Engaging with 99designs is one of the many valuable experiences I have had over several years exploring digital collaboration platforms. Through the 99designs platform, I launched a project inviting designers to create a logo for Frank Calberg Services. The process quickly became more than just a design contest. It turned into a rich learning journey about co-creation, creativity, and constructive feedback. Working with 36 talented designers from around the world allowed me to experience the power of iteration and dialogue in creative work. Providing feedback on the evolving designs taught me how clarity grows through communication. As the designers refined their individual logos based on my feedback, I could see clear patterns of improvement, originality, and thoughtful interpretation emerging. The competition gradually transformed into a collaborative exploration of ideas, where each round of feedback contributed to higher levels of quality and alignment. What surprised me most was how intuitively the final decision evolved. Despite the diversity of excellent designs, the best option stood out naturally to me. The iterative process helped me recognize which design best reflected the identity and values of my work. Looking back, I feel thankful for the engagement and creativity each designer brought to the process. Their collective contributions made the experience inspiring as well as productive - a reminder of how meaningful outcomes arise when ideas evolve through shared creativity and learning. Thank you all.
Idea development through digital crowdsourcing platforms
Sometime around the early 2010s, I explored idea development tools. Two digital platforms, which I found inspiring were brainfloor, an Austrian idea development platform, and Atizo, a Swiss innovation platform for crowdsourcing concepts. I liked, for example, the open and inclusive innovation spirit of both platforms - enabling anyone to share ideas anytime to help solve various challenges. I also liked the possibility to share feedback to ideas of others.
Management innovation digitally
An experience of hacking management via digital platforms, which stands out for me, are contributions through the Management Innovation eXchange (MIX). I recall some highly interesting collaborative challenges that promoted agile practices. The involvement in this work, which is close to my heart, included helping to reduce bureaucratic drag and foster adaptability. The collaborate efforts helped organizations try out low-risk, high-impact innovations to boost productivity and resilience. Two other fine initiatives, which have stayed in my mind, are the Mckinsey Agility Hackathon - helping people and companies work in more agile ways - and possibilities to contribute digitally to work through the Global Peter Drucker Forum.
Mobile health co-creation
Through childhood experiences with hay fever allergies to grass and weeds, which caused frequent sneezing, runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes during spring and summer, I developed a personal interest in healthcare. This early challenge sparked curiosity about health solutions, leading to the interest during high school of becoming a medical doctor. Later life events, including my mother's hospital stay in the 1990s, conversations with my nurse girlfriend, and the rise of health apps and AI, further deepened this passion in healthcare. In the 2000s and 2010s, I worked on integrating healthcare into teaching and workshops for students. In strategic management sessions, for example, I facilitated practical exercises like the "start, stop, do more, do less" activity in supermarkets, prompting analysis of how stores could promote healthier living. These hands-on approaches encouraged innovation in everyday health practices. Through years of internet research, observations, as well as dialogues with healthcare professionals and patients, I built deeper insights into healthcare systems. My involvement in programs like Stanford's "Mobile Health Without Borders" in 2013 explored cost-effective mobile solutions for global health challenges, entrepreneurship, and technology's role in care. I like to support people through reflective practices such as walk & talks in nature in order to help build physical resilience, mental clarity, and strengthen preventive care.