HeadWindProjects B.V.
Don't Automate Misalignment:
Build Systems Where Human Intelligence & Tech Architecture Align
Most people focus on one domain and feel comfortable picking either Org Design or IT. I work the intersection. I help organizations simplify their existence by aligning how people coordinate with how data flows, ensuring AI amplifies human potential rather than automating 1911 industrial bureaucracy.
The Problem: The "Factory" Mindset in an "Octopus" World
The Tension:
We are entering an era of uncertainty and deglobalization, yet most organizations still operate on Frederick Taylor's 1911 industrial model—hierarchies built for control, compliance, and predictable production.
The Sewage Metaphor:
Thought experiment: You walk into a Michelin-starred restaurant. The food? Incredible. But the place stinks of sewage and there's literally faeces on the floor.
What's the best way to create value? Not improving the food—it's already premium. It's cleaning that floor.
Cooking creates the product. Hygiene creates the context in which you can fully enjoy it. Inseparable.
That's the transformation work I do: Fix the organizational hygiene—data quality, governance clarity, psychological safety—and suddenly the place is worth dining in, with or without fancy tech.
Bring the automation or AI before cleaning the floor? That's serving foie gras in a cesspit!
The Shift:
We must move from the "Factory" (rigid, top-down) to the "Octopus" (distributed intelligence).
Factories optimize for predictability. Octopuses optimize for adaptability. Which world are we living in?
An octopus has neuro-clusters in each arm, allowing tentacles to sense and react instantly while staying connected to the brain. To remain responsive enough to the changing environment, your organization needs this same distributed agility.
The Philosophy: Data Architecture = Governance Architecture
Traditional governance relies on PDF policies and manual emails, creating bottlenecks where managers must override the system to get work done. I use an Encoded Approach:
The Result: When authority is encoded at the data layer, hierarchy becomes a choice, not a necessity.
The Implications: 3 Ways AI Changes the Game
1. AI Democratizes Authority
The atomic unit of work isn't a job title; it's a workflow. When governance is encoded in data, decisions flow to the person with the context, not the person with the title. "Manager approval" is replaced by "System verification."
2. AI Distributes Intelligence (The Era of Generalists)
AI democratizes specialization. Generalists can now handle expert tasks (e.g., legal synthesis or coding) if they have access to the right data. This requires a Federated Data Architecture—teams own their data locally but share intelligence globally.
3. AI Exposes Culture
AI acts as a mirror. If a manager overrides 80% of automated decisions, that is now data. Dysfunction, bottlenecks, and knowledge hoarding become visible. This forces a culture of transparency and psychological safety.
The Framework: For Every Organization
My philosophy isn't just for one type of company. It applies across the spectrum, from Process-Driven (e.g., Retail/Logistics) to Knowledge-Driven (e.g., Consulting/R&D).
The 2x2 Decision Matrix:
I map your decisions based on Repeatability and Complexity to find the right approach:
Automate
Efficiency
(Expense approvals)
Augment
Risk reduction
(Anomaly detection)
Template
Consistency
(Standard contracts)
Enable
Insight synthesis
(Strategic partnerships)
The Common Denominator:
Whether you are approving a €1,500 restocking order (Process) or designing a complex wind farm strategy (Knowledge), the requirement is the same: Authority must flow to the point of action, and expertise must be accessible.
The Path Forward: Build the Foundation, Not the Hype
The Pragmatic "Data-Led" Approach (Low Risk, High Value):
The "AI-Centric" Approach (High Risk):
HeadWindProjects operates as an architectural practice for complex systems—where emerging technologies, governance, and value creation intersect, before systems harden and options narrow.
Ready to build foundations that last?
→ Let's talk.