Client
Services
Lecturing
Coaching
In 2012, I joined the Hasso Plattner Institute’s School of Design Thinking faculty in Potsdam, where I lectured on storytelling as a vital component of the innovation process.
Challenge
Innovative ideas are inherently challenging to communicate. Their novelty often means audiences do not have a shared frame of reference, making them harder to understand and embrace.
The challenge is to simplify complex concepts, craft clear analogies, and address the emotional and practical barriers that audiences face when encountering something unfamiliar. To effectively communicate these ideas, students need to master the art of storytelling, combining logic, emotion, and relatability.
Approach
As a faculty member, I designed and delivered lectures and coaching sessions that integrated storytelling into the innovation process. By applying narrative structures, emotional engagement, and clarity techniques, I helped students refine their ability to present their ideas persuasively.
Through hands-on exercises, students learned how to break down complexity, engage audiences, and position their solutions effectively. By aligning storytelling with design thinking principles, they gained a structured approach to making their ideas resonate with decision-makers and end users alike.
Result
The students emerged from the program with the confidence and skills to communicate innovation effectively. They learned to craft narratives that conveyed the logic of their ideas and inspired action and adoption.
This mastery of storytelling became a crucial advantage, positioning them as creative problem-solvers in the competitive job market. By bridging design thinking and storytelling, they can turn bold concepts into real-world impact, shaping the future of innovation-driven industries.
