Diractions Consulting - Harald Hagenaars

A framework for selecting sensor data sources in a fast-moving company

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Effective sensor selection isn’t about deep research; it’s about making fast, disciplined decisions that control commitment and protect your company’s strategic freedom.

The Polymath advantage: why the best innovation leaders don’t fit in a single box

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

How the synthesis of deep systems thinking, innovation leadership, and diverse value multipliers turns organisational complexity into a competitive edge.

From robot arm to humanoid: why the robotics revolution is unfolding differently than AI

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

AI powers robots to be smarter, but robots require hardware and specific expertise to function

Why high-tech companies must rethink their technology roadmaps

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Discover how to align your technology roadmap with company vision, product strategy, and market changes. A must-read for CEOs and CTOs in high-tech.

Cracking the code for robot fleets in harsh environments

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Oil and gas sites are adding more ground robots and drones, but managing them all under one system isn’t easy.

Here is why I've migrated to Hugo coming from Wordpress

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

After years on WordPress, I switched to Hugo. Here’s why static site generators, Markdown, and CI/CD pipelines finally won me over.

Projects

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 11:17:32 +0000

A showcase of my consultancy projects across growth strategy, program management, market intelligence, and more.

Integrating Geospatial Intelligence and AI agents into a Travel Agency’ Digital Strategy

June 2024 - June 2025

Tasked with enhancing a digital strategy (apps, websites, paper maps) for a travel agency, I developed a strategic roadmap for incorporating geographic data—maps, points of interest (POIs), and routes—into their digital channels. This included refining their GTM strategy and identifying key integration opportunities to create a seamless, data-enriched user experience, positioning them for long-term competitive advantage. This included working towards a longer term vision of integrating AI agents for smarter searching and automated booking.

FAQ

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 01:59:58 +0000

What makes your background unique compared to other technology leaders?

My career bridges deep technical expertise in software, electronics, and AI with hands-on business strategy, product leadership, and innovation. I thrive at the intersection of technology and business, enabling me to translate complex technical advances into real-world impact and market value.

How do you add value to organizations?

I specialize in identifying and unlocking new growth opportunities by connecting emerging technologies—like AI, robotics, and automation—to concrete business needs. My approach ensures that innovation is always driven by market pull, not just technology push.

Cookie Policy

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Cookies are small files that are downloaded to your computer in order to enhance the user experience. This page describes what information I collect through cookies.

Privacy Policy

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Effective date: 01-07-2025

Your privacy is important to me. This Privacy Policy outlines how I collect, use, and protect your personal data when you visit diractions.eu and diractions.nl .

1. Who I am

This website is operated by Harald Hagenaars, based in The Netherlands.
You can contact me at: harald@diractions.eu .

2. What Personal Data I collect and why

a. Analytics

I use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use my sites (e.g., which pages are viewed, time spent on pages, bounce rate). This data is anonymized and does not include personal identifiers.

About

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

My Story - From Innovation Labs to Strategic Advisory

I’ve spent the past three decades immersed in innovation — from the first consumer Internet on TV application , to building next-gen automotive systems and ADAS standardization , to scaling deep tech ventures across Europe and Asia. I’ve led strategic initiatives, built partnerships, co-founded a computer vision startup , and advised on investments in AI, sensors, and cybersecurity.

Services

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Why I offer these services?

Many innovation efforts get stuck long before they deliver real-world value. These are the 5 blockers I see most often:

Fuzzy problem framing: innovation often starts without a sharp understanding of the real-world problem, who faces it, and what value a solution brings.
No path to adoption: pilots and demos abound — but few initiatives cross the chasm into daily use and scaled value.
Misaligned roadmaps: tech, product, and business teams operate in silos, leading to uncoordinated development and missed opportunities.
Isolated innovation: without portfolios, processes, or clear KPIs, innovation efforts stay stuck in corners of the org — never maturing into repeatable capability.
Underused partnerships: valuable ecosystems and partners are overlooked or inconsistently engaged, limiting speed, reach, and co-creation potential.

These blockers reflect a universal challenge: how to balance today’s business with tomorrow’s innovation. As Stanford’s James G. March put it: “The basic problem confronting an organization is to engage in sufficient exploitation to ensure its current viability and, at the same time, devote enough energy to exploration to ensure its future viability.”

Key questions I raise when integrating LLMs into business workflows

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s a look at the kinds of questions I raise with customers at the very start of any LLM integration project.

Why do so many AI and robotics projects fail?

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

AI and robotics projects often fail due to a disconnect between business goals and technical focus.

The Art of Innovation Accounting

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Providing data-driven, non-financial metrics to assess innovation impact, align stakeholders, and support scaling innovations in complex organizations.

Rethinking the Three Horizon model? Here is what I tell clients

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

How to move from early-stage innovation to business impact faster—without skipping the work. A practical take on using the Three Horizons model today.

Bridging the gap between Data and Impact in Autonomous Systems

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The post explains how extracting valuable information from data in autonomous tech and logistics boosts impact, illustrated by real-world industry examples.

The crucial role of data labeling in machine learning

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Data labeling is essential for training AI in autonomous systems, balancing manual and automated methods while addressing privacy, accuracy, and scalability challenges.

Navigating the challenges of data capture in mobile robotics

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Outlining key challenges in real-world data capture—like occlusion, lighting, dust, and poor calibration.

The technical terrain of capturing data within mobile robotics

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This post examines key sensor technologies for automation and their trade-offs, while also addressing cybersecurity, data processing, and the widespread underuse of captured sensor data.

Defining data in the age of automating mobility

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This first DIVI post defines Data as raw sensor input essential for automation, stressing its quality and fusion as key to reliability.

Received recommendations

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Here are a few recommendations I’ve received from my clients and colleagues:

Gwen van Vugt

Senior Director @ Siemens | Head of Simcenter Autonomy

“I’m delighted to recommend Harald Hagenaars. We’ve known each other for many years in the mobility innovation domain, and I’ve consistently experienced Harald as an genuine, insightful professional who is easy to engage with and excellent to spar with. When he launched his independent practice Diractions Consulting, I was one of his first clients, and he executed that assignment exceptionally well.