A black-tie award ceremony in Berlin, an unfamiliar category, and a name called out that I genuinely did not expect to hear. That is how SCHUMACHER's UX & Strategy unit became the first winner of the German Digital Award in a category built for exactly the kind of work we had been pushing toward for three years.
Since I joined SCHUMACHER — Brand + Interaction Design about three years ago and then took over responsibility for the UX & Strategy unit, SCHUMACHER has changed. In addition to our traditional part of excellent brand development, new business areas have developed. We increasingly see design as a process with various results. As a means of creating new innovations, influence culture or craft great user experiences. Design leadership is the practice of moving a team from execution toward that broader role: setting the standards, the methods, and the strategic intent that turn craft into organisational change. The German Digital Award (DDA), awarded by the Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft, honors one of these new projects, and it is the first award in this new category for SCHUMACHER.
That's why I'm incredibly proud of my team. On the one hand, of the terrific work we have done and the result, which brings history closer to the people. On the other hand, I am proud of Michael and Verena's courage to break new ground and their trust in me and the creative power of this amazing team.
FAQ
What is design leadership?
Design leadership is the practice of moving a design team from execution toward a strategic role. It sets the standards, methods, and intent that turn craft into organisational change, and it requires designers to speak the language of business and product, not just of pixels.
What is the German Digital Award (DDA)?
The Deutscher Digitalpreis, or German Digital Award, is an annual prize given by the Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft (BVDW) to projects at the intersection of digital innovation, marketing, and technology. It honors campaigns, products, and services that demonstrate measurable impact in the digital economy.
Why was winning the DDA significant for SCHUMACHER?
It was the first time SCHUMACHER was recognized in a category for digital and strategic work rather than traditional brand design. The award validated the agency's three-year transformation from a brand-only studio into a UX, strategy, and innovation practice.
What does a UX & Strategy unit do inside a brand agency?
It extends the agency's work beyond visual identity into service design, digital products, research, and innovation. The unit operates as a bridge between business goals and user needs, applying design methods to problems the brand team alone would not have the tools to solve.
How do you build a new design discipline inside an existing agency?
You start with one project that proves the model, recruit a small team that already operates in the new way, and protect their time from the old studio rhythm. Internal credibility comes from external proof — in our case, a first award in a brand-new category.