Implementierung von Design Thinking bei Hidden Champions: Eine praxisorientierte Fallstudie mit dem Unternehmen EWM GmbH

Abstract

This discussion paper examines how Design Thinking can be implemented as a user-centred innovation method within the product and innovation management of an industrial-technical company. Using the case of EWM GmbH, a manufacturer of comprehensive welding system solutions, the study explores how a newly established product management department introduced a customer-oriented innovation strategy as part of an organisational restructuring. Drawing on the theoretical framework of Design Thinking by Plattner et al. (2009), a practical guideline was developed and tested in a one-day workshop involving six participants from various departments. The workshop resulted in the development of a viable prototype concept of a TIG welding torch. Evaluation findings indicate that creative methods can be applied effectively in industrial-technical environments and that a purpose-designed M-Gate idea submission form provides a suitable interface for transferring workshop outcomes into the existing innovation process. The results also highlight that sustainably embedding Design Thinking within an organisation requires continuous application, iterative evaluation, and broader cultural change beyond initial workshop implementation.