BR-ND People is a small creative change agency in Amsterdam. The firm wants to scale its people centered services without losing its human soul. Most value sits in the tacit knowledge of two senior consultants. This thesis asks how and where generative AI can support that workflow.

The research follows a qualitative embedded case study inside the firm. It combines interviews, two workshops, observation and client journey mapping. This surfaced five bottlenecks. At first each looked separate. Read together, they share one cause. The friction sits at the transitions between phases, not inside the activities. There, work must be packaged and aligned again and again. This insight moved the project toward representing the relations that carry work across phases, rather than automating tasks. In short, the firm has a knowledge problem. Explicit knowledge can be captured and reused. Implicit knowledge stays with the consultant.

Several alternatives without AI were weighed first. None matched the problem as well as generative AI grounded in the firm's own knowledge. As a result, the project focused on proposal creation. The outcome is Proma. This AI proposal system drafts a tailored proposal from the firm's past work, while the consultant keeps every judgment call.

Validation with both senior consultants supports two claims with confidence. Authorship stays human. Draft quality matches the firm's standard. Time savings are less settled. Initial testing suggests that Proma can accelerate first-draft structuring. However, the net gain depends on export quality and the amount of visual rework needed. Transfer to other firms is plausible yet untested. The main contribution is not Proma itself but the design principles behind it. Other small consultancies can apply these principles to adopt AI while keeping every judgement call human.




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The Adcrew is a Dutch early-stage startup that turns students into micro-brand ambassadors through a campaign sticker worn on students laptops for at least 30 days in exchange for a product reward. The concept sits in an advertising market where trust in digital channels is declining, while around 80 percent of advertising budgets keep flowing toward the same large digital platforms. This tension opens space for new formats that combine physical visibility, real product experience and peer-driven word-of-mouth, but it also raises the question of how a single-founder startup can launch such a format credibly.

This thesis designs a launch strategy for The Adcrew's first year, based on a grounded theory analysis of 15 expert interviews with brand managers, marketing professionals and brand experience consultants. The analysis produces five interrelated super families that together describe the conditions for a successful launch: building the business, campaign and brand fit, the student experience, authentic word-of-mouth, and proving it works.

Three strategic results stand out. First, the positioning shifts from selling laptop advertising to creating micro-brand ambassadors, which reframes the channel more around peer advocacy rather than awareness and impressions. Second, the year-one roadmap is sequenced to start with the most accessible brand segments instead of the segment that initially looked the strongest fit on paper. Third, the measurement framework is built in three layers (reach, self-reported advocacy and indirect market signals) to address the difficulty of measuring word-of-mouth to a specific campaign. A final round of expert validation refines the strategy at the level of execution.

The research adds to the launch strategy, customer development and brand experience literature by showing how awareness and trial can lead to a peer-to-peer interaction, how the framing of a rewarded product shapes the quality of the advocacy that follows, and how a relational moat can act as first-mover advantage in resource-limited startups. The result is a credible and scalable strategy for The Adcrew's first year of operations. ... Read more

This report describes the strategic design project conducted in collaboration with OFFFF, a branding studio based in Rotterdam that focuses, among other things, on creating new brand identities for its clients. One of the challenges OFFFF encounters is that not every new brand identity actually comes to life after delivery.
This project investigates what makes some brand identities come to life and generate results, while others gradually lose momentum. ... Read more

This graduation report presents the results of a project for the Master Strategic Product Design at TU Delft, in collaboration with Bynder, a digital asset management company. As Bynder's digital asset ecosystem expands, a strategic opportunity emerges to innovate its brand governance tools. Discrepancies have appeared between the words employees use in Natural Language Search (NLS) and the system-generated tags that enable asset retrieval. This project explores how Bynder can evolve NLS from a generic search feature into a brand-aware capability that strengthens brand consistency. The research integrated a double diamond framework with a Research-through-Design approach, using literature reviews, competitive analysis, and stakeholder interviews. The primary finding is that while Bynder's taxonomy provides a strong foundation, it could be enhanced to better accommodate the dynamics of contemporary brand language. A secondary finding points to a market opportunity for DAM systems that leverage intelligent automation to enforce brand governance. The resulting design solution consists of three parts: a Brand Dictionary Configurator for admins to add brand-specific terms; a Guided Prompt Framework to help users phrase brand-aligned queries; and a Brand-Language Feedback Loop to help admins manage and update search terms. Strategically, this framework evolves the Bynder platform from an asset management solution to an active brand partner. Operationally, it provides clients with superior asset discoverability, ensures greater coherence in brand storytelling, and delivers a measurable decrease in the resources required for governance. ... Read more

This thesis operates at the intersection of entrepreneurship and strategic product development, addressing the critical challenge new hardware business-to-consumer ventures face when entering established markets. The research focuses on SteamUp, a Dutch new business venture developing premium milk steaming technology for home coffee enthusiasts, where notable customer interest has been measured. Still, it lacks sufficient data to support coherent evidence-based market entry. This project develops a Framework of Best Practices that enables hardware B2C ventures with limited resources to systematically work towards coherent evidence-based market entry by examining Problem-Solution fit and Model-Market fit as essential building blocks. Through application of this framework to SteamUp's market entry challenge, the research clarifies market opportunities and entry possibilities, enabling further steps towards market entry that are both substantiated and pursued with greater clarity. ... Read more

This thesis investigates how design can support the development and adoption of repair and refurbishment services by bridging the gap between stakeholder priorities, operational systems, and user behaviour. The central challenge lies in creating sufficient added value for end users to activate sustainable behaviours and the uptake of circular service models. Through a strategic design lens, the project examines how interventions can bridge the gap between internal complexity and customer needs, enabling long-term product care.

Using the Vision in Product Design (VIP) method in combination with desk and literature research, as well as qualitative research and design, the study investigates how circular services work and how they can be improved. Through stakeholder interviews, internal observations, co-creation sessions, and service blueprinting, it identifies structural misalignments, service gaps, value tensions, and desires between stakeholders, which currently limit the scalability and effectiveness of upcoming circular initiatives.

The findings show that while customers are open to circular behaviour for kitchens, they require clear guidance, convenience, and clear benefits to take circular action. In response, the project introduces a concept: Kitchen+. This is a conceptual product-service system, designed to encourage the repair and refurbishment service by offering intuitive, low-effort tools and tailored support. It enables sustainable kitchen ownership through both self-service and professional support options while aligning with existing operational structures.

This thesis concludes that activating circular behaviour in a retail setting requires both customer-facing interventions and internal alignment and knowledge. In particular, including design practices and cross-collaboration within the organisation is essential to make new circular services reliable and scalable. Strategic design can serve as a lever to align organisational structures, user needs and system capabilities. It bridges gaps, translates customers’ ambitions into practice and supports long-term behavioural change. Future research could further explore how circular services perform under real-world conditions, whether solutions like Kitchen+ translate user intent into actual behaviour, and how internal systems must adapt to support that change over time. ... Read more

This report describes a strategic design project with Pieter Pot, a Dutch online packaging-free supermarket, to address challenges such as low order frequency and a narrow business case that hinder long-term profitability. The project aimed to identify and design a strategic pivot to improve the value proposition for sustainable growth. The guiding research question was: How can Pieter Pot use its strengths and acquired audience to pivot towards a new, more sustainable, and scalable proposition, while ensuring continued relevance and growth in an increasingly competitive market?

Using a Double Diamond design approach, the project analysed company data, consumer insights (148 respondents), competitors, and literature. Various pivot directions were evaluated, with food waste prevention emerging as the most promising. Customer research indicated significant interest in food waste prevention, alongside organic and refill options, and initial “Verpieter-me-niet” (food waste prevention) trials showed positive sales results.

The recommended overarching strategy is a “zoom-out pivot,” where Pieter Pot’s current packaging-free offering becomes a core feature within a broader, more comprehensive sustainability mission. The project focused on the food waste prevention proposition as a key brand extension within this broader strategy, aligning with Pieter Pot’s anti-waste mission and leveraging existing strengths. A brand extension fit analysis, using Deng & Messinger’s (2022) six dimensions, guided its integration.

The primary deliverable is a Strategic Brand Extension Guide. This guide provides Pieter Pot with directly applicable strategies to successfully develop, position, and communicate the new food waste prevention proposition as a component of its expanded sustainability focus. The guide specifically focuses on how the food waste prevention proposition can be clearly presented for customer understanding and how customers can be persuaded of its unique value, ensuring effective integration. This targeted approach, detailed within the guide, aims to broaden Pieter Pot’s appeal, increase order frequency and value, and build a resilient, profitable enterprise through the successful implementation of the food waste prevention brand extension, supported by a strengthened core offering and relevant line extensions.

In addition to the final design and proposed strategy, the report also includes chapters on implementation, relevant considerations, and recommendations. These sections outline how the new direction can be embedded within Pieter Pot’s operations, highlight practical and strategic factors that influence success, and propose future actions to further strengthen the proposition.

Together, these outcomes demonstrate how Pieter Pot can leverage its existing strengths and audience to evolve from a packaging-free supermarket into a broader sustainability platform, enabling continued relevance, growth, and long-term scalability. ... Read more

ABN AMRO’s Innovation Department faces a persistent and structural challenge: despite many promising initiatives and a well-structured innovation funnel (DARE), not a single innovation has successfully transitioned into operational use within a Client Unit over the past five years. While ideas are developed and validated, implementation, referred to as "landing", consistently fails. This is not due to a lack of ideas or structure, but to the absence of a relational and human-centred vision towards the landing spot during the process.

This thesis identifies a critical blind spot: the role of Intermediate Users, such as Business Leads in the Client Units, who are expected to translate innovation into practice, but are rarely engaged as users in their own right. Without true two-way dialogues, mutual understanding, a sense of ownership, and trust, these key actors remain disconnected, and implementation stalls.

At the core of this issue is a lack of empathy. The research shows that while Human-Centered Design tools are widely used for end users, they are rarely applied to Intermediate Users. This gap in understanding creates a growing tension between those who design innovation and those who are expected to implement it.

To address this, the thesis proposes a new design direction: embedding a Layer of Empathy into the innovation process. Rather than replacing existing structures, this human-centred layer builds on familiar tools and reframes them around relational dynamics like motivation, collaboration, trust, and ownership. As an example of this approach, the concept “Block & Bond” introduces a simple but symbolic ritual to kick off collaboration, designed to make people feel seen, committed, and part of a shared innovation journey.

This project shows that implementation is not just about getting the process right, it is about getting the relationship right. When Intermediate Users are recognised, involved, and heard from the start, innovation has a far greater chance of truly landing. In doing so, ABN AMRO moves one step closer to turning bold ideas into lasting impact.

Design for our future // Banking for better, for generations to come.
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This thesis provides insights into how radical innovations can be successfully launched and adopted in stigmatized markets, specially focused on the menstrual cup. The project is based on Casey, a cleaning and sterilisation solution for menstrual cups developed by the Fem-Tech start-up CupHub. Drawing from market analysis, qualitative research, and innovation theory, the study identifies main barriers to adoption, such as hygiene concerns, social stigma, and lack of education and translates these insights into a tailored go-to-market (GTM) strategy.
The research builds on Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations and Schuhmacher et al.’s Consumer Innovativeness (CI) framework to assess consumer readiness and develop segmentation strategies. Based on in-depth interviews, focus groups, and observational research, distinct personas were created to reflect different CI levels and psychological adoption profiles. These personas form the foundation for a phased GTM roadmap that aligns product messaging, education, and community-building with each group’s needs.
Rather than framing Casey solely as a sustainable innovation, the proposed strategy positions it around convenience and social proof: elements shown to resonate more strongly with potential users. Recommendations include prioritising peer validation, transparent communication, and phased educational efforts in order to normalise menstrual cup use and increase product adoption over time.
Ultimately, this thesis offers a replicable GTM approach for radical, user-first innovations in sensitive or habit-based industries. It combines academic theory with real-world strategy, contributing both to Fem-Tech entrepreneurship and innovation management research.
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The reputation of personal luxury brands has undergone a significant transformation since 2018, with the industry experiencing a reputation recession followed by an uneven reputation renaissance. This shift underscores a deeper misalignment between luxury brands and the evolving values of the new luxury consumer. Millennials, soon set to dominate the luxury market, have accelerated this change. Their engagement with brands on Instagram not only shapes brand perception but also reflects their shifting interests. As social media become central to shaping brand reputation, analysing these engagement patterns offers critical insight into the preferences of the new luxury consumer.

This study examines how successful and struggling brands manage their reputation through content and engagement practices on Instagram. Using a hybrid research approach, it integrates quantitative engagement metrics with qualitative multimodal thematic analysis conducted on six luxury brands (three successful and three struggling) between 2021 and 2023, marking the onset of the reputation recession. To guide the exploratory nature of this study, an integrative framework of brand reputation was developed to synthesise company-controlled, consumer-controlled, and co-created reputation factors. The findings reveal that successful brands leverage cultural capital, particularly through collaboration with South Korean pop culture figures, to enhance brand coolness and foster deeper emotional connections. Struggling brands fail to establish these connections, relying on conventional celebrity endorsements that lack subcultural appeal, leading to continued reputation challenges.

By analysing only the most and least liked posts on Instagram, subtle engagement strategy adjustments could not be identified. Additionally, excluding comment data limited deeper sentiment analysis. Moreover, this research investigates a symptom of a deeper underlying issue caused by a changed luxury consumer. Future research should explore consumer sentiment through the comment section, expand the dataset to detect brand coolness life cycle transitions and most importantly, examine the values of the new luxury consumer that shape their purchasing behaviour. Despite these limitations, this research contributes to brand reputation literature by bridging fragmented studies into a cohesive framework for evaluating brand reputation factors. For luxury brands, the reputation dashboard provides a structured framework that identifies one of these factors, brand coolness, as a competitive advantage to strengthen consumer loyalty, word-of-mouth, and brand equity. Finally, transforming an once-abstract and intangible concept into a tool for business strategy.

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Generative AI is rapidly transforming the retail industry, revolutionizing both the way consumers shop and how businesses operate. To remain competitive, major retailers like Albert Heijn must embrace and experiment with this emerging technology. While Generative AI is already gaining traction in enhancing online shopping, its potential for in-store applications remains largely untapped. As the future of retail increasingly shifts toward an omnichannel experience, and with Albert Heijn’s customers still primarily shopping in-store, the technology presents both new opportunities and heightened importance.

This thesis, in collaboration with Albert Heijn, explores how Generative AI can be leveraged to enhance the in-store customer experience through mobile technology. Specifically, it introduces a practical, AI-driven solution: the shelf label scanner. The foundation of this concept is grounded in comprehensive research. Identifying and understanding genuine customer frustrations were crucial in developing an effective technological solution. Through a mix of quantitative and qualitative research methods, five key in-store frustrations were identified: (1) difficulty locating products, (2) stress caused by product unavailability, (3) crowded aisles and long waiting times, (4) choice overload, and (5) the need for additional information and assistance with bonus products.
For this graduation project, particular attention was paid to the frustration of encountering an empty shelf, a problem that significantly impacts both the customer experience and the retailer. To design a solution that addresses this challenge, further research was conducted, recognizing that customer behavior and needs in these situations can vary widely. A survey with 400 respondents, employing an experimental design with four distinct scenarios, provided valuable insights. The results revealed how customers perceive and react to product unavailability, with findings showing that both the context and type of product strongly influence the support needed when faced with an empty shelf.

These insights were then translated into a solution. Through four design steps, including testing with real Albert Heijn customers, the final solution was developed. Integrated into the Albert Heijn app, this feature empowers customers to easily navigate out-of-stock situations. By simply scanning the shelf label, customers receive instant assistance, including information about when the product will be back in stock, alternative product suggestions available in the store and real-time inventory data from other Albert Heijn locations. This feature is designed to improve the in-store shopping experience by providing customers with timely, relevant information and helping them make informed decisions when confronted with an empty shelf.
In addition to the final user interface design, communication materials have been developed to effectively introduce this feature to customers. Lastly, the report outlines key implementation steps for a smooth and gradual rollout, along with several recommendations. These include an analysis of the shelf label scanner’s potential and an exploration of further opportunities to leverage Generative AI in addressing customer challenges within the company. ... Read more

Deep-tech ventures, such as those developing digital twins, artificial intelligence, or blockchain solutions, often struggle to connect their innovative technologies with clear, actionable market opportunities. Unlike single-product start-ups that address well-defined customer pain points, deeptech ventures are often driven by technological innovation in search of practical applications. This “solution looking for a problem“ scenario hinders commercialisation, as many ventures fail to establish a direct link between their technologies and specific, solvable problems.
This thesis tackles this challenge by proposing a systematic Problem-Solution Fit (PSF) process tailored to deep-tech ventures. The PSF process helps to identify, prioritise, and validate problem areas, bridging the gap between technological potential and market relevance. The study was conducted in collaboration with Docklab, a venture lab exploring commercialisation for NexTwin, a digital twin technology. The research combined a literature review, case study analysis, semistructured interviews and an emerging method called a “Reverse Hackathon”. The research highlights three key obstacles that hinder Problem-Solution Fit in deep-tech ventures. First, stakeholder engagement is difficult in multistakeholder environments due to conflicting priorities, trust issues, and fragmented data ecosystems. Second, integration challenges arise from legacy systems, high adoption costs, and the perceived complexity of advanced technologies. Third, ventures face strategic tensions between market-pull and tech-push approaches, creating uncertainty in balancing their innovative potential with practical industry needs. These insights informed the development of the PSF process, which includes three phases: exploration, validation, and decision-making. Tools like stakeholder mapping and assumption mapping help to identify actionable problem areas, while the Reverse Hackathon serves as a central activity to uncover hidden industry pain points and validate priorities. By prioritising actionability, stakeholder alignment, scalability, and market relevance, the process provides a structured path for deep-tech ventures to transition from abstract innovations to market-ready solutions.

The Docklab case study revealed critical lessons. While the Reverse Hackathon generated three actionable problem areas and direct client leads, internal challenges, such as reactive outreach and broad value propositions, prevented these opportunities from being pursued. This highlighted the importance of focus, proactive stakeholder engagement, and sector-specific value propositions for deep-tech ventures. The process demonstrated its effectiveness in identifying and prioritising problem areas while underscoring the need for refined commercialisation strategies.
This research contributes to academic literature and practice by extending frameworks like Romme et al.’s (2023) Reverse Hackathon to focus on earlystage PSF in tech-push contexts. The PSF process provides a replicable methodology for navigating ambiguous markets, enabling collaboration, and aligning technological capabilities with market needs. Its interdisciplinary design, integrating sociology, cognitive science, and design thinking, enhances its adaptability across industries. For practitioners, the PSF process offers actionable tools to reduce false starts, allocate resources efficiently, and align innovations with stakeholder priorities. Although developed in the Docklab context, the process is scalable and adaptable, offering a valuable framework for ventures addressing the “solution looking for a problem” dilemma. By achieving PSF, ventures can navigate uncertainty, build stakeholder trust, and establish a foundation for sustainable market success.
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By the end of this year, a new NS (Dutch Railways) Sprinter will operate between Amsterdam Central Station and Hoofddorp, via Schiphol Airport. The introduction of this new train raised several questions within NS: How can this new Sprinter better meet the needs of tourists?

The initial research comprised three qualitative studies with international tourists travelling to Amsterdam, NS executive employees, and NS service employees. This research revealed that tourists often fail to notice the check-in points at Schiphol. On the other hand, NS executive employees reported frequent problems with tourists boarding trains without tickets and subsequently facing closed gates at their end destination. Interviews with NS service employees at the check-out gates at Amsterdam Central Station confirmed that many tourists travel without valid tickets from Schiphol Airport, but mention that even more tourists travel with a GVB ticket instead of an NS ticket. To address discrepancies in the findings, additional research included 16 semi-structured interviews with tourists who travelled without a valid ticket from Schiphol to Amsterdam. These findings indicate that tourists often end their journey at closed gates in Amsterdam, resulting in a negative experience. For NS, this translates to lost revenue as a significant number of tourists travel without valid tickets. The revised aim of this project focuses on ensuring tourists understand the necessity of having a valid ticket before boarding the train. The ideation phase generated numerous solutions, which were refined through expert reviews in user experience, marketing, strategy consulting, and stakeholder meetings with NS, ProRail, Spoorbouwmeester, and Schiphol.

This project presents three concepts that serve as a backlog of innovative ideas for NS, aimed at increasing ticket sales at Schiphol. These include the ‘happy flow’, focussed on promoting the desired behaviour of tourists, the ‘unhappy flow’, focussed on addressing the incorrect travel behaviour, mainly caused by the ‘GVB planners’, and the ‘backup flow’, focussed on increasing the visibility and visual space at Plaza. The thesis provides actionable recommendations on the implementation plan of these solutions and outlines the necessary steps for successful deployment.
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Valyuu, a pre-owned digital device trading startup, currently faces the issue of losing customers during the order placement process. My task is to create a doorstep service tailored to their specific needs, aiming to streamline the seller's journey from order placement to getting the payment. Although doorstep service is not innovative in the market, Valyuu requires a bespoke design aligned with their specific requirements. The primary research question guiding this project is, "How can Valyuu meet the needs of pre-owned product sellers to achieve efficiency, simplicity, and brand recognition in doorstep pickup services?" My research covers three main areas: Valyuu's brand positioning, doorstep services, and the behaviors of pre-owned device sellers.

As a result, this project introduces a service concept, "Selling your device with ease and satisfaction," aimed at streamlining the process of selling pre-owned products for efficiency and simplicity by shortening the user flow from placing order to waiting for payment. In this service, all these "hassle" process finishes at doorstep. Additionally, during the process, Valyuu's brand identity is conveyed through specially designed vehicles, the attire of pickup personnel, and their customer-centric behavior to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. This concept also aligns with Valyuu's long-term vision of expanding into C2C business, where the doorstep service can serve as a pivotal logistics component. ... Read more

In the last decade, European citizens had to overcome multiple severe disruptive events like Covid-19, extreme weather and war at the EU-boarder. With ongoing climate change and political instability, more crises are expected to arise. To deal with these crises an increased resilience of individuals, organisations and society is needed. One organisation eager to contribute to building resilience in Hamburg (Germany) is Cociety. The name is a contraction of a collaborative society.

To create resilience, multi-stakeholder knowledge and an interdisciplinary approach is needed, to be able to deal with the high interdependencies of the system within society. Cociety has the potential to collect and generate this diverse knowledge, as it is an umbrella organisation of over eight non-profit foundations, founded by Dr. Otto, that contribute to diverse aspects of social and environmental sustainability in Hamburg.

However, Cociety is in the start-up phase of an organisation. It still needs to develop a clear strategy to unlock the potential it has. This project clearly defines the potential of and strategy for Cociety, using systemic design and social innovation as theoretical background. Desk and field research, including interviews and a co-creative workshop, formed the basis for a gigamap, showing the system of Cociety and its perspectives. The rest of the project focuses on the internal perspective of Cociety, meaning the collaboration between the foundations and their employees. A Social network analysis (SNA) shows the interconnections and collaboration levels in the current network. From the insights generated in the SNA, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis discovers the leveragepoints to design for the improvement of Cociety’s internal network.

The final design of this project is a strategy. An overall vision and a vision for the internal network of Cociety are formulated. A roadmap outlines the key actions need to achieve the vision, supported by three interventions to make the first steps, including an organigram to visualise and access the knowledge available in the network, a meeting format to share the knowledge with the network and an onboarding guide to keep the network active and alive. ... Read more

Candy Inc is a Dutch company specialized in designing and manufacturing process equipment for the global confectionary industry. Their brand is built on high quality custom projects for the high-end market. To lower their prices and appeal to the medium-end market, Candy Inc has implemented Configure-To-Order practices (Aqlan, et al., 2014). To help Candy Inc reach these new medium-end customers this report presents a strategic marketing plan. Research for the strategic marketing plan included ten semi-structured interviews with a mix of internal sales managers, agents and external strategic partners. Six interviews were recorded and transcribed. These interviews were analyzed using the Grounded Theory Method (Strauss, A.L. & Corbin, J.M.,1990). This process starts by coding interviews by writing down the most important statements. These 308 statements were then categorized by subject. Finally, these categories are put together into overarching clusters, summarizing the themes of the interviews. This process led to two superclusters. The first is named ‘Agents are asked to be superhuman but are under supported’. This reflects the insight that agents are valuable to companies like Candy Inc for marketing across borders and cultures. But they feel underequipped and prepared. The second supercluster is named ‘Selling is complex and needs a human touch, but tech could support them more’. The personal relationships between agents/sales managers and customers are an essential aspect to sales in this business. But there is a lack of use of digital tools like targeted advertising and customer relationship management systems. The research phase ended with the formulation of a statement that would serve as a guide for ideation. From ideation came five recommendations, which were tested at Interpack or with agents. To give Candy Inc a concise guide for implementation a roadmap was made. The recommendations are implemented over the span of 3 years to help Candy Inc integrate with their agents and market more effectively without interfering with the personal relationship-building of the sales process. The first step is a communication platform for sales managers and agents to connect on. Using features like topic channels on these platforms allows Candy Inc to efficiently convey information to their team of agents. This platform also allows agents to connect and exchange ideas. The second step is to supply agents with an organized library of marketing material. Any marketing material Candy Inc produces can be stored on the previous communication platform so agents can easily find and use these. The final step is to use an implemented CRM system to inform better marketing, like digital advertising campaigns on LinkedIn. ... Read more

Background: GFI was a global financial institution. An innovation methodology, DTLSA, was created for GFI through the integration of Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Agile/Scrum software development. Signs of a low-level adoption for DTLSA were witnessed internally, despite ongoing promotion efforts.

Objective: This project aimed at improving the DTLSA adoption at GFI through empirical research and design intervention (directions). First, an investigation was needed to validate the potentially low-level adoption of DTLSA and to analyse different aspects of the DTLSA adoption status quo. Then, barriers and enablers for DTLSA adoption were sought out in pursuit of a better understanding of DTLSA adoption. Furthermore, the contextual information gathered in empirical research was used to inspire the design process for potential improvement concept directions.

Research methods: A mix of different research methods were used to achieve a holistic understanding of the topic: literature and existing knowledge study, group session, interview, and survey.

Research results: The low level of DTLSA adoption was confirmed, despite the positive aspects of DTLSA adoption such as sufficient understanding, and high motivation at GFI. A variety of barriers and enablers were found, the majority of which were related to 2 significant factors: team autonomy, and team engagement. 3 growth stages for DTLSA adoption were identified regarding the different levels of these 2 factors. Team autonomy at risk caused by multiple barriers was considered the most pressing issue that led to the low level of adoption.

Design: The design problem was defined as empowering the ambassador figures who emerged in teams during the DTLSA adoption. A storyboard of a possible current situation and an imaginative narrative of an ideal situation was created. 3 concept directions were proposed. ... Read more

Pure mycelium materials are a novel type of biobased materials that provide an alternative to otherwise polluting leather products and meat. Pure mycelium is considered a sustainable material as it is being produced through biofabrication while making use of renewable biomass resources or waste streams. However, the production of this pure mycelium results in a waste stream itself. This waste stream consists mostly of the spent mycelium substrate (SMS) used for its production along with a smaller share of pure mycelium waste (PMW) which cannot be used for its intended purpose due to contamination with substrate particles. The current knowledge gap with regards to the lack of appropriate options for its valorisation results in these waste streams to be composted and provides a serious burden to producers of mycelium materials as this disposal is costly. Additionally, composting of these mycelium waste streams is considered unsustainable according to the principles of the circular bioeconomy (CBE). The CBE is suggested as an alternative economic system that is to overcome the problems that are inherent to our present linear economic systems e.g., resource depletion and environmental degradation. This thesis aims to determine the potential for valorisation of these mycelium waste streams to support operationalisation of the CBE and to improve the cost-efficiency of pure mycelium materials.

To assess this potential, the characteristics of the mycelium waste streams are synthesized from the literature and various options for its valorisation are identified from the literature based on these characteristics. The environmental impacts (GWP, water- and energy consumption) and economic viability of the identified valorisation options are determined by studying available lifecycle impact assessments and techno-economic assessments of processes comparable to those for the valorisation of the mycelium waste stream. Additionally, the eco-efficiency, or the relation between the environmental costs per monetary unit benefit of these valorisation options is calculated with the idea that this provides a more straightforward answer as to what would be the most favourable options for this valorisation based on the separate assessments of environmental impacts and economic viability.

The results of this study suggest that there are several economically viable options that theoretically provide the potential to support operationalisation of the CBE through the valorisation of mycelium waste streams. These are the production of mushrooms, cellulase and fuel pellets for the valorisation of the SMS and extraction of dietary fibers and phenolic compounds from the PMW. The production of fuel pellets is considered the preferred option for valorisation of the SMS due to its fast ROI. However, it does not provide the possibility for optimalisation of biomass resource utilisation. Furthermore, the identified options for valorisation of the PMW are not desirable due to their extremely high environmental impacts. Nonetheless, the production of fuel pellets from the SMS provides the opportunity to improve the cost-efficiency of pure mycelium production as it makes up the vast majority of the mycelium waste streams.

Additionally, the novel synthesis of mycelium waste characteristics provides the potential to study additional options for valorisation of mycelium waste streams in the future. These options could potentially provide the possibility to improve the cost-efficiency of pure mycelium production while simultaneously allowing an optimisation of the utilisation of the resources used for its production. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest that a different approach in the decision-making of appropriate options for valorisation of biomass waste streams, including mycelium waste streams, is required. An initial idea for a potential decision-making tool is therefore provided.

Lastly, the findings of this study provide the first indication of the possibility to capture economic value from a waste stream that provides a growing burden to the mycelium materials industry. This will allow reductions in the cost price of pure mycelium, making it available to a larger group of consumers and allowing the release of their full potential through increased substitution of otherwise polluting materials and meat. ... Read more

For an incredibly long time, what exactly happens between the legs of female-sex people has been a great mystery.
It‘s not common to talk about our vulvas and how we feel about them in detailed and specific terms - and yes it‘s vulva and not vagina, the vulva is the entire external genital area, the vagina is merely the internal muscle canal.
It‘s so unusual that many women lack the vocabulary to describe their genitals and the education that‘s practised in the school system is sporadic and often only focused on reproduction.
And the vagina is by no means the star of the show and definitely not the female equivalent of the penis. This is the clitoris, which is by no means just a little (apparently difficult to find) knob above the vaginal opening, but is a large and complex organ located beneath the skin‘s surface. A more or less fun fact, for example, is that it was not until 1998 that the complete anatomy of the clitoris was revealed in a study by the Australian urologist Helen O‘Connell (Fyfe, 2018). In fact, most anatomical books don‘t even show the clitoris and therefore not depicting the vulva correctly. Let that sink in.
Conversations about sexuality, well-being or pleasure find no place and lead to misconceptions, rumours and often leave people wondering „Am I normal?“.
This thesis aims to answer the question “How might a concept car look like for Yoni” as means of process and deliverable exploration for The Young.
In essence this thesis is about the world and future of vulvas and which role Yoni could play to ultimately facilitate positive change in people’s lives.
To explore this notion the method of developing a “concept car” was used to deliver a tangible representation of this future brand scenario.
And because the social climate is changing and brands are increasingly acting as amplifiers of cultural trends and the introduction of questions and topics into the mainstream of society. At this point Yoni joins the conversation. Yoni has been offering organic 100% cotton period products since 2015 after the founder found that the products recommended to her by her gynaecologist were not only unavailable to the majority of consumers but regular period products did not list their ingredients and were full of synthetic fibres.
That‘s why Yoni made it its mission to offer better products, products one would trust to touch their most intimate body part. Yoni wanted to change the market for more transparency and a higher standard of menstrual products and has achieved this, especially in recent years. Big brands are now also offering organic alternatives, explaining the ingredients of their products on the packaging or at least online and other brands have followed Yoni‘s lead. But with the constant fulfilment of the initial mission, it is time to find a new drive, a new vision.
And the time is ripe to do so, people are excited and ready to overcome their inhibitions and have meaningful conversations about their vulvas, and are eager for opportunities to learn. And the market is not yet oversaturated with offerings.
To answer the question of what exactly happens in the world of the vulva, this work started with in-depth research both in an interview study and in extensive literature and media research. It was about exploring the behaviour, feelings, culture, history and economy regarding vulvas and menstruation.
The market, consumer and context research resulted in four distinct directions Yoni could follow in the future to have a positive impact on their users‘ lives. These directions were about pushing the menstruation conversation in society further, for more social justice, to build strong communities of people with vulvas to overcome gaps of knowledge and wisdom, to unlock knowledge about hormonal cycles beyond the binary view of period on-period off and finally to discover how to bring vulva care to the forefront of people’s attention to share knowledge, facilitate experiences and overcome bodily shame.
In close collaboration with Yoni one direction was chosen as the means for Yoni to facilitate meaningful positive impact in the lives of their users and subsequently use this direction as a vehicle for organisational transformation and future vision.
This direction is called “vulva care” and targets the redefinition of what true vulva care might mean on a time axis of 1 to 5 years. At the end of this axis stands the concept product of vulvovaginal microbiome testing and personalised vulvar care products which acts as a beacon for creative brand development.
To make this concept product more accessible from an organisational point of view, the product was contextualised in a three step roadmap showcasing three distinct steps on how the company might develop for their current offering and structure towards a focus on vulvovaginal care using digital and care products infused with science and technology to ultimately future-proof a brand with incredible potential.
At the final pages of the report you will find the translation of this concept product into a website and digital product prototype illustrating how Yoni’s brand future might look like.
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This thesis aims to find a new collection method for post-consumer denim garments that fits the future context and the needs of ecosystem stakeholders. The thesis is aimed at all who want to work on a circular fashion industry from a business- or ecosystem perspective. The design solution is aimed at brands and retailers.

In a circular economy, denim is recycled at the end-of-life. To scale up recycling, collecting needs scaling up. Now municipalities grant the right to collect garments to collectors. They use textiles containers. The profitability of this business model is decreasing and many garments still end up in the trash.

Stakeholders in the denim industry were interviewed about the barriers, drivers and ideal situation for collecting or working with post-consumer (recycled) denim. The most critical barriers stakeholders mentioned are: clothing is treated as a waste stream; the company’s scale is too small for impact; (fast) fashion is counteractive to circularity; financial barriers; a lack of transparency in the ecosystem; needing to convince consumers to hand in clothes; and uncertainties around legislation. The most important drivers they mentioned are: legislation (the Extended Producer Responsibility) leads to action; financial incentives (from legislation); more attention for sustainability; and growing consumer enthusiasm for sustainability. Consumers often value attributes like a comfortable fit over sustainability when buying garments. There is a need to educate the consumer on topics like handing in clothes. For an ideal situation, industry stakeholders mentioned: collaboration between stakeholders; sustainability is profitable; brands and retailers take care of different steps in the value chain; more transparency. They also asked: should the future be local or global; and should we create closed loops within a brand or the industry? Trends that impact the ecosystem are trends in logistics and legislation.

Brands and retailers will be impacted by the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and will bear responsibility for collecting garments at the end-of-life. Therefore, the design challenge is to facilitate the collection of worn denim for brands and retailers. The thesis studied the case of De Rode Winkel to learn more about jeans collection in stores. This gave insight into the volume composition of the collected jeans. The retailer kept some of the jeans, which led to a decrease in revenue for the sorter. A different approach to the business model was needed. Therefore, the design challenge was redefined to develop the business case of collection as a service.

In the final design, Textiles2Textiles offers collection as a service (CaaS) to denim brands and retailers. The consumer hands in their garment at a store and receives a discount. The service, called the Collecting Collective, takes care of educating the consumer; providing retailers and brands with the means to collect; and sorting the garments and sending them to the right step in the value chain. The service can exist in a system without and with the EPR. At first, the service will be only for denim garments, but will later extend to the collection of all garments. ... Read more