We are living in a VUCA world (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) and are facing some of humanity’s biggest systemic and societal challenges. The good news is that design and creativity earned its seat at the grown-up table and is invited to shape a future where people and the planet can thrive. The bad news is that this is neither an easy task, nor are most designers equipped to tackle these truly tough challenges.
Let‘s explore the shifting roles and mindsets needed from creatives – to tackle the world‘s most pressing needs. Let‘s talk about the good, bad and ugly – of being a designer in the climate-era and how to can keep a protopian mindset, a practical skillset to drive inclusive growth and a better tomorrow for the many.
As a former Partner at IDEO and now Creative Director at Pinterest, Franz helped clients across industries to create relevant products, services, and experiences—which are inspired by people, guided by purpose and successful in the market. Franz was a member of the IDEO Europe‘s leadership team and is responsible for driving creative excellence and nurturing a creative culture that is the prerequisite for the most impactful work to happen. As a Creative Director at Pinterest, he works with the product innovation and incubation team called TwoTwenty with the goal of driving growth and differentiation for Pinterest.
Throughout his 20+-year career, Franz has touched almost every aspect of design: from building digital products with a world-class user experience, to creating actionable strategies for global brands.
Franz’s energy, optimism, and ‘can do‘ mentality inspires teams, guides clients and enables world-class outcomes. His broad and deep design expertise makes him a ‘Swiss Army Knife’ for complex design challenges for a wide range of clients. After an early career recording music and touring with his bands, Franz studied at Köln International School of Design. On graduating, he founded two design companies, focused on cutting-edge digital experiences and interactive storytelling, and worked with start-ups such as Doorsteps, and Omada Health. Franz has been honored internationally with the Red Dot Award, German Innovation Award, Fast Company Innovation by Design, Core 77 Design Award, Flash Forward, Nike Play and Independent Game awards.
The talk will be hosted by Prof. Iris Utikal
via Zoom:
https://tinyurl.com/2p8nva46
Meeting-ID: 848 6011 7795
Passcode: KISD