From Hackathon to Impact: The Power of Code Games

Code Games is Wolters Kluwer's global, internal innovation event—a hackathon-style competition now in its 13th year. With more than 3,700 employees across 35 locations, the initiative brings teams together to tackle real customer challenges through collaboration and creativity. What started as a grassroots effort within the Tax & Accounting division has evolved into an enterprise-wide program, powered by AI and cross-functional teamwork.

In this conversation with David Bartolone (VP & GM, Legal & Regulatory US) and Tom Luttikhuis (Associate Director, User Experience Research) of Wolters Kluwer, we dive into how Code Games inspires innovation, breaks down silos, and transforms bold ideas into tangible customer value.

Next, join Wolters Kluwer and the AAA-ICDR for an Open Innovation Hackathon on June 11 in The Hague, following the Future of Dispute Resolution conference. This dynamic, hands-on event connects international arbitration professionals with Wolters Kluwer technologists to co-create AI-driven solutions that improve access to justice and streamline dispute resolution.

Q: Can you explain how Wolters Kluwer’s organizational structure supports innovation and collaboration across its various business units?

David Bartolone: Wolters Kluwer operates as a global matrix organization, with verticals aligned to key customer markets—Health, Tax & Accounting, Financial & Corporate Compliance, Legal & Regulatory, Corporate Performance and ESG.  Supporting these is the Digital eXperience Group (DXG), a 6,000-strong technology team that provides the software development and innovation needed to power products and services across all divisions. DXG plays a central role in driving digital transformation and enabling customer-facing teams to deliver modern, effective solutions.

Tom Luttikhuis: Within DXG, the structure centers around two key components: Centers of Excellence (CoEs) and product engineering teams. CoEs provide specialized expertise—such as architecture, user experience (UX), and Quality Assurance (QA)—to support all five business divisions, ensuring consistent, high-quality practices. Engineering and delivery teams are the builders, working closely with business units to develop customer-focused solutions. Together, they form a collaborative engine driving digital transformation across Wolters Kluwer.

Q: Could you give a brief overview of what Code Games is?

David Bartolone: Wolters Kluwer fosters innovation through two global programs: Code Games and the Global Innovation Awards.

Code Games challenges employees to turn ideas into working demos using code or AI tools, while the Global Innovation Awards spotlight broader business or operational ideas that may not require a technical component.

Both initiatives help surface ideas from across the organization and bring them to senior leadership—empowering employees to drive real impact.

Tom Luttikhuis: Another key distinction between Code Games and the Global Innovation Awards is the format. Code Games is a fast-paced, hackathon-style event—a three-day sprint where teams spend two days building solutions with code or AI tools, followed by a demo day judged by a panel. It’s high-pressured, creative, and focused on solving real customer problems quickly.

In contrast, the Global Innovation Awards unfold over a longer period, allowing participants to develop broader business or operational ideas—often supported by a business case.

What’s remarkable is how inclusive it’s become. Initially tech-focused, Code Games now involves people from across the organization—product managers, UX designers, editorial teams, and senior leaders—all contributing as builders, collaborators, or judges. It's a true showcase of cross-functional innovation, and I’m proud to be part of its evolution.

Q: How does working across different time zones and locations kind of affect the team's approach to innovation and problem solving?

Tom Luttikhuis: Our global reach is an advantage, not a challenge. The most successful Code Games teams are often diverse—across cultures, roles, and regions—bringing richer perspectives to customer problems.

Working across time zones even boosts productivity, with teams handing off work around the clock. This kind of global collaboration is what makes Code Games so unique—connecting like-minded colleagues worldwide to innovate together. At Wolters Kluwer, it’s not a hurdle—it’s part of the energy.

Q: Are there any particular technologies—like AI, automation, or cloud computing—that play a key role in your solution?

Tom Luttikhuis: At Wolters Kluwer, our custom generative AI platform is now widely used across teams. As generative AI continues to advance, it has significantly boosted the quality of innovation—especially over the past year.

During the most recent Code Games, the impact was clear. Agentic AI—whether a single agent performing complex tasks or multiple agents redesigning workflows—was the most widely used technology. Thanks to broad access to our platform, teams delivered more sophisticated and creative solutions than ever before.

Simply put, our generative AI platform helped raise the bar, empowering teams to reimagine what’s possible.

David Bartolone: What makes this moment especially exciting is how accessible technology has become. In the past, bringing an idea to life often required being an engineer—or partnering closely with one. But now, with AI, the barrier to entry has dropped significantly. You can describe an idea in natural language and have AI help translate it into code or functional output.

This shift has been a game-changer. During this year’s Code Games, we saw more ideas surface than ever before—not because there were more people with technical skills, but because the technology itself is no longer out of reach. AI is unlocking creativity across the organization, empowering more voices to contribute to innovation.

Q: How do you believe that Code Games reflect Wolters Kluwer  mission to help customers make their most critical decisions?

David Bartolone: No one understands our customers better than the employees of Wolters Kluwer. When you create an environment that encourages collaboration across divisions, functions, and geographies—as we do with Code Games—the ideas that emerge are richer, more robust, and more impactful.

Many of the innovations developed during Code Games go on to become real product features or standalone solutions, directly addressing real-world challenges in areas like health, tax, or law. By providing a platform to explore, test, and iterate on ideas, the program helps great innovations see the light of day—and ultimately deliver real value to our customers.

Q: Code Games pushes participants to “think bigger.” How does this event challenge you to step outside of your day-to-day responsibilities?

Tom Luttikhuis: What makes Code Games so powerful is how it pushes teams to venture beyond their day-to-day roles. With strong executive support, participants are given the time and space to focus on solving real customer problems in bold, creative ways.

Clear evaluation criteria—like creativity, use of new technology, and problem significance—encourage teams to think big and explore out-of-the-box solutions.

To support this, we’ve also introduced a consultant role for those with expertise in areas like UX, communications, law, or healthcare. Even without coding skills, consultants help teams refine ideas, sharpen pitches, and bring innovations to life.

David Bartolone: One aspect I really love about Code Games is the collaborative environment it fosters. You don’t need to start with a fully formed team or even a technical background to participate. For example, someone from editorial or UX might have a great idea but no experience in coding. Meanwhile, an AI engineer or developer might be looking for a compelling project to join.

We’ve created a space where people can share their skills and interests up front—like a matchmaking hub for innovation. Many of the teams don’t form ahead of time; they come together organically through this process, bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise. That kind of spontaneous collaboration is not only exciting—it’s where some of the most impactful ideas are born.

Q: Can you share an example of how a Code Games idea unexpectedly turned into real customer value?

David Bartolone: I always encourage my teams to test their ideas—even if they’re unsure. One great example came from a Code Games project involving our Kluwer Arbitration service. The team built a behavioral AI concept and mocked up a quick demo, which was later left in a staging environment.

During an unrelated customer demo, the client spotted it and asked, “What’s that?” Intrigued, they wanted to know more and pushed to develop it further. The best part? That idea didn’t even win Code Games—but it won with the customer. It’s proof that even rough ideas can unlock real innovation when shared.