Design thinking project in cooperation with Schindler, C4 Berlin and Inno2grid

02/15/2023

As part of Prof. Jenny Bergström's Design Thinking course, our Master's students (M.A. Communication Design and Creative Strategies) developed ideas for so-called FlexPoint containers in cooperation with the creative agency C4 Berlin and the companies Schindler and Inno2grid.

FlexPoint containers are mobile containers that help maintenance technicians at Schindler (manufacturers of lifts and escalators) to save time and reduce CO2 emissions. Instead of driving around town transporting their tools all day, they can use FlexPoint as a base and move shorter distances with light electric vehicles (LEV). Using the LEVs they also easily find parking opportunities and reduce traffic in the inner cities.

When the FlexPoint containers are rolled out over the city, occupying a small piece of public space, Schindler, C4 Berlin, and inno2grid want to make sure that they also bring something positive to the area where they are placed, creating added value for the people who live there. The target group for FlexPoint does not only include Schindler and their maintenance workers, but also all visitors and Berliners who live or work in the Kiez where they are placed.

David Götze from inno2grid and Stefanie Meyer-Heindrich from Schindler Germany are interacting with one of the FlexPoint prototypes.

With a community-driven design approach, it was one of the students’ tasks to understand the target group and their specific needs, draw insights from the research, and develop ideas and concepts based on the learnings. The research included understanding what life quality means for the specific target group, involving them in the process by letting them actively contribute with ideas, and conducting on-site research to understand behaviors and usage of the space.

At the end of the project, the students presented their ideas and concepts to the project partners.

During the course, the students got introduced to the Design Thinking methodology and learned how to apply it to their challenge. In a collaborative manner, they defined problems worth solving, generated plenty of ideas, and explored ideas using prototyping. Through storytelling, the students were able to bring their ideas to life and present them to the client.

The project has been carried out in close collaboration with external partners with regular meetings and valuable feedback throughout the process. "The quality of the students' work is impressive. I could send you directly to our HR department for a presentation," said Stefanie Meyer-Heindrich from Schindler Germany.

Many thanks to Schindler, C4 Berlin, and Inno2grid for inviting our master students to this challenge and for taking the time to guide us on the way.