Design Thinking Impact

The design thinking innovation approach has long been established in science and business – companies and institutions all over the world benefit from this new mindset, which solves problems faster and drives innovation. The human-centered, iterative, team-based mindset can lead to breakthrough innovations and can help overcome yesterday’s working models and transform traditional organizational cultures with its fusion of creativity, shared leadership and efficiency.

Thereby, the approach is still relatively young. It was only in 2007 that Hasso Plattner founded the HPI School of Design Thinking, modeled on the Stanford d.school. Based in Potsdam, it quickly developed as the European hub for education in the field of design thinking. The HPI School of Design Thinking offers 300 places per year in this supplementary academic program, aimed at students of all disciplines and nationalities and which forms part of the computer science curriculum at HPI. At the HPI School of Design Thinking, project partners from different industries and countries meet highly motivated and talented students and teachers. In multidisciplinary teams, they develop creative solutions for complex problems of medium-sized and large companies, non-profit organizations and public administration institutions.

Together with the external partners, in the first step, students develop the right question to ask for the student project — the so-called design challenge. In a second step, they work out this challenge through the design thinking process in a working environment that promotes collaboration and focuses on developing innovative and human-centered solutions. Experienced coaches guide the various teams. Each summer and winter semester, companies and organizations can become partners for an 8-week project (Basic Track) or a 12-week project (Advanced Track). Twice a year there is also the opportunity to participate as a partner in one of our Global Design Thinking Workshops (GDTW). In recent years, more than half of the DAX30 companies have attended the HPI School of Design Thinking. As initiator of the Global Design Thinking Alliance (GDTA), the Potsdam D-School also promotes exchange between design thinking schools worldwide, for example in Egypt, Malaysia or South Africa.

Since its opening in 2007, the HPI D-School has enabled more than 3,000 students to gain an innovative mindset and develop human-centered solutions with an impact. On September 15-16^th, 2022, we want to celebrate 15 years of Design Thinking at Europe’s biggest Design Thinking hub with a special conference. Join us on-site at HPI in Potsdam, Germany, or online for the “Design Thinking ImpAct Conference: 15 Years of Design Thinking at HPI” on September 15-16th, 2022, to review the highlights of the last 15 years of Design Thinking activities and discuss how we can further shape business and society with the innovation approach. Registration for the hybrid conference is now open.

More information on the HPI website.