I believe that listening to each other and understanding the signs of the time are the keys for success in any innovative process.

For the past 10+ years, I have worked as a lecturer and coach for Business Ethics, Design Thinking, and Project Management. Due to my background in theology, philosophy, psychology, pedagogy, and ethics, I developed a program which connects Design Thinking with Ethics. Therefore, I call it Design Thinking and Human Values. I enjoy working with people from around the world in cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary teams.

My values

Interculturalism

In times of globalization and migration, future challenges will be solved more and more in cross-cultural teams. For this reason I enjoy training people in intercultural innovation.

Sustainability

In my private and work life, the Declaration of Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals provide me with orientation and inspiration by developing innovative products, services and strategies which serve people and our planet.

Team-empowerment

Working in the 21st century becomes increasingly complex and agile. Strong hierarchies in organizations are mostly not effective enough anymore. In these times of New Work it is my pleasure to empower team members to bring in their talents and work under their own responsibility.

Open-mindedness

Innovators need a 360° view and a natural and scientific curiosity in both analog and digital worlds. Open-mindedness for physical, psychological, technical, political, social, and digital aspects of life will still be the cherry on the cake of an innovation process especially in times of the arising digital creator and platform economy.

My experiences

Lectureship
Education
Design
Urban Development
Diversity
Product Development
Newcomers + Migrants
Brand transformation
Lectureship | Winter Semester 2010 - today

Lecturer for Design Thinking and Human Values @HTW Berlin (Department of Communication, Economic and Computer Sciences)

Development and execution of a cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary education program for Design Thinking and Human Values which combines Business Ethics with Design Thinking; accessible for students from all of the 70 degree courses at HTW Berlin.
Lectureship | Summer Semester 2020 - 2021

Lecturer for Design Thinking and the Future of Leadership @HTW Berlin (Department of Communication, Economic and Computer Sciences)

Development and execution of a cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary education program for Design Thinking and the Future of Leadership.
Lectureship | Winter Semester 2017/18

Lecturer for Methods for Product Creation @HTW Berlin (Department of Economic and Legal Sciences)

Development and execution of a customized education program about product creation.
Lectureship | Winter Semester 2015/16 I 2016/17 I 2017/18 I 2018/19

Lecturer for Ethics and Design @HTW Berlin (Department of Design and Culture)

Development and execution of a customized education program about ethics and design for students of communication design.
Lectureship | Winter Semester 2008 - Winter Semester 2016

Lecturer for Ethics in Technology and Economics @HTW Berlin (Department of Communication, Economic and Computer Sciences)

Development and execution of a cross-disciplinary education program about Business Ethics; accessible for students from all of the 70 degree courses at HTW Berlin.
Study | February 2015

Study for HTW Berlin

Drafting a study about desirable contents and conditions of an MA Innovation and Technology Management based on the results of interviews with companies, students, and lecturers about their personal expectations and visions.
Lectureship I October 2012 - October 2014 | Winter Semester 2012/13 , Winter Semester 2013/14

Lecturer for Business and Corporate Ethics @ HTW Berlin (Department of Economic and Legal Sciences)

Development and execution of a customized education program about business and corporate ethics for students in the master program labor and HR management.
Excursion to California I September 2010

Participation as a lecturer @HTW Berlin (study program industrial engineering)

Field Research about ethics, education and innovation at the laboratories of VW, Daimler Benz, Siemens Mobility, Pfizer, SAP at Stanford d.school, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley at the logistics center of Mattel, Ikea, Hawker Pacific Aerospace (LAX), Panalpina / Harbour.
Lectureship | Winter Semester 2008 - Summer Semester 2009

Lecturer for Project Management @HTW Berlin (Study program Industrial Engineering)

Development and execution of "Think CSR" - the first forum for sustainability at HTW Berlin with GASAG, GASAG Academy, Kraftfoods, LichtBlick, Märkisches Landbrot GmbH, Orange:Blue, Veolia Wasser GmbH, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Volker Quaschning, Prof. Dr. Berit Sandberg, Living Equia.
Lectureship | Summer Semester 2009

Lecturer for Medical Ethics @Parexel

Development and execution of an education program for medical ethics.
Digital Design Thinking Seminar | Winter semester 2020/2021

How might we develop the university of the future?

Outcome: Model for the university and the mensa of the future
Digital Design Thinking Seminar | Summer semester 2020

How a University at Bärenquell Brauerei in Berlin Schöneweide should look like?

Outcome: Transformation of the old buildings of the fewer brewery into a sustained space for learning, meeting local people, cultural exchange, lab for future technologies, art, co-working, food and handcraft market and green buildings. Besides, developing a social media campaign for Instagram.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Summer semester 2018

How might the future education combine the analog with the digital world?

Outcome: Digital Design Thinking Lab and Education Program for FEZ Berlin - Europe's biggest non-profit centre for children, youth and family
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Winter semester 2010/2011

How might we develop a toy which generates electricity?

Outcome: Developing a toy which generates electricity by playing with it for the One Laptop Per Child Project for schools without electricity in Peru.
Project partner: Städtepartnerschaft Treptow-Köpenick-Cajamarca (Peru), Edison Grundschule. Honored in the competition Berliner Klimaschulen.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Winter semester 2019/2020

How might we transform the hallways of our university into cozy places?

Outcome: A business lounge, a chill out area and a meeting point for hallway 5 at HTW Berlin, University of Applied Sciences.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Winter semester 2015/2016

How might we design the outdoor area of a club and  event location in Berlin Schöneweide?

Development of the outdoor area and the orientation system for the club and event location WEYDE3.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Winter semester 2013/2014

What should the classroom of the future look like?

Development of the Classroom 24/7 for HTW Berlin, University of Applied Sciences.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Winter semester 2013/2014

How might we transform the airport Berlin-Tegel into a tiny house village?

Outcome: Model for a tiny house village on the ground of the former airport Berlin-Tegel.
Open Design City I | Winter semester 2014/2015

What should Berlin Schöneweide look like in 20 years?

Outcome: Development of Master Plan for a redesign of the "Platz am Kaisersteg" in Schöneweide based on the needs of locals, artists and students of HTW Berlin, Campus Schöneweide.
Open Design City II | Summer semester 2015

What should Berlin Schöneweide look like in 20 years?

Outcome: Co Creation Event with locals and students about the future design of Schöneweide at HTW Berlin, Campus Schöneweide.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Summer semester 2013

Masterplan Tempelhofer Feld: How might we safe the spirit of freedom at Tempelhofer Feld?

Outcome: Model for the transformation of Tempelhofer Feld, Presentation at Metropolia, University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Winter semester 2018/2019

Intersex Event - Why shall we stop thinking only in the categories male and female?

Outcome: First Intersex Awareness Event at HTW Berlin at 29th of Nov 2018
Seminar in methods for product creation | Winter semester 2017/2018

How might we develop products for Global Millennials?

Outcome: Customized Workplace, Mood Bracelet, 24h-Backpack, All in one - Shower Packaging for the Gym, Noise Canceller
Ambient Assisted Living Project | Winter semester 2015/2016

How might we develop products for people with a disability?

Outcome: Model for a stutterer app, an online game for stroke patients, a sports car for young people in a wheelchair, a cooking table for residential homes for elderly people, hotel rooms for persons with a handicap
Ambient Assisted Living Project | Summer semester 2014

How to get more clients for the subscription (Strategy, Communication, Marketing)? Client: BVG

Outcome: Development of a flexible subscription system (ABOMAT), a communication and marketing strategy, comfortable seats for elderly people. Presentation of the outcome at the Spreehöfe during the art event "Kunst am Spreeknie 2014" and development of a new design for the seats in the trams with guests of the art event.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Winter semester 2012/2013

How might we save the waste?

Outcome: Prototype, test, and manufacture of new bins for the hallways of HTW Berlin. Presentation and test of the first prototypes at Elisava, School of Design and Engineering in Barcelona.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Summer semester 2012

How might we develop the supermarkets of the future ?

Outcome: Shopping cart ”eCart” with a digital transparency guide gives information about ingredients, production, origin, recipes and recommendations for vegans and people with diabetes.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Summer semester 2011 and 2012

How might we avoid the waste of coffee to go paper cups?

Outcome: Campus Cup - a reusable coffee to go cup which can be bought in all student canteens in Berlin, founded by Stiftung Naturschutz Berlin and honored in the competition of Trenntstadt Berlin und co2online!
Refugee Summer School | Summer semester 2017

How might Design Thinking help female refugees and migrants to find their future?

Summer School with Arianna Nicoletti from FFF e.V. as co-lecturer and students from HTW Berlin and Potsdam.
Outcome: Design your Business - Female refugees developed their own fashion brand.
Refugee Summer School | Summer semester 2017

How might we prototype a women lab for refugee accommodation in Berlin?

Summer School with students from HTW Berlin and Kiron Open Higher Education.
Outcome: Prototype for a Women Lab for a refugee container village
Summer School | Summer semester 2017

How might we develop a global e-business and an event store for sustainable fashion in Berlin?

Summer School with Arianna Nicoletti from FFF e.V. as co-lecturer and students from Kiron Open Higher Education, HTW Berlin and Potsdam.
Outcome: Design for an e-commerce platform (Heike Ernst) and an event store with a museum, a laboratory and a store for sustainable fashion (Arianna Nicoletti).
Refugee Summer School | Summer semester 2017

How might we develop an intercultural home for newcomer, students, locals, and artists in Berlin for SOZDIA Stiftung?

Summer School with newcomers, students from HTW Berlin, Eberswalde University of Sustainable Development, University Potsdam and Camilla Rackelmann as assistant and photographer,
Outcome: Developing a prototype for an intercultural home  in a diverse and interdisciplinary team of newcomers and international students.
Seminar in Design Thinking and Human Values | Summer semester 2017

How might we organize a Cross Cultural Festival?

Outcome: Cross-Cultural Festival with refugees, students and locals at HTW Berlin.
Seminar in Creativity and Innovation | Summer semester 2016

How might we transform McDonald`s?

Outcome: Development of a new sustainable brand for McDonald's.

Education and further trainings

Further training Design to Business @IDEO

2020

Further trainings Performing Art @Schaubühne Berlin

2018 @Philipp Rost
2009 @Uta Plate

Further training Business Model Generation @Brainbirds

2016

Further training Focusing @Dipl. Psych. Dorothea Damrath, Dipl. Soz. Angelika Kopecny
(coordinators at International Focusing Institute, Eugen Gendlin, New York)

2000 - 2004

Parental Leave

2000 - 2008

Vicariate @Apostelkirchengemeinde Bonn

1996 - 1999

Diploma in Protestant Theology @ Ev. Landeskirche von Westfalen

1995

Examination for Hotel Management Assistant @IHK Münster

1980
Interested in working with me? I'd love to hear from you.
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© Dipl. Theol. Heike Ernst 2021
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