Florian Rappel
Head of Software Development and Digitalization
Experience
Head of Software Development and Digitalization
CHIRON Group SE
Cross-site responsibility for a digital product portfolio and the underlying infrastructure.
- Built a motivated development team of 15 people.
- Restructured the entire organization to enable them in a digital environment.
- Adjusted organization and processes to optimize development and maintenance of the product portfolio.
- Introduced new tools and methods to increase efficiency and quality in software development.
Scrum Master / Team Lead
CHIRON
Introduction of agile methods and practices in multidisciplinary teams to improve the efficiency and transparency of workflows in a demanding environment with frequent interruptions from operational tasks. The focus is on small steps, quick experiments, preserving success, and fast adaptation in case of failure to minimize team stress and ensure they can handle their core tasks.
- Identified hurdles in the development process through exchanges with teams and colleagues
- Validated new methods and tools to simplify the way of working
- Introduced and administered Jira for general task management in software development
- Introduced and administered Confluence for knowledge management
- Gradually introduced useful Scrum artifacts (sprints, sprint plannings, Product Owner role, reviews, etc.)
- Continuously analyzed and optimized methods and processes through retrospectives with teams and colleagues
- Enabled and motivated teams to work independently
- Took on the role of Scrum Master.
By implementing Jira and Confluence, we created a central platform for documenting and managing tasks and knowledge, increasing transparency and clarity in software development. Introducing the right Scrum artifacts improved team efficiency and focus. Adding a Product Owner role optimized product quality and support. These tools and methods proved successful and have since been adopted by other departments.
- Method optimization
- Jira and Confluence in use and administration
- Scrum
- Knowledge management
- Requirements management
- Business analytics
- Agile methods
Business Analyst / Team Lead
CHIRON
The company develops digital products such as user interfaces and software for visualizing machine data alongside its machine tools. Since these products and their installation and support processes are still relatively new, operational areas often face challenges, pulling developers directly and uncoordinated into operational tasks. To reduce the load on the development team, better coordinate unplanned tasks, and support the operational team, the company planned to introduce an IT support system and set up suitable processes and structures.
- Analyzed and described the current situation in the development and operational environment by talking with affected colleagues
- Contributed to developing a support concept to coordinate requests from operational areas
- Helped shape the framework for the third-level support process (templates for support requests, workflows, SLAs, etc.)
- Introduced and helped configure a ticket system (Jira Service Desk plugin)
- Trained colleagues in using the support system and defined processes
- Coordinated support cases for one area of software development
- Analyzed support cases over about a year and derived solutions to reduce support requests
- Founded a self-directed team in the operational environment with deep understanding of the products and technologies
By introducing a third-level support system, we established a tool that decoupled operational areas from development and sped up finding information, documents, and FAQs, allowing operational teams to work more independently. Analyzing support requests over a year showed that despite initial successes, we needed more capacity and adapted processes and structures for sustainable handling of operational tasks. This led to creating a new operational team, deeply trained and empowered to work independently. As a result, operational areas now work more independently, support requests are fewer and higher quality, solutions are implemented and documented more sustainably, and development resources have been freed for important strategic tasks and projects.
- Method optimization
- Jira and Confluence in use and administration
- Scrum
- Knowledge management
- Requirements management
- Business analytics
- Agile methods
Head of Software Development and Digitalization
CHIRON Werke
Strategic and operational management of the development of user interfaces and digital products for machine tools, from concept to series release.
Product Owner
CHIRON Werke
The development of a new, modern, and context-sensitive machine tool also requires a completely redesigned and advanced control panel. The goal is to create a combination of hardware and software modules that offers increased usability and efficiency for CNC-controlled machine tools. Using cutting-edge technology such as touchscreens and applying interaction concepts should help make the control panel more user-friendly.
- Initiated the project and generated the necessary documents
- Conducted workshops to define hardware and software requirements
- Developed a global navigation and interaction concept
- Specified individual user interfaces and functions
- Acted as the communication channel between stakeholders and the development team
- Maintained the product backlog and supported the development team during development
- Responsible for the overall architecture (hardware, operating system, technology stack)
- Collaborated with UX consultants for a modern overall concept
- Coordinated project partners/suppliers
- Prepared requirements and feedback during the project
The project led to the development of a modern and user-friendly control panel based on a large touchscreen, complemented by additional haptic components (button modules, override potentiometer, etc.). By adapting menus and scenes to each control action and displaying context-dependent information, the operator is maximally supported in daily work. The panel’s architecture is designed so that the software can be easily extended with necessary functions in the future. Since its series introduction, the panel has been used in all new machines.
- Product Owner
- Product management
- Interaction concept
- Requirements management
- Stakeholder management
- Teamwork
- Communication
Software development C++/Qt
CHIRON Werke
- Designed and developed standard user interfaces for machine tools.
- Implemented customer-specific solutions from requirements analysis to customer acceptance.
Summary
questioning, analyzing and optimizing The only constant in the world is change. With the right approach, I turn change into improvement.
designing, creating and inspiring People decide with their emotions. That’s why I commit to inspiring solutions, which in turn are the key to satisfied customers.
Languages
Education
DHBW Stuttgart, Campus Horb
Bachelor of Engineering · Electrical Engineering - Automation · Horb am Neckar, Germany
Skilled worker · Electronics Technician for Automation
Certifications & licenses
Professional Scrum Product Owner I
scrum.org
Professional Scrum Master I
scrum.org
Advanced Seminar in Project Management
PS Consulting
Basics of Project Management
PS Consulting
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