The focus was on three specific challenges faced by the international full-service provider for flooring systems: Sustainability communication, customer loyalty and company health management.
Within 75 hours and with a total of more than 600 person-hours of intensive work, the students developed practical and implementable concepts.
Three central challenges - three innovative solutions
The aim of the cooperation with Uzin Utz was to develop new approaches that address the company's specific challenges:
Sustainability communication: developing a concept to increase the visibility and perception of sustainable products in the B2B sector of the construction industry.
Customer loyalty: use of digital technologies to strengthen customer loyalty.
Occupational health management: development of concepts to promote employee health and well-being in the workplace.
Theory meets practice
The project offered students the opportunity to apply the knowledge they had acquired during their studies in a real business context and gain valuable experience in interdisciplinary collaboration, agile working methods and strategic innovation development.
Prof. Dr. Daniel Schallmo, module leader for Design Thinking, emphasizes: “This project shows how companies and universities can develop practical solutions together. Our students were able to provide valuable impulses for Uzin Utz through their concepts and at the same time further develop their own professional, methodological and social skills.”
Dr. Florian Neymeyer, representative of Uzin Utz, also emphasizes the added value of the cooperation: “The innovative approaches of the students give us valuable food for thought for the further development of our digital strategies. The results show how important the fresh perspective of young talent is for shaping the future of a company.”
Design thinking as an innovation method
A central component of the project was the use of design thinking as a methodical approach to creative problem solving. In interactive workshops, the students developed user-centered solutions that are practical and feasible. The iterative approach allowed them to test and develop their ideas before presenting their final concepts. The Design Thinking module took place in an inspiring environment that specifically promoted creative processes and enabled innovative approaches in a corporate context.
Management, Digitalization and Sustainability (MDN)
The part-time Bachelor's degree course in Management, Digitalization and Sustainability at HNU prepares students specifically for the challenges of digital transformation and sustainable corporate management. Through practice-oriented projects and close cooperation with companies, participants develop innovative solutions for the future.
