---
title: "Research on design thinking"
description: "Researchers from SUGAR universities publish on teaching design thinking, its use in companies and its effect on business success. 35 publications, 2009–2025."
url: "https://www.sugar-network.org/en/about/research/"
lang: "en"
---

# Research on design thinking

- Carleton, T. & Uebernickel, F.: [How to Start Strong: Different Approaches for Crafting Project Briefs with Corporate Sponsors for Global Innovation and STEM-Based Team Projects](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-78720-1_7). Springer, Cham (2025)
- Danielly de Paula, Carolin Marx, Ella Wolf, Christian Dremel, Kathryn Cormican & Falk Uebernickel: [A managerial mental model to drive innovation in the context of digital transformation](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13662716.2022.2072711). Industry and Innovation Journal, 1-24. DOI: 10.1080/13662716.2022.2072711 (2022)
- Gerken, S., Uebernickel, F., & de Paula, D.: [Design Thinking: a Global Study on Implementation Practices in Organizations Past - Present - Future](https://owncloud.hpi.de/s/bblMCsGT5jhlRhv). Universitätsverlag Potsdam (2022)
- de Paula, D., Cormican, K., & Dobrigkeit, F.: [From Acquaintances to Partners in Innovation: An Analysis of 20 Years of Design Thinking's Contribution to New Product Development](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9459423). IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management Journal (2022)
- de Paula, D., Hahn, D., Matthies, C., & Uebernickel, F.: [InnoPulse: a Tool to Support Collaborative Reflection in Creativity-Driven Engineering Projects](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357538491_InnoPulse_a_Tool_to_Support_Collaborative_Reflection_in_Creativity-Driven_Engineering_Projects). Conference: 55th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (2022)
- Marx, C., Haskamp, T., de Paula, D., & Uebernickel, F.: [The Nexus of Design Thinking and Intrapreneurship: Insights from a large-scale empirical assessment](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355401555_The_Nexus_of_Design_Thinking_and_Intrapreneurship_Insights_from_a_large-scale_empirical_assessment). Conference: 55th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (2022)
- Leal, L., Ribeiro, A., Romão, V., do Amaral, G., Altmann, R., Kahn, R., Pacci, B., Avo, M., Salerno, M., Plonski, G., & Zancul, E.: [R&D approach based on multiple partners and Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Agile concepts: A case study in the electricity sector](https://bjopm.emnuvens.com.br/bjopm/article/view/1024). Brazilian Journal of Operations & Production Management, 18(1), 1-12. (2021)
- Wiktoria Staszak , Danielly de Paula  and Falk Uebernickel: [The Power Of Habits: Evaluation Of A Mobile Health Solution For The Management Of Narcolepsy](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-design-society/article/power-of-habits-evaluation-of-a-mobile-health-solution-for-the-management-of-narcolepsy/ECE51D56460A12227E32C5C81FF7F125#). In DS 109: Proceedings of the Design Society: 23rd International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED21), 1:3081–90. Cambridge University Press. (2021)
- L. Przybilla, K. Klinker, M. Lang, M. Schreieck, M. Wiesche and H. Krcmar: [Design Thinking in Digital Innovation Projects—Exploring the Effects of Intangibility](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9311704). IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management (2020)
- Mariana Oliveira, Eduardo Zancul, André Leme Fleury: [Design thinking as an approach for innovation in healthcare: systematic review and research avenues](http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjinnov-2020-000428). BMJ Innovations Published Online First (2020)
- Marcela Arrivillaga ,Paula C. Bermúdez,Juan Pablo García-Cifuentes,Jorge Botero: [Innovative prototypes for cervical cancer prevention in low-income primary care settings: A human-centered design approach](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0238099). PLOS ONE 15(8): e0238099 (2020)
- McGinn, C., Bourke, E., Murtagh, A. et al.: [Meet Stevie: a Socially Assistive Robot Developed Through Application of a ‘Design-Thinking’ Approach.](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10846-019-01051-9). J Intell Robot Syst 98, 39–58 (2020)
- Przybilla, L., Klinker, K., Wiesche, M., & Krcmar, H.: [A Human-Centric Approach to Digital Innovation Projects in Health Care: Learnings from Applying Design Thinking](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326177691_A_Human-Centric_Approach_to_Digital_Innovation_Projects_in_Health_Care_Learnings_from_Applying_Design_Thinking?_sg=e_3JfO6BQmGa-2GvShDEFzyPUFCeJsfprtLOtg7nElSRuLAq6P3y5Ck3wkH6kI5wyEctMJMSp-NZjg.TO486hr5zPpYzuteuJhJssnVF0xpQ2jlGlotCQyXKd_weXsFf3ond_CtpbxbaoMYiiYfRC00xDHDotd-w15NJg&_sgd%5Bnc%5D=2&_sgd%5Bncwor%5D=1). In 22nd Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS 2018). Yokohama (2018)
- Conor McGinn, Michael F. Cullinan, Mark Culleton & Kevin Kelly: [A human-oriented framework for developing assistive service robots, Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17483107.2017.1328616). 13:3, 293-304 (2018)
- Surma-aho, A., Björklund, T., Hölttä.Otto, K.: [An analysis of designer empathy in the early phases of design projects](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326507776_An_analysis_of_designer_empathy_in_the_early_phases_of_design_projects). DS 91: Proceedings of NordDesign 2018, Linköping, Sweden, 14th-17th August 2018 (2018)
- Surma-Aho, A., Björklund, T., Hölttä-Otto, K.: [Assessing the development of empathy and innovation attitudes in a project-based engineering design course](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326507915_Assessing_the_development_of_empathy_and_innovation_attitudes_in_a_project-based_engineering_design_course). In ASAnnual Conference. American Society for Engineering Education (2018)
- Przybilla, L., Schreieck, M., Klinker, K., Pflügler, C., Wiesche, M., & Krcmar, H.: [Combining Design Thinking and Agile Development to Master Highly Innovative IT Projects](https://dl.gi.de/bitstream/handle/20.500.12116/18905/PVM2018_11.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y). Projektmanagement und Vorgehensmodelle 2018 - Der Einfluss der Digitalisierung auf Projektmanagementmethoden und Entwicklungsprozesse (2018)
- Durão, L.F.C.S. , Kelly, K., Nakano, D.N., Zancul, E. , McGinn, C.L.: [Divergent prototyping effect on the final design solution: the role of "Dark Horse" prototype in innovation projects](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212827118304530?via%3Dihub). Procedia CIRP (2018)
- McGinn, C., Bourke, E., Murtagh, A., Cullinan, M. F., & Kelly, K.: Exploring the application of design thinking to the development of service robot technology. In ICRA2018 Workshop on Elderly Care Robotics-Technology and Ethics (WELCARO) (2018)
- Nappi, V., Kelly, K.: [Key Performance Indicators and Dimensions for the Innovation Process](http://www.tara.tcd.ie/handle/2262/83968). 25th Innovation and Product Development Management Conference (2018)
- Bertolotti, F., Di Norcia, M., & Vignoli, M.: [Service design principles for organizational well-being: Improving the employee experience through design thinking](https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Service-design-principles-for-organizational-the-Bertolotti-Norcia/7e4460b4d8bbcc159369e49a98edf3af9a24e727?p2df). In ServDes2018-Service Design Proof of Concept (Vol. 150, pp. 736-750).Linköping University Electronic Press (2018)
- Wiesche, M., Leifer, L., Uebernickel, F., Lang, M., Byler, E., Feldmann, N., ...& Suzuki, S.: [Teaching Innovation in Interdisciplinary Environments: Toward a Design Thinking Syllabus](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael_Lang18/publication/328232621_Teaching_Innovation_in_Interdisciplinary_Environments_Toward_a_Design_Thinking_Syllabus/links/5bc04f5e458515a7a9e2d5fd/Teaching-Innovation-in-Interdisciplinary-Environments-Toward-a-Design-Thinking-Syllabus.pdf). In AIS SIGED International Conference on Information Systems Education and Research (2018)
- Zancul, E.S., Durao, L.F.C.S., Lopes, R.D., Nakano, D., Majzoub, G. G., Blikstein, P. , Dalmon, D.L.: [An Empirical Study on Design-Based vs. Traditional Approaches in Capstone Courses in Engineering Education](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319878972_An_Empirical_Study_on_Design-Based_vs_Traditional_Approaches_in_Capstone_Courses_in_Engineering_Education). The International journal of engineering education (2017)
- Juan Pablo García-Cifuentes: [Design thinking para innovar, desde la interdisciplinariedad e interculturalidad, en ingeniería](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Juan_Garcia-Cifuentes/publication/313874966_DESIGN_THINKING_PARA_INNOVAR_DESDE_LA_INTERDISCIPLINARIEDAD_E_INTERCULTURALIDAD_EN_INGENIERIA/links/58ac5d19458515335394510a/DESIGN-THINKING-PARA-INNOVAR-DESDE-LA-INTERDISCIPLINARIEDAD-E-INTERCULTURALIDAD-EN-INGENIERIA.pdf). ACOFI 2016 International Engineering Education Meeting (2016)
- Vetterli, C., Uebernickel, F., Brenner, W., Petrie, C., & Stermann, D.: [How Deutsche Bank’s IT Division Used Design Thinking to Achieve Customer Proximity](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Falk_Uebernickel/publication/302580530_How_deutsche_bank%27s_IT_division_used_design_thinking_to_achieve_customer_proximity/links/5b37a9c9aca2720785fcf990/How-deutsche-banks-IT-division-used-design-thinking-to-achieve-customer-proximity.pdf). MIS Quarterly Executive, 15(1), 37–53 (2016)
- Kuehl, N., Scheurenbrand, J., & Satzger, G.: [Needmining: Identifying micro blog data containing customer needs](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301364109_Needmining_Identifying_Micro_Blog_Data_containing_Customer_Needs). In ECIS (p. ResearchPaper185) (2016)
- de Senzi Zancul, Eduardo; Blikstein, Paulo; dos Santos Durăo, Luiz Fernando Cardoso; Rocha, Alexandre Machado: [Students’ engagement in the implementation of results obtained in capstone design courses: A preliminary model for detailed design and go-to-market activities](https://human.designsociety.org/publication/39064/STUDENTS%E2%80%99+ENGAGEMENT+IN+THE+IMPLEMENTATION+OF+RESULTS+OBTAINED+IN+CAPSTONE+DESIGN+COURSES%3A+A+PRELIMINARY+MODEL+FOR+DETAILED+DESIGN+AND+GO-TO-MARKET+ACTIVITIES). DS 83: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education (E&PDE16), Design Education: Collaboration and Cross-Disciplinarity, Aalborg, Denmark, 8th-9th September 2016 (2016)
- Donati, C., & Vignoli, M.: [How tangible is your prototype? Designing the user and expert interaction](https://idp.springer.com/authorize/casa?redirect_uri=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12008-014-0232-5&casa_token=4o6mqLarSikAAAAA:cBvzMOOybBhFbGurOVEW2uMZ_0WzYYgamqLQMfuJJO69ee5NN1zNNZoqSCsqNKH3vANR3C6H0m-KD4cCPA). International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM), 9(2), 107-114 (2015)
- Rekonen, S.: [Face to Face with Ambiguity and Diversity: Dynamics of Interdisciplinary Team Work in Different Phases of Explorative New Product Development Projects](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/293844259_Face_to_Face_with_Ambiguity_and_Diversity_Dynamics_of_Interdisciplinary_Team_Work_in_Different_Phases_of_Explorative_New_Product_Development_Projects). NordDesign Conference, Espoo Finland / Melbourne Australia August 27-29.2014 (2014)
- Vignoli, M., Ferioli, G., & Steinert, M.: [Building agile design teams](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287064702_Building_agile_design_teams). In DS 75-3: Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED13) Design For Harmonies, Vol. 3: Design Organisation and Management, Seoul, Korea 19-22.08. 2013 (pp. 121-130) (2013)
- Taajamaa, V., Sjöman, H., Kirjavainen, S., Utriainen, T., Repokari, L., Salakoski, T.: [Dancing with ambiguity - Design thinking in interdisciplinary engineering education](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283676488_Dancing_with_ambiguity_-_Design_thinking_in_interdisciplinary_engineering_education). Design Management Symposium (TIDMS), 2013 IEEE Tsinghua International (pp. 353-360). IEEE., At Shenzhen, China (2013)
- Kelly, K., Mooney, T.: [Design Thinking as an Outreach Activity for Female Students](http://www.tara.tcd.ie/handle/2262/79994). 30th International Manufacturing Conference (2013)
- Vetterli, C., Brenner, W., Uebernickel, F., & Petrie, C.: [From palaces to yurts: Why requirements engineering needs design thinking](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6488677). IEEE Internet Computing, 17(2), 91–94. (2013)
- Kelly, K., Culleton M., Barrett, R., Weldon, P., Connolly, E.: [Issues of Collaboration within Global Project Teams](http://www.tara.tcd.ie/handle/2262/79995). 30th International Manufacturing Conference (2013)
- Suzuki, S., & Leifer, L.: [Student Facebook connections in a Global Project Based Engineering Design Course](https://www.designsociety.org/download-publication/28883/Student+Facebook+connections+in+a+Global+Project+Based+Engineering+Design+Course). In DS 58-10: Proceedings of ICED 09, the 17th International Conference on Engineering Design, Vol. 10, Design Education and Lifelong Learning, Palo Alto, CA, USA, 24.-27.08. 2009 (pp. 215-226) (2009)