Together with the Design Factory Stuttgart and the interdisciplinary group of participants, the meeting point was at the ARENA2036 research campus. The workshop began with a joint tour of the arena and a chance to get to know each other.
A methodical input on the Design Thinking method and the associated process clarified the background and the added value of Design Thinking for application in research and practice. The participants then went through the individual process steps themselves using an exemplary challenge - Redesign Waking Up!
Under the guidance of experts from the Design Factory Stuttgart, the participants worked in small teams to learn how to look at problems from the customer's perspective, develop suitable solutions, prototype them and obtain constructive feedback from potential users.
Understanding and solving the challenge was particularly about gaining practical experience with design thinking and guiding them through the entire process from problem identification to developing a solution. Designed specifically for PhD students and post-docs, it provided a supportive environment to apply the method together with like-minded people. In the process, participants took away valuable methodological training and gained a new perspective on problem-solving opportunities for their future career paths.
Coming up Next:
Another workshop with Design Factory Stuttgart is planned for October 2024 - in addition, Elements4Founding offers many other workshop and event formats where curious PhDs and postdocs can gain valuable experience and skills for their future careers, from business model development to presentation training. Our workshops are dedicated to career development and are supported by GRADUS with the acquisition of credit points (please refer to the corresponding note).
About Elements4Founding:
Elements4Founding is a project of the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science (ENI) at the University of Stuttgart. The objective of the project is to develop a holistic, integrated and sustainable approach to sensitize and qualify PhD students and post-docs for the topic of entrepreneurship over the project period between 2022 and 2024. Elements4Founding is funded and supported by Vector Stiftung.
You can find more information about Elements4Founding and upcoming activities on our project website. If you have any questions, please contact us by e-mail: e4f@eni.uni-stuttgart.de
Contact
Hanna Dewes
Research Associate