A conversation with Werner Annaert
What was your role in helping UWV accomplish its shift to a private cloud?
I’ve been leading transition and transformation programs for DXC for close to 20 years. As a transition and transformation executive on the UWV project, I had end-to-end responsibility for delivering outcomes that aligned with the project’s objectives. Key to that was making sure that every individual understood his or her contribution to meeting these objectives, and building a team — inclusive of the customer, DXC and its partners — that was eager to go the extra mile.
What did you learn on this project?
The most complex part of the program was to migrate UWV applications to a greenfield landscape in parallel with upgrading outdated components to recent versions. For this we developed a process which we called the “Factory Approach” — this ensured that we took an industrialized approach to all phases, from inventory to design, build, test and actual migration of an application. The key learning is that the participation of each stakeholder who helped to create this approach led to their buy-in and to their making improvements based on experience, leading to the final success of the entire migration program.
What do you love about working at DXC?
DXC is a strong player in the market with a lot of know-how across the globe. Based on our good network we’re able to pull in expertise from just about anywhere to address challenges in projects and advise the customer about how we can help overcome these challenges.
What do you do in your spare time?
I’m addicted to long-distance running and cycling. Preparing for a marathon requires the same preparation as for a project. One needs a strong plan and discipline to execute. I also like adventurous travels in remote places in Scandinavia, Iceland, and Greenland. I also see similarities between taking these trips and managing programs. You need to plan to be prepared for the worst. Doing these things help me to be mentally strong, and ready for a challenging job. I also appreciate culture — I regularly visit museums and attend ballet performances and concerts.
