Design Thinking in Munich: Innovation, Industrial Design & Product Development
Strategic Design Thinking process for innovation. From workshops to UI/UX, medical & industrial design – we turn ideas into market-ready products.
Design Thinking
Your starting point for true innovation
Design Thinking at Eckstein Design is not a buzzword, but a strategic, user-centered approach that helps companies transform complex challenges into market-ready products. We combine the iterative process with our expertise in UI/UX Design, Medical Design, and Industrial Design to not only develop ideas but carry them all the way to production readiness.
Our approach goes far beyond traditional brainstorming: we create solutions tested in real usage scenarios and continuously refine them. Every insight flows directly into the next prototype – resulting in products that excite users and capture markets. By connecting user-centricity with strategic business value, we reduce development risks, accelerate time-to-market, and measurably increase the success rate of our clients. Studies like the McKinsey Design Index show that companies leveraging design strategically can significantly boost both revenue and ROI.
The 6 Phases of the Design Thinking Process
At Eckstein Design, the Design Thinking process follows six phases that are deliberately non-linear and iterative. Each phase delivers valuable insights feeding directly into the next, leading to better solutions:
- Empathize: We analyze the problem space and context. The goal is to understand the big picture – business goals, user needs, and technical possibilities.
- Observe: Through interviews, shadowing, and field studies, we gain real-world insights into usage scenarios, adopting the user’s perspective to uncover hidden pain points.
- Define: We consolidate findings into a clear “Point of View” that frames the problem from the user’s perspective and guides subsequent steps.
- Ideate: Interdisciplinary teams generate a wide range of ideas using creative techniques to break patterns and gain fresh perspectives.
- Prototype: Early ideas are made tangible as simple paper models, click dummies, or functional prototypes. The focus is on quick, testable versions, not perfection.
- Test & Learn: Real users validate how well the solution works. Feedback flows directly into new iterations, improving concepts continuously and making them market-ready.
This iterative cycle minimizes risks, allows early learning, and ensures we develop products that are user-centric, technically feasible, and commercially viable.
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Now is the perfect time to experience Design Thinking live – hands-on and tailored to your project
Four Success Factors for Effective Innovation
To unlock the full potential of Design Thinking, the right mix of people, environment, and structure is essential. At Eckstein Design, we work with interdisciplinary teams where designers, engineers, and strategists collaborate closely. This diversity creates the creative space for innovation that goes beyond the obvious.
Equally crucial is the work environment: whether physical or digital, it must foster creativity and enable perspective shifts. An open mindset and the courage to work iteratively and learn from failures form the foundation of the process. A clear structure ensures that early ideas are transformed into market-ready products that deliver tangible value.
Use Case: Flexipass Cable Roll – Reinventing a Product Category
A client approached us with a challenging problem: cables pulled over long distances were rubbing against each other and getting damaged. Instead of jumping to a quick solution, we ran a full Design Thinking process with workshops and rapid prototyping.
The result: a completely new product design that not only solved the problem but reduced material wear and opened new market segments. A prime example of how iterative innovation and industrial design creates true business value.
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From Idea to Implementation
At Eckstein Design, Design Thinking doesn’t stop at the workshop stage. Concepts developed during the process flow directly into implementation, feeding into user-centered UI/UX interfaces, ergonomic and safe medical solutions, and physical products we take from sketch to mass production. This seamless connection between creative ideation and technical realization ensures that visions evolve into market-ready innovations that impress through both functionality and user experience.
Innovation starts with the first conversation
Do you want to tackle complex problems with a structured, user-centered process and ensure that ideas turn into working products? Start with a Design Thinking Workshop in Munich and get your project moving.
Case Studies
THE GROOVIN’ PUTTER
Frequently Asked Questions about Design Thinking (FAQ)
No. It’s a strategic, iterative process that combines user-centricity with business value and makes innovation tangible and scalable.
From compact one-day workshops to multi-stage programs with prototyping and testing – we tailor the scope to your goals.
Costs vary depending on scope and objectives. We’re happy to provide a transparent quote after an initial consultation.
We don’t stop at the idea phase. We carry the process through to implementation in UI/UX design, medical design, and product development – creating real business value.