Before my time at HPI, I was an expert in computer animation and games, held a professorship at the Film University Babelsberg in Potsdam, and a guest professorship at the Communication University of China in Beijing. In 1990, I founded my company TERRATOOLS and developed the Terramap project, a three-dimensional digital globe that laid the foundation for what we now know as Google Earth.
In 2007, I took on the task of establishing the HPI School of Design Thinking in Potsdam. It has been a true joy to work each semester with students from over 60 disciplines on real-world challenges and innovative solutions through empathy, collaboration, and prototyping. In 2017, I co-founded the Global Design Thinking Alliance (GDTA), now a global network for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation with 39 member organizations across 5 continents.
For me, Design Thinking is not just a method but a mindset. In my book "Network Thinking – Beyond Brockhaus-Thinking", I call for a radical shift toward greater collaboration, openness, and courage to address the complex challenges of our time.