Ask a friend, Anna-Riikka Hovi-Taunila Thinking Portfolio

In the past few months, what have you been experimenting with and learning from it, CEO at Thinking Portfolio, Anna-Riikka Hovi-Taunila?

I started in May 2022 as CEO at Thinking Portfolio, a Finnish software company. Over the summer, we revamped our management system and started experimenting with our new team models. In the autumn, we clarified our mission and strategy together and chose our goals. We did our annual planning for the first time with the entire team. Together we selected the priorities and experiments we will do in 2023, and the teams considered their role in achieving the goals. At the beginning of the year, we visited our first retros related to our new forums and team model. During the spring, retros and development will continue.

At the end of last year, we had 60 discussions with our customers, based on which we have been able to prioritise the developments and experiments that we will start to implement in our customer work. In March, we will start workshop experiments with our customers, which have arisen from discussions. For them, retros will be held later in the spring.

Our own personnel have found the participatory experimental culture inspiring. On the other hand, some gave us feedback that we spent too much time discussing targets and things several times. This is an important lesson we have learned, and we will continue to do the next rounds in a participatory way, but with a lighter moderation model.

In many cases, experiments are perceived as a confusing and time-consuming operating model or even an inability of management to make decisions. This may be the truth – if experiments are used without prioritization and organisations start “just experimenting” without ever thinking about what they are trying to achieve, and after a while without stopping to think about whether they are on the right track.

For me, experimentation is a disciplined and goal-oriented way of developing different kinds of organisations. An inclusive and experimental culture is an effective way to engage people and make the desired change happen.

Thank you Annis! Read more about how Annis sees experimenting from Thinking Portfolio’s article.