[Interview] Sander Goudswaard: Makerlab's solutions have been tested for lasting results

Sander Goudswaard is partner of MakerLabpart of MakerStreet. We talk to him about innovating, experimenting and finding great solutions to a variety of customer questions.

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Hi Sander, what is innovation by making?

It's our DNA expressed in words. At MakerLab, what's in a name, it's all about creating. It goes like this: we assist people who don't want to receive an 8 from their customers but a 9. Or those seeking a more profitable business model.

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Whether they want their colleagues to enjoy their work even more. Whatever it is, our customers are looking for lasting results, so they don't take chances: they seek certainty. And in our view, the only way to achieve that is by turning ideas into reality and learning about their real-world impact.

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For us, "making" means taking action, so experimenting. It can be anything: data research, in-depth interviews, digital mock-ups, short-cycle A/B advertising campaigns, or complete customer onboarding and activation experiments.

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As long as you learn from it. Because just a good idea is not enough. You need tangible evidence that justifies an investment in implementing your solution.

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Everyone embraces innovation. But, of course, it doesn't just flow out of the tap...

True. Frankly, the term innovation works a bit against us these days. At least, the perception of that golden goose. Together with our customers, we are dead serious about developing services and products or making processes more humane and efficient.

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That's hard work and it requires real investments of time and money. Our clients know this, but sometimes you come across places where the perception still prevails that by putting a department into an afternoon co-creation session, you find great ideas. The reality is different 99 times out of 100.

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Fortunately, there are many companies that see innovation for what it is: a means to move forward, transform or simply do better what they were already doing.

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You must discover that means, make it your own, and then start believing in it as you see it yielding results for you. It's not simply turning on a tap, but rather, it's a serious commitment to install the piping system where the tap is the endpoint.

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What is your domain? Do you make and develop everything, or are there focuses and limitations?

Good question! Even though I have some people on my team who are good with welding machines or wood carving techniques, making physical innovations such as an improved shaver, for example, is not what we do.

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We focus on what the customer wants, whether it's feasible and permissible, and what that subsequently delivers to you. So, we could certainly tell you what requirements a razor should meet, that much is certain.

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Our clients are in all kinds of industries, from financial services to healthcare and from legal aid to public transport. I myself am still proud of our contribution to the renewed security and reclaim process at Schiphol Airport.

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What can MakerLab do that other parties cannot?

Curiosity, I think, is our real strength. MakerLab employs first-time discoverers. It's just who we are. We believe the question is just as important as the answer. Why do people do what they do? How exactly does a business work? And which path should we take to arrive at the best solution?

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We combine our expertise with that of our customers and seek out the answers. This mindset, combined with our manufacturing capabilities, leads to solutions that are creative, conceptual, yet always tangible. Crafted in the real world and tested for lasting results. And that is appreciated.

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What kind of people do you have on board, with what kind of specialties?

Until recently, we had to train our employees ourselves, because there was no training yet for what we were looking for. So we selected creative creators.

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For example, with a background in UX design, visual design, front-end and back-end development, rapid prototyping, user research, data analysis, and visualization... And we taught them to combine their skills with a structured innovation process that places curiosity and experimentation at its core.

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We call them experiment designers. Fortunately, there are now a number of  that train people to combine these skills.

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MakerLab is part of the MakerStreet network. What does that bring?

"Really quite a lot. Personally, it makes my role as an entrepreneur much easier. I can focus on the core of what we do: establishing and growing a healthy company. Various peripheral matters such as HR, accommodation, catering, and financial administration are taken care of."

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At Makerstreet, we place great emphasis on the craft. Full specialism is what we call it. Our clients benefit from this approach, as they have access to a range of skilled professionals through us, whom we can deploy in our projects whenever necessary.

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Flying in an experienced UX-writer or adding a temporary developer to your innovation project takes no time at all. That keeps life simple.

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What's your view on 2021?

The past year was my first as a partner at MakerLab. I had imagined it a bit differently, as you can imagine. Very fundamental aspects, such as the feeling of working with a team, were under significant pressure.

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Not only internally, but also in our collaboration with our customers, this is of great importance to us. Together, we have found a way, but I think that I, and many others with me, would like to quickly return to that old sense of team spirit. I hope that 2021 will make that possible.

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In addition, I see the market moving in two directions. On the one hand, there are companies that occasionally use companies like MakerLab and entrust us with great projects. On the other hand, I see increasing investment in in-house innovation teams.

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These teams often need temporary makers, which is why we launched a resourcing proposition last year to meet that demand. Further developing and marketing this offering is something I'm really looking forward to.

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What is the latest news?

In January, at the initiative of my colleague Jip Warendorf, we were able to contribute to the Duchenne Parent Project. This foundation aims to get scientists, doctors and companies moving to accelerate research for a treatment or cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

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This disease slowly breaks down your muscles, and you become progressively weaker. MakerLab has examined how we could further enhance the interaction between parents and this platform.

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I notice that there are many organizations, especially in the healthcare domain, where expertise from our industry can add significant value. However, we don't always find each other. In my opinion, this should become an action point.  

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MakerLab is part of the MakerStreet network

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