FusionTalk

Four Letters

In this episode of FusionTalk, Anouck and Steve embark on a playful exploration of personality types, diving into the fascinating world of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). With a lighthearted approach, they discuss their own personality types—Anouck as an ESTP and Steve as an ENFP—sharing their insights on how these traits shape their interactions and team dynamics. The conversation flows as they reflect on the significance of understanding individual differences within a team. They empha...

Communications Challenged

In this episode of FusionTalk, Anouck and Steve engage in a thought-provoking discussion about the evolution of email communication, exploring just how much time we allocate to managing our inboxes. They kick off with a surprising revelation about the staggering number of emails sent globally each day—over 300 billion! This prompts them to reflect on the dramatic increase in email traffic since the early 2000s, when only 28 billion emails were sent daily. The conversation takes a nostalgic turn ...

M365 as a Tattoo

In this episode of FusionTalk, Anouck and Steve take a whimsical dive into the world of tattoos as a metaphor for understanding features of SharePoint and M365. With a light-hearted banter, they discuss their new microphones and the excitement of recording live at Commsverse, all while reflecting on the importance of visualizing concepts in technology. The hosts explore the idea of tattoos as representations of workflows and channels, challenging each other to describe tattoos that capture the e...

Scope Triangle

In 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 b...

Built Triangle

In 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 di...

Goverance Managed

In 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 life...

Governance 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 defi...

Collaboration Triangle

In 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 m...

The Team

In 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 e...

Facilitator Guide

Anouck 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 represe...

Fusion 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, ...

Evangelist 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 communicat...

Boundless 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 oft...

Risk Pitfalls

We 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...

Fusion-Shorts Facilitated

Fusion-Shorts Questions

In 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 d...

Fusion-Shorts Solutions

In 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 sel...

Fusion-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 problem...

Audience Defined

In 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 audien...

Knowledge Managed

In 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 interrup...

Testing ≠ Developement

In 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. ...

Thats Brainstorming

In 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...

Mapping Creativity

Welcome 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 ins...

Development Unpacked

In 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 si...

IT Speed Dating

After 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 ...

Kill 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...

Dynamic Prototyping

Have 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 busin...

Defining Requirements

Anouck 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 scope ROLE and P...

Navigating Brainstorming

2 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.