Projects
(my top 5)
1
Collaborative Data Use for the Common Good: Public Administration, Private Sector, and Civil Society in Dialogue
Client: Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society & Institut für partizipatives Gestalten
How can data-driven information help citizens make informed decisions that impact their personal lives and the quality of life in their cities? Together with the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, we explored this research question using air quality in Berlin as a case study.
To capture the complexity of the issue and engage citizens both cognitively and emotionally, I designed an immersive experience in the form of a living lab. This guided visitors step by step through the decision-making process that mirrors real-life political deliberation—from engaging with public discourse and weighing the scientific pros and cons of various measures to participating in a district council meeting.
Actors involved visitors in discussions representing diverse political positions, while speculative future scenarios vividly illustrated the potential impacts of proposed measures. At the conclusion of the experience, visitors had the opportunity to vote on a package of measures with actors portraying politicians.
This living lab innovatively combined immersive, participatory theater with scientific research, offering a unique approach to fostering civic engagement and understanding of complex topics.
In addition to designing the experience, I was primarily responsible for event production, execution, and conducting post-event surveys with participants.
The immersive nature of the event facilitated the collection of compelling qualitative observations and insights, which the project team will incorporate into its ongoing research efforts.
2
Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport - Optimizing the Nationwide Broadband Funding Process
Client: Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport & DigitalService GmbH des Bundes
Department 13 focuses on nationwide broadband funding in Germany, working in collaboration with two project partners. To improve the application process, both partners developed online platforms to manage the funding workflow. These platforms needed further development to enhance their user-friendliness.
The goal was to align the funding process, including the online platforms, more closely with the needs of users. This user-centered approach aimed to make project execution easier and faster.
My role was to design and lead a six-month process based on Design Thinking, working collaboratively with the department.
Through a qualitative survey involving 14 funding recipients and a subsequent nationwide quantitative survey of all funding recipients, we identified and analyzed the challenges in the funding process. Building on these insights, we conducted two co-creation workshops with funding recipients from four federal states, resulting in four concrete solution ideas.
Two of these ideas were further developed into clickable prototypes and mockups, which were tested with the project partners and department staff. By applying the Design Thinking methodology and other agile methods, the project team gained valuable hands-on experience in practical implementation.
3
Your Data Mirror - An interactive storytelling exposing political manipulation on Instagram
Client: Interactive Media Foundation & NEEEU Spaces GmbH
In this collaborative project with the Psychometrics Centre at the University of Cambridge, Tactical Tech, Ag-prop, Interactive Media Foundation, and NEEEU Spaces GmbH, the goal was to develop a digital tool that educates young people in an engaging way about the mechanisms of data collection and its societal impacts.
My role was to design and lead a six-week sprint during which ideas were co-created and tested with teenage participants. The outcome was the initial concept for the award-winning platform Your Data Mirror.
This article outlines the methodological approach I used in the project.
4
Germany’s First Citizens’ Assembly on “Nutrition in Transition”
Client: Deutscher Bundestag & Institut für partizipatives Gestalten
On May 10, 2023, members of the German Bundestag decided that the first Citizens’ Assembly would focus on the topic: “Nutrition in Transition: Between Personal Responsibility and Governmental Tasks.”
The assembly explored questions related to health protection, environmental and climate compatibility, food production and labeling, as well as animal welfare standards. At the beginning of the process, participants collectively determined the specific issues they wanted to address.
Together with a team of facilitators, I was responsible for guiding participants in small groups over a three-month period, moderating discussions both virtually and in person.
The Citizens' Assembly convened from late September 2023 to mid-January 2024 and presented its recommendations to members of the German Bundestag on February 20, 2024, in the form of a Citizen Report.
5
Blackbox Archaeology
Client:
What skills do we need to navigate the complexity of a world that often overwhelms us? Can looking into the past help us learn to endure uncertainty and contradictions?
The LWL Museum of Archaeology in Herne, the German Mining Museum in Bochum, and the LWL Roman Museum joined forces to develop innovative digital formats for archaeology. The goal was to make archaeological practices tangible and engaging using interactive media such as Virtual and Augmented Reality.
Collaboration and a strong focus on users were at the heart of the project. Through co-creation and innovative formats, new narratives, games, and digital applications were developed. This required adopting new ways of working both internally and externally. A key aspect of the project was the establishment of a hierarchy-light, role-based, and agile working structure, which participants were encouraged to implement within their respective institutions.
Over the course of three years, I had the opportunity to support the project by facilitating a total of eight workshops. These covered topics such as new ways of working and leadership, creativity techniques, conflict resolution, prototyping, and human-centered design in the context of museums. In addition, I designed and conducted two workshops with visitors, aimed at co-creating ideas together.
The project was supported by the Federal Cultural Foundation with funding from the Fonds Digital under the Kultur Digital program.