Konstantin Shishkov

Project Success: The Power of Sprints in Portfolio Management 1⃣ Sprints, a cornerstone of agile project management, allow teams to deliver rapid value through focused, time-bound intervals. With clear objectives and tight timelines, teams can quickly assess progress, pivot strategies if needed, and ensure alignment with the broader portfolio goals. Sprints also enhance adaptability, allowing teams to respond to change effectively. 2⃣ Real-world data supports the efficacy of sprints. According to a study by VersionOne, agile projects using sprints are 28% more successful than traditional projects. This structured yet flexible framework enables teams to reduce bottlenecks, manage risks better, and deliver higher-quality outputs aligned with stakeholder expectations and organizational goals. 3⃣ Implementing sprints in portfolio management encourages continuous delivery and incremental improvements rather than waiting for a project's final completion. This approach fosters collaboration, transparency, and constant feedback loops. Leaders gain insights earlier, enabling informed decisions on resource allocation to achieve strategic objectives smoothly and efficiently.

Whether you're focused on Infrastructure, Applications, or any other IT domain, it's easy to fall into the trap of isolated thinking. But when it comes to building robust enterprise architecture, strategic thinking is key. It's not just about managing your area—it's about understanding how everything connects. This checklist from Kevin Donovan nails it. It's a solid reminder of what matters when designing systems that scale, integrate, and evolve. #EnterpriseArchitecture #StrategicThinking #ITLeadership #DigitalTransformation

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From cloud-first to cloud-smart: LEONI’s strategic leap in IT infrastructure At LEONI, we believe that digital transformation is not just about adopting new technologies: it’s about making smart, sustainable choices that drive real business value. Together with our trusted partner NorthC Datacenters Deutschland, we’ve evolved our IT strategy from a traditional cloud-first approach to a more nuanced and efficient cloud-smart model. This shift enables us to balance performance, compliance, and cost-effectiveness across public cloud, colocation, and on-prem solutions. This transformation empowers LEONI with maximum flexibility and minimal cost, ensuring our IT backbone is as agile and resilient as the industries we serve. #LEONI #DigitalTransformation #Sustainability #Efficiency

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With ChatGPT, I cut development costs by 50%. Recently, I had a great experience using ChatGPT as a programming assistant – and yes, it actually works. The result: my application became far more professional. I not only ended up with stable, clean software, but also saved around 50% of the development budget. That’s budget the client can now invest into another project. From my own experience, testing still remains essential — but that’s part of every development cycle. And of course, you need to know what you want. ChatGPT is a powerful assistant, but it performs best when you provide clear direction. If you lead it well, it delivers.

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Two worlds, one goal: Scaling software excellence at speed. 🏎️ 🤝 🏥 The MedTech industry is a pioneer in safety-critical innovation, in highly regulated environment. However, as software complexity explodes, the challenge is maintaining that rigor at a higher velocity. At DMEA - Connecting Digital Health, we will be discussing how a modern Software Factory approach can transform development cycles. To illustrate this, we will be sharing insights from our work at Capgemini Engineering in Automotive, where the implementation of Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) factories has set a new benchmark for managing complex, regulated systems through high-scale automation. It’s about taking those proven SDV blueprints and adapting them to the MedTech environment—enabling teams to master MDR/IVDR compliance as an integrated part of the build, not a bottleneck. 🎯 Session: Software Factory for MedTech: fast, secure, compliant 📅 When: Tuesday, April 21st | 16:30 📍 Where: Speakers’ Corner (or join us at Booth B-101, Hall 4.2) I’m looking forward to discussing how these cross-industry experiences can help us build the next generation of healthcare technology. See you in Berlin! Tobias Kühnel Heiko Jung Mike Welsh Ute Kunzmann Suresh Sarojani

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New network of competences in automotive industry: "... HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA Dr. Dietmar Stapel, Vice President Product Segment Radar 'We are pleased to support the Automotive Grade Open Source Ecosystem. Open, common standards are essential for secure integration and form the foundation for delivering innovative, value-added automotive features.' ..." https://lnkd.in/eaVAF7t2

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I recently spoke with Uta Becker-Guerke, Manager Technical Engineering at Adient, about her challenge that lands on her desk regularly: a customer sends a new requirement to eliminate, reduce, or report on a substance. The request seems straightforward. But the real work starts before anyone even contacts a supplier. First, she needs to understand where the question comes from. Not just which customer is asking, but why. What's the regulatory background? What's driving the urgency? Sometimes that takes days of digging through official publications, tapping specialist networks, and connecting with industry organizations like CLEPA. Then comes the puzzle work of figuring out which parts are affected. Which suppliers need to be contacted? It's not just "do you use substance X" but she needs to ask "do you use substance X in this material, under these conditions, in this application?" That requires deep know-how and a bit of detective work. Most teams handle this manually. Experts spend hours piecing together information, filtering suppliers, educating the supply chain on the background, and tracking responses, all while managing conflicting priorities and shrinking timelines. Here's where things shift with IPOINT. Our tool helps teams like Uta's quickly identify which parts and suppliers are actually affected. - The filtering happens faster. - The context is clearer. - And the tracking is automated, so nothing falls through the cracks when timelines are tight, and priorities compete. But what I find most valuable is that it frees up expert time. Instead of spending days on manual detective work, specialists can focus on understanding the requirements, educating the supply chain, and making sure substitutions don't create new problems. Because replacing one harmful substance with another that's just as bad, or even worse, is a real risk. If you want to learn more about how to handle complex substance requirements under pressure and keep your supply chain informed without overwhelming them, join Uta and me on February 11th, 4 pm CET: https://lnkd.in/eY4CfrC3 We will be talking about exactly how she tackles these challenges and what's worked for her team at Adient.

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🚗 #AutoSnacks Weekly – Strategy Shifts, Tariffs & New Speed This week, Europe’s auto leaders are rewriting their playbooks — under pressure from markets, politics, and global competition. 💡 Key developments: 🚙 XPENG goes local in #Europe: By assembling SUVs in Graz with Magna International, Xpeng sidesteps tariffs on Chinese EVs. Expect more Chinese OEMs to follow. 🏎️ Porsche AG pivots back to #ICE: Delays in EV launches reflect tough demand realities. As we noted last week, market forces are reshaping roadmaps faster than boardrooms anticipated. 🚘 Mercedes-Benz AG moves beyond “luxury”: CEO Ola Kaellenius is no longer framing Mercedes as a “pure luxury” player. Instead, he’s betting on a broad model offensive — but if it fails, both the strategy and his leadership could be at risk. 🚘 BMW Group’s Neue Klasse bets on #AI: A €10B overhaul with leaner teams, faster cycles, and AI-driven development. The race is no longer just about technology in the car, but about efficiency behind the scenes. 🚫 Public pushback on 2035 #ICEban: in a recent survey by YouGov 44% of Germans want the ban scrapped, and another 19% want it delayed. OEMs must prepare for shifting political winds and public sentiment that’s far from aligned with EU targets. 📌 Takeaway: The common denominator? #Flexibility is the new predictability. From repositioning brand narratives to rethinking production footprints, only adaptive strategies will thrive in this volatile decade. 👉 Over to you: Which will prove more decisive for the next era of mobility — political frameworks, technological leaps, or customer sentiment? #AutoSnacksWeekly #Automotive #Transformation #Electrification #Strategy #AI #Mobility #OEM

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🚨 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐲 – 𝐒𝐀𝐏 𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐏 𝐂𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 Our security research has revealed that a standard-internal SAP function can be misused to inject and execute code within SAP systems – without any validation or safeguards. Although SAP does not officially classify this behavior as a vulnerability, exploitation only requires authorization to execute local function modules (typically S_DEVELOP with ACTVT = 16 via SE37/SE80) – which, while not intended for productive use, is often present in complex real-world environments. In practice, we regularly observe that authorizations in SAP landscapes – especially in large or long-standing environments – are overly permissive or lack adequate restrictions. ⚠️ What’s at risk: • Executing arbitrary database commands • Injecting code into the SAP namespace • Overriding transport and change protections • Bypassing all internal security checks 🎯 Our recommendation: Even though there is no official patch, organizations can and should mitigate this risk through authorization hardening: • 🔒 Strictly limit access to development tools – especially transactions like SE37 and SE80 • 🛡️ Review and restrict the use of S_DEVELOP – not only in production, but also in QA, test, and sandbox systems • 🧩 Implement fine-grained access controls – e.g., by using object-level restrictions such as OBJTYPE, OBJNAME, and DEVCLASS 📎 Further reading: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d4-E3SG3 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dphgXxXF #SAPSecurity #CyberSecurity #SAP #RiskManagement #AccessControl #Governance #S4HANA #SecurityAdvisory #nullFaktor #ABAP #Vulnerability

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Kicking off the future of quality!   Last week, ETAS CEO Thomas Irawan, a co-founder of the EPQ concept, delivered the keynote for the inaugural C/QM EPQ Day in Feuerbach. With over 500 global participants, Thomas unveiled "The Genesis of EPQ," outlining our shared vision for the Engineering Product Quality (EPQ) role.   At Bosch Group and ETAS, the EPQ is an independent quality cornerstone, elevating preventive quality and ensuring our products and processes meet the highest standards.   Now, as we transition to Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), the EPQ's role is more critical than ever. It's about harmonizing quality across intricate software landscapes, ensuring holistic validation, continuous assurance, and evolving from component oversight to comprehensive digital quality orchestration. Thank you, Thomas, for the inspiring keynote. Thanks to everyone for a great event and valuable contributions, and special appreciation to the C/QM team for their excellent organization.

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Gemma 4 and Qwen 3.6 as Open Weight/Open Source models! This will bring down your token costs. Try it out!

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I am often asked what the Business Women's Network (BWN) at SAP is about…     … what we do, and whether we focus only on female-related topics.   Quite the contrary! Our events are open to all SAP Switzerland employees, and we regularly collaborate with customers and partners. Our topics range from AI and career management to networking, professional relationships, team building and much more!   A great example was one of our recent workshops hosted by Yann Kunkel on “𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐓𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐬". We explored the subtle ways communication can undermine trust and collaboration, drawing on research from the Gottman Institute. The “𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧” (criticism, contempt, defensiveness, stonewalling) aren’t just abstract concepts - they show up in every team, and learning to recognize and address them is key to building resilient, high-performing groups.   𝐌𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬: ✔️Awareness is the first step. We all fall into toxic patterns sometimes, but naming them opens the door to change. ✔️The COIN method (Context, Observation, Impact, Next) is a practical tool for turning difficult conversations into opportunities for growth. ✔️ Healthy teams don’t avoid conflict - they manage it with empathy, curiosity, and accountability. ✔️Inclusion means making space for every voice, and that starts with how we communicate.   Thank you, Yann, for bringing up this important subject, and Roland for the great support with the workshop organisation!   ❓ Do we all agree that we all want to work in teams where people feel safe to speak up, challenge respectfully, and support each other’s growth? I am happy to say that BWN is a community for exactly that - open to everyone who wants to drive impact, connect, and lead with authenticity 🫶 Dr. Florian Dreifus Valérie Marion Max Carola Vitaliy Elizabeth Nicole Melissa Nikol Doria Hava Julia #SAPBWN #Leadership #Teamwork #Communication #PersonalGrowth #Inclusion

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It’s not the size of your ambitions or ideas that matters. What matters is who’s building them with you. In the end, it’s about the people. Everywhere, anytime. This is why a strong culture with the right mindset puts an organization ahead of the competition.

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I love your conclusion Philipp (I translated it): "My Take There’s a fifth scenario. The one that prevents all the other four: the transformation simply succeeds. We still have everything we need: 1. Brands – globally known and trusted 2. Capital – VW remains among the world’s top R&D investors, on par with Big Tech 3. Talent – German engineers, designers and developers are world-class We’re not starting from zero. We have a strong foundation. What must change is our operating system – how we work, collaborate, and make decisions. From an industrial giant to a software-first company. And above all: staying humble. Not fighting China, but learning from them – the same way they learned from us. Tavares is right to warn. But he’s also right about this: technological leadership is never fixed. China built its lead within years. They can lose it just as fast if we outrun them on the next innovation. The real question isn’t: Do we have the resources? It’s: Can we change fast enough? The fifth scenario is absolutely possible. But one thing is certain: in ten years, German carmakers will not look the same – whether the transformation succeeds or fails. That’s what Schularick means by “not in their current form.” So the only question is: Do we shape this change – or let it happen to us?"

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🚗 BMW Group and T-Systems launch a new cooperation on Catena-X BMW Group is expanding its Catena-X data ecosystem together with T-Systems. As a certified implementation partner, T-Systems connects BMW Group’s global supplier network to Catena-X and supports them from onboarding to secure data exchange. Catena-X makes supply chains more resilient, transparent, and sustainable, accelerates quality processes and simplifies data and certificate management across the network. Through this partnership, T-Systems enables BMW Group to fully leverage Catena-X for secure, efficient and future-ready data collaboration. Read more in the article 👉 https://lnkd.in/dee3f_t4

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The biggest transformation in automotive history will not succeed with the management teams of the past. Is this the reason why China is leading the automotive industry?

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In B2B, AI only generates value when it understands and speaks the domain language. That's one key message in our joint talk with #BMW on AI-powered intelligence in the automotive sector. A recent McKinsey study estimates that generative AI could unlock around 328 billion US dollars in global functional R&D productivity. At the same time, the Nanda MIT report highlights that 95% of generative AI pilots fail. From our perspective, missing domain knowledge is one of the major reasons behind this gap. Of course, these studies must always be interpreted carefully and within the context in which they were created. But especially in today’s AI hype, it is crucial to stay focused on where AI can deliver real value and tangible business impact. This means: 👉 Identifying AI-relevant use cases 👉 Ensuring AI speaks the industry’s language based on a solid data foundation 👉 Choosing the right type of AI for each specific case (Agents vs. Workflows vs. Chat) Being part of the delivery team and bringing Aleph Alpha together with BMW on stage was one of the absolute highlights of my first months at Aleph Alpha so far. Watch to learn more: https://lnkd.in/ejaPh74d

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Turning Threats into Strategy #2 𝗝𝗟𝗥’𝘀 𝗰𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 - 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲-𝘂𝗽 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲’𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. 🛡️ 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 👉 Conduct 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀 of supplier practices. 👉 Invest in 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 across supply chain. 👉 Develop 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 for logistics and production disruptions. 👉 Advocate for 𝗘𝗨-𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 for critical industries. 👉 Treat 𝗰𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 as a strategic pillar (financial + operational). --- 🔍 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 👉 The cyberattack targeted 𝗞𝘂𝗲𝗵𝗻𝗲+𝗡𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗹, a major logistics provider for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), disrupting 𝘃𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 👉 Although JLR itself wasn’t directly hacked, the attack on its supplier caused 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀, showing how 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 can cripple even large manufacturers. --- 🧠 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 👉 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗜𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 The attack demonstrates that 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 can have cascading effects. Companies must assess and monitor the cybersecurity posture of their suppliers, not just their own systems. 👉 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Relying heavily on a single logistics provider or supplier creates systemic risk. Building 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮��𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 can mitigate the impact of such disruptions. 👉 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 This wasn’t just a technical issue, it disrupted production and delivery, affecting revenue and customer trust. Cybersecurity must be treated as a 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸, not just an IT concern. 👉 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺𝘀 The incident highlights the need for 𝗽𝗮𝗻-𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, including shared threat intelligence, rapid response frameworks, and investment in critical infrastructure protection. --- https://lnkd.in/eHsYqeri

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