This intensive multi-day Design Thinking Deep Dive is designed for individuals and teams that want to apply Design Thinking to real challenges and achieve tangible outcomes. Over three and a half days, participants dive deeply into human-centered innovation and experience Design Thinking as a powerful problem-solving and decision-making approach. The training combines a solid foundation in Design Thinking principles with extensive hands-on application. Participants first explore key methods before applying the full Design Thinking process to a real challenge provided by our research campus. Short expert inputs are combined with practical exercises, ensuring a deep understanding of both tools and process. The focus is on learning through action, collaboration under uncertainty and delivering meaningful, testable results. At the end of the workshop, participants jointly reflect on what they have learned including the process, the methods used and the mindset developed. Building on these insights, it is discussed how Design Thinking can be applied to participants’ own projects.
The Deep Dive is structured as an intensive innovation sprint. First participants are introduced to the core principles of Design Thinking as both a methodology and a mindset. Key tools are introduced and practiced.
Then, participants apply the full Design Thinking process to a real challenge from our research campus. Guided by short theoretical inputs, teams work hands-on through all phases of the process, from user research and interviews to ideation, prototyping and testing. At least one iteration loop is intentionally built into the process to strengthen learning through feedback and refinement.
By the end of the Design Thinking process, teams present tangible outcomes such as validated concepts, prototypes or decision-ready solution directions. The setting mirrors real innovation environments and encourages ownership, experimentation and rapid learning.
The workshop concludes with a joint reflection on the process, the tools used and the mindset developed throughout the Deep Dive. Based on these insights, participants discuss how Design Thinking can be transferred to and applied in their own projects and organizational contexts.
After the Deep Dive, participants will be able to:
• Understand and apply Design Thinking as both a mindset and a method
• Tackle complex challenges using Design Thinking
• Work systematically through all phases of the Design Thinking process
• Conduct user research and translate insights into problem definitions
• Develop, test and iterate solutions using prototypes
• Integrate user feedback into solution development and decisions
• Collaborate effectively under uncertainty
• Reflect on and adapt Design Thinking approaches for their own projects
Stefan Thomann is an experienced innovation facilitator and lecturer with a strong focus on Design Thinking, innovation processes and future skills. With a hands-on and practice-oriented approach, the coach supports participants in translating theory intoaction. The training style is interactive, structured and approachable, creating an inspiring learning environment that encourages curiosity, experimentation and reflection.
