Innovation is inherently
interdisciplinary by nature.

As a co-creation consultancy, we use strategic design for product, service, system and process innovation. We explore and shape the opportunities of a social, sustainable, and inclusive future that supports people and organizations in reaching their full potential.

Thinking new together instead of optimising the old.

We support you in skill building with keynotes and workshops, in the implementation of long-term innovation projects with design research and design ethnography, and in day-to-day business with realization, evaluation, and sparring.

Who benefits from
co-creation? All.

Public Sector

How is it possible to rethink and redesign the interface between the modern welfare state and its citizens?

Read more

How is it possible to rethink and redesign the interface between the modern welfare state and its citizens? What new forms of social support do we need in the context of digitization and climate change?

Studio Dankl supports cities, municipalities and health institutions in both the longer-term orientation and the implementation of concrete transformation projects:

  • Evaluation of processes, systems and services

We rely on the involvement of all relevant stakeholders to evaluate existing processes and services and determine the most important steps for change.

  • Optimisation or redesign of processes, systems and services

We use co-creation to develop possible future scenarios for a good life into old age. Based on this, we find solutions that are logical and easy to use for both administrations and citizens: improved service processes can, for example, reduce the number of contacts or the potential for conflict in consulting.

  • Employer branding

In addition to the concrete output of improved services, co-creation enables an increase in the expertise of your employees as well as direct contact with the target group. Get an insight into how we work in the Methods section.

Corporate Sector

Which products and services are actually relevant for people in a rapidly changing world?

Read more

Which products and services are actually relevant to people in a rapidly changing world? How do you evaluate your processes in this context? How do you ensure that your products and key processes increase customer engagement?

Design ethnography and co-creation offer you the opportunity to find the starting point for innovation in the concrete experiences of your customers and employees, in values and relationships and is a fundamentally different way of thinking about strategy and innovation.

We support you in thinking about products and processes in a participatory and sustainable way:

  • Check of product and service portfolio

With relevant stakeholders, we evaluate existing products and services and identify the most important, possible steps for change.

  • Optimisation and redesign of the product and service portfolio

In a customised co-creation process, we design products and services. A challenge such as reducing food waste can be the starting point for a new business model (see I Love Brot) or an interactive calendar can make life with dementia easier (see Memento).

  • Employer Branding

Co-Creation supports tailor-made solutions for quality cooperation that also position you as an attractive employer. How we work? Methods and cases provide insight.

Through participation
to full potential.

Our services: We support you in building up competence as well as in the implementation of longer-term innovation projects. Start into the future with one of our proven and inspiring modules.

Co-Creation Impuls

by STUDIO DANKL

Learn more

Be inspired to think transformation in a participatory way.

Co-Creation Kickoff

by STUDIO DANKL

Learn more

Learn to apply co-creation and start with a sound roadmap.

Co-Creation Now

by STUDIO DANKL

Learn more
From idea to launch

Start into the future with a Co-Creation process tailor-made for you.

Co-Creation Ideas Ping-Pong Over Lunch

by STUDIO DANKL

Learn more

If you have lunch with artist Timotheus Tomicek and designer Kathrina Dankl, you will be served new perspectives.

5 Reasons for Co-Creation

and what organisations get out of it

01

Result-oriented

Co-creation wants to actively shape the future and aims at tangible results.

The Impact:

actionable solutions for new or improved products, processes, systems, or policies.

02

Sustainable

Co-creation tries to rethink and design contact points of organisations and clients from scratch.

The Impact
a future-oriented positioning and a strategic focus on the target group.

03

Polyphonic

Co-creation integrates different perspectives and experiences of all relevant stakeholders into a design process.

The Impact
Co-creation is inclusive and participatory. Solutions are enriched through experience, as well as professional and technical competence.

04

Creative

Co-creation is an experimental process. Feedback loops, knowledge acquisition, iteration, trial and error are leitmotifs.

The Impact

hands-on teamwork through visualization and prototyping.

 

05

Facilitates learning

Learning and coordination processes with stakeholders are an integral part of the development process.

The Impact
Products are not only evaluated when they enter the market. Development, evaluation and testing go hand in hand right from the start.

Our Co-Creation Process

07
06
05
04
03
02
01
  • 01Pre-project phase
  • 02-06Implementation
  • 07Post-project phase
01

Identify a goal, desire, or opportunity

Workshop to build on an existing project idea. The aim of the workshop is a joint design brief with concrete answers to the following questions: Why are we doing the project? What will be different after the project? Who should be involved?

  • Deliverables
    Design brief to implement the project in a goal-oriented manner. Price quote.
  • Organisation input
    Formulating a goal, a wish, or an opportunity. Selection and invitation of participants.
  • Gate 1
    Does the project direction fit the corporate strategy? Price quote – adaptation or approval?
02 03 04 05 06

Developing empathy and collecting insights

Design ethnography with a focus on observation and interviews. Insight into the everyday context of people, complemented by research in the fields of design, science, art, and technology with the purpose of integrating inspiration and knowledge from other fields.

  • Deliverables
    Interpretation of insights and clustering into opportunities.
  • Organisation input
    Selection of stakeholders (e.g. customers or employees for design ethnography).
  • Gate 2
    Which opportunities will be pursued in the next phase and which stakeholders are relevant to involve in this?
02 03 04 05 06

Describing the challenge and generating ideas

Transfer of the selected opportunities into initial concept directions and preparation for co-creation workshops. Focus on conceptual thinking, change of perspective, and concretization of the concepts by the stakeholders. Co-creation with various design tools.

  • Deliverables
    Future scenarios and concepts.
  • Organisation input
    Selection and invitation of participants to a co-creation workshop.
  • Gate 3
    Which future scenarios and concepts are valuable and economically substitutional? What should be pursued?
02 03 04 05 06

Developing and designing prototypes

For the design phase, additional experts from the creative network can be added (e.g. communication or hardware designers). Second co-creation workshop to refine prototypes.

  • Deliverables
    Prototypes.
  • Organisation input
    Participation of relevant stakeholders in a second co-creation workshop.
  • Gate 4
    Can the prototypes be released?
02 03 04 05 06

Testing and refining

In this phase, the focus is on iterative testing and detail design to enable final adjustments.

  • Deliverables
    Detailed design and roadmap for the implementation phase.
  • Organisation input
    Participation of relevant stakeholders in one or two test sessions.
  • Gate 5
    Can the detail design be released?
02 03 04 05 06

Implementing and evaluating

Planning and implementation of the product launch. Workshop: What effect does the project have on the company? What was the outcome and what were the stakeholder learnings?

  • Deliverables
    Preparation of the workshop as lessons learnt.
  • Organisation input
    Selection and invitation of participants to a lessons learnt workshop.
  • Gate 6
    Who is part of the post-project phase? What stakeholders are involved?
07

Adapting and adjusting

Quarterly sparring to provide input and discuss current challenges: What adjustments are necessary? Which follow-up project makes sense?

  • Deliverables
    If desired, prize quote for follow-up project.
  • Organisation input
    No special preparation necessary.

How do we develop these future concepts?

We involve employees and customers as well as our network of experts in the field in passing on design skills as well as conceptual thinking, a change of perspective, and concretization in the form of prototyping. Here are some of the methods that shape our design process:

Design Ethnography

Design ethnography describes what actually moves people. We put the observation of everyday culture at the forefront of a design process in order to understand people, life contexts, and the requirements for new solutions.

Insights, scenario development, and strategy

On the basis of design research such as ethnography, we formulate insights: To prepare strategic decisions, we visualize various scenarios such as storyboards or use case studies and thus locate context, relationships, and players.

Probing and tools

We design project-specific probes and toolkits to gain insight into the lives of the target group and collectively explore implicit and latent knowledge. Probing – for example in the course of an interview – generates data that goes beyond verbal information and is an ideal basis for co-creation workshops.

Co-creation workshops

Since innovation is inherently multidisciplinary, we focus on participation. Workshops involve your interest groups as design partners in the task and give them tools to develop some initial ideas, scenarios, and prototypes.

Service Safaris

In service safaris, we go through service offerings with users on site using story boards and ask for a detailed evaluation of the offer. Through this feedback, we gain information about user friendliness and subsequently integrate ideas and wishes.

Live Statistics

Customers or employees cast their votes via analogue live statistics. Thus, the statistics change instantly and reflect the mood on a certain question. Live statistics are a way to get feedback on different design directions.

Our Hub

In the conception and development of ideas, further competences from our network are brought in. Experts such as communication designers, illustrators, researchers, artists, technicians and software developers inspire and help as sparring partners.

Andrea
Lunzer

Marketing, Zero Waste Consultant

She is one of the pioneers of the unpacked shops - everything organic, of course.

Co-operation at:
I Love Bot, LUNZERS, Maß-Greißlerei
mass-greisslerei.at

Stefanie
Hilgarth

Illustration

She tells stories with her illustrations that you remember.

Co-operation at:
Felzl, Memento
illuqueen.com

Martin
Stöbich

Photography

His pictures have an immediate effect - authentic, direct and approachable.

Co-operation at:
Abotic, Meet Magazine
martinstoebich.com

Vandasye

Product design, exhibition design, graphic design

The two, combine product and graphic design to create elementary, contemporary aesthetics.

Co-operation at:
MAK Future Lab, Postprodukt
vandasye.com
mail@vandasye.com

Stefan
Moritsch

Product design, design research, teaching in design, project management

He brings the right people together and exploits design potential.

Co-operation at:
Postprodukt, Memento
bkm-format.com
moritsch@bkm-format.com

Robert
Rüf

Exhibition, product and interior design

He designs precisely and clearly, whether interiors, exhibitions or products.

Co-operation at:
Ideales Essen Erleben, Postprodukt
robertruef.com

Svenja
Plaas

Illustration, Animation

Her extraordinary drawings visualize small and larger worlds.

Co-operation at:
Public Design Consultancy, Abotic, HiStory
svenjaplaas.ch/

Dr. Thomas
Hruschka

Sustainability / PM OekoBusiness Wien, Sustainability Coordinator City of Vienna

He was already a pioneer for sustainability when the word was not yet so fashionable.

Co-operation at:
Strategie Ökobusiness Wien, I Love Brot
thomas.hruschkawien.gv.at

Timotheus
Tomicek

Photography, film, fine arts

His pictures dissect reality and visualize the immaterial.

Co-operation at:
Meet Magazine, Hofmobiliendepot
timotheustomicek.net

Aleksandar
Todorović

Communication design, web, typography

He shapes information and puts it together into a big whole.

Co-operation at:
Ökobusiness Wien  
aleksandartodorovic.com

Wolfgang
Gosch

Graphic/information design, book design

He designs books like gems, from the format, the details to the paper.

Co-operation at:
Ökobusiness Wien
nunanki.net

Canan
Akoglu, PhD

Design Research / Associate Professor Design School Kolding Denmark

Her design research perspective helps to systematically open-up new spaces of possibility.

Co-operation at:
Shared Decision Making, diverse research projects (see publications)
ca@dskd.dk linkedin.com/in/cananakoglu

Fritz
Pernkopf

Industrial Design (Product/Transportation/Furniture)

He makes tangible what previously existed only as an image - as a perfect model or precise prototype.

Co-operation at:
Marvan, Memento
fritzpernkopf.com
mail@fritzpernkopf.com

A common future needs common ideas.  A common future needs common ideas.  A common future needs common ideas.  A common future needs common ideas.  A common future needs common ideas.  A common future needs common ideas. 

Our Clients

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Co-Creation Impuls

by STUDIO DANKL

Be inspired to think transformation in a participatory way.

  • Keynote
  • 20-45 minutes
  • Q&A
  • possible in the organisation or online

The keynote communicates the added value of co-creation as a sustainable, strategic innovation tool for the public and private sector. Co-creation principles, cases and design process inspire decision makers and employees to think about transformation from a participatory perspective.

Focus content:
— Outlining the transformation of the design discipline from product design to strategic innovation tool
— Insight into co-creation principles, impact and design process
— Concrete, inspiring cases.

Target group: Employees, decision-makers and team, conference participants

Number of participants:
unlimited

Co-Creation Kickoff

by STUDIO DANKL

Learn to apply co-creation and start with a sound roadmap.

  • Workshop
  • 4 hours
  • in the organisation or at Impact Hub Vienna

The workshop is aimed at organisations that want to learn about co-creation and involve their team in decision-making processes on strategic innovations. With a focus on applied co-creation principles and methods, the workshop provides a deeper understanding of existing expertise, relevant stakeholders and first process/system/product/service prototypes as a roadmap for co-creation in your own organisation.

Focus content:
— Basic principles of co-creation
— Definition of relevant challenges from the participants' perspective
— Interactive prototyping for efficient validation of assumptions
— Start of a co-creation roadmap

Preparation for participants:
— Anecdote about challenge and success pattern
— Product, device or a production material from your field of work

Target group:
Decision-makers plus team from the public and private sector

Number of participants:
9-12 persons

Co-Creation Now

by STUDIO DANKL

Start into the future with a Co-Creation process tailor-made for you.

  • Process design and support
  • Depending on the project, approx. 4 to 18 months

Co-creation is contextual and situational, so no two design processes are exactly alike. From a pool of proven methods and creative processes, we put together a customised and project-dependent process. This is divided into a preparation phase in which the goal, desire or opportunity is identified, an implementation phase that covers idea generation, prototyping and implementation up to evaluation, and a post-project phase in which adaptations are made and projects are further supported.

Focus content:
— Based on a free initial consultation, offer for a tailor-made project divided into preparation phase
— implementation phase
— post-project phase

Target group:
Organisations from the public and private sector

Number of participants:
To be determined jointly for co-creation activities.

Co-Creation Ideas Ping-Pong Over Lunch

by STUDIO DANKL

If you have lunch with artist Timotheus Tomicek and designer Kathrina Dankl, you will be served new perspectives.

  • Sparring/Exchange
  • 60 minutes
  • Q&A
  • Three centrally located venues in Vienna to choose from.

The artist, filmmaker, and photographer Timotheus Tomicek and the designer Kathrina Dankl share a long-standing tradition of occasional lunch dates. An unstructured exchange of ideas often opens up new perspectives on one’s own work. We invite project partners, customers, and other interested parties to have lunch with us. Everything else – including new perspectives – arises situationally during the conversations.

Focus content:
— Eating together
— Guest shares current topic, challenge, project idea
— Questions, reactions, perspectives, input, ideas from Timotheus and Kathrina

Target group:
Decision-makers from public and private organisations

Number of participants: 1