ‘delays’ that a formal process can cause because of all the touchpoints. You know the endless meetings where you demonstrate a change, and the customer or business user suggests another change, so you return to your desk for a week and then sh...2024-01-2154 min
FusionTalkDefining RequirementsAnouck and Steve move on from the EP01 where Brainstorming outlines and issues are discussed. Today, we take practical examples and talk about four tools that, when used together, will provide a complete and descriptive outline of the application that needs to be built.SCOPE: It’s important to have a goal and target to measure against and keep you on track as the brainstorm moves forward... you should constantly check back and ensure your creativity is still aligned... with the scopeROLE and PROCESS: There will be different Roles, so we discuss how we crea...2024-01-0854 min
FusionTalkNavigating Brainstorming2 creative people want to share how they create content and solutions in the Cloud computing space. Anouck Fierens and Steve Dalby bring you FusionTalk, a podcast that looks at how applications are created and how we ensure that they will add value and continue to do so until it's time to replace or delete them.2024-01-011h 05