Opleiding: Navigating Innovation in Times of Transformation. In cooperation with HPI Academy.

Gain practical skills and a double-certificate from ESMT Berlin and HPI d-school

Run in collaboration with the HPI d-school (Hasso Plattner Institute), this highly interactive, hands-on workshop equips participants with core design thinking mindset, methods, and tools.

Participants also explore practical ways to lead transformation, helping them advance user-centered innovation in fast-changing and uncertain environments. 

• Learn to develop innovative, customer-centric solutions through real-world challenges, team-based prototyping, and user interviews
• Gain practical experience applying Design Thinking along the full value chain—from empathy and ideation to testing, refining, and pitching
• Discover strategies to build alliances, overcome organizational resistance, and create internal momentum for change initiatives
• Understand how to foster a culture of innovation and effectively communicate change stories to stakeholders

Participants benefit from the unique expertise of both institutions: the HPI d-school brings deep knowledge in Design Thinking and innovation culture, while ESMT Berlin provides actionable insights on change management and organizational transformation.

The program culminates in a double certificate from both partners.

Please book the program via the HPI Academy, course ID 907343.

Your profile

• You are a manager, team lead, or executive working to advance customer-centric transformation in your organization
• You are an innovation leader or changemaker looking for fresh approaches to organizational development.
• You aim to improve and support collaboration and innovation across departments. 

Benefits

• Explore the principles of Design Thinking and understand the major steps involved when applying it practically.
• Learn how to consider the needs of internal and external customers, gain empathy for them, conduct interviews, apply creativity methods, and prototype and test solutions.
• Enhance your ability to trigger user-centered innovation in the managerial practices of your organization.
• Receive practical advice on how to establish networks of like-minded people and refine your communication skills to convince your peers across hierarchies.
• Discover how to balance open-ended exploration with the structure needed to move ideas toward implementation.
• Learn how to recognize and manage organizational hurdles such as inertia, competing priorities, or resistance, when driving innovation. 

Topics

• The changing landscape of innovation: customer centricity as the driving factor
• Applying Design Thinking methods to a real challenge from the business world
• Conducting interviews with customers and stakeholders
• Tools for implementing organizational change: discussion of potential hurdles and pitfalls
• Communication techniques and best practices of stakeholder management
• Communicating change stories and dealing with resistance
• Gaining insights from users of products and services
• Understanding how to foster an innovation culture and make decisions in uncertain environments