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“An IT project touches the heart of your organisation.” That is the conviction of Nancy Rietbroek, Acting Managing Director at NAK. Together with Agri Information Partners (AIP), the organisation worked on preparing a new, future-proof IT landscape.
The reason for this was clear. The existing system had supported the organisation’s primary processes for many years, but over time it had become increasingly complex. Processes had become intertwined with the software, knowledge was spread throughout the organisation, and employees increasingly had to perform additional steps to get their work done. It was time for renewal.
But before a single line of new software could be written, something else had to happen first.
The first step was not selecting a new system, but mapping the processes. How do the activities actually work in practice? Which knowledge exists only in employees’ heads? Where do unnecessary steps, risks or dependencies arise?
“The processes were the foundation for us. Not only for building a new IT system, but also because they were actually not sufficiently documented.” The processes at NAK had already been mapped in an earlier project. For this project, a deliberately different approach was chosen: rather than simply documenting the processes, they were reviewed together with employees and examined again from a practical perspective. This created an up-to-date, shared understanding that formed the basis for further digitalisation.
While IT projects often revolve around technology, the strength of this project lay elsewhere. AIP chose not only to analyse the processes, but above all to involve the people behind those processes.
“What I really appreciated was that AIP had the patience to move along with our organisation. Sometimes taking a step back, sometimes moving forward again. Not everything has to happen at full speed all at once.”
The organisation itself also evolved during the project. Priorities shifted, new insights emerged, and the scope of the assignment continued to develop along the way. According to Nancy, this required not only technical expertise, but above all a partner who could think along with the organisation.
“Evert and Jan Willem didn’t always have the answer immediately either. But they kept thinking along with us. They were advisors as well as sparring partners.”
The ultimate goal was, of course, a new IT landscape. But the value of the project went far beyond that.
By working through the processes together, the organisation gained clarity. Employees developed a greater sense of ownership, knowledge was captured, and the organisation gained insight into how its processes are actually connected.
“In the end, we were mainly working with the people. Looking back, that is what I am most satisfied with. People started taking responsibility and ownership.”
According to Nancy, this is exactly where many organisations underestimate the challenge.
“An IT project is much more about developing and involving people than about the hard technical side.”
At AIP, we believe sustainable digitalisation only happens when people, processes and technology are in balance.
Technology is important, but it only creates value when it supports the organisation rather than the other way around. That is why we don’t start with software, but with the people who work with it every day and the processes that keep the organisation running.
As Nancy puts it so aptly:
“You have managed to connect people and technology through the process. If you don’t have control of one of those two, at some point you’ll fall out of balance.”
That is the essence of digital transformation for us. It is not about implementing technology, but about helping organisations build a foundation on which successful change can take place.
Business consultancy, Sales & marketing
Evert is an experienced business & change consultant passionate about the human side of change. With a background in Agricultural Engineering and nearly two decades of experience in the seed breeding sector, he helps organizations bridge the gap between people, processes and technology. He supports teams and leaders in improving collaboration, decision-making and the successful adoption of new ways of working.
Business consultancy, Management
Jan Willem Kruize studied at Wageningen University and obtained his Ph.D. in Information Technology in Agriculture. He worked as a Scientific Researcher in Information Management at Wageningen Economic Research and later as a Team Leader in Information Management Research & Development at Rijk Zwaan.
Since 2023, he has been working as a senior business consultant at Agri Information Partners and has been part of the management team as commercial manager. In 2025, Jan Willem also became a shareholder in the company.
Business consultancy
Nadine has a background in physical chemistry and brings a strong analytical perspective to her work. She enjoys understanding and mapping out complex activities and processes. In this role, she easily bridges the gap between Business and IT and acts as a valuable sparring partner for both. With her analytical skills and curious mindset, she helps clarify complex issues and develop practical solutions.