About Us
With KITE, we’re doing what we believe in. We’re a self-organized team of designers, researchers, hackers, maniacs, tinkerers, visionaries and facilitators with offices at the eco-social cooperative Spreefeld Berlin and an outpost in Salzburg. The way we work takes our many roles into account. We maintain flexible structures that consider diverse realities, such as balancing care work and gainful employment. In addition to the research, innovation and common good projects at KITE, some of us also teach at the university. This is how we can offer organizations a comprehensive understanding of life’s realities, which then enables them to adapt their services and products to people’s actual needs.
In addition to the research, industrial and common-good projects at KITE, some of us study and others teach at university at the same time.
KITE Design Research are: (top l-r) Marie Beuthel, Iva Karabatic, Anne Wohlauf, Alexander Müller-Rakow, Florian Sametinger, Jamila Kurtenbach, Miriam Lahusen, Mira Schmitz, (bottom l-r) Susanna Ehrenberg, Lina Audehm; (not on the photo) Samer Becirovic
We explore the Why and design the How.
We pair creative design methods with qualitative and quantitative research techniques, always pulling in and zooming out for different perspectives. Our experimental areas are in the unexpected; observation takes place on site; our questions are precise and often open-ended.
Thereby, we think it’s highly important that everyone involved can express themselves safely and openly and we go to great length to set up the right surroundings.
We are interested in the interactions between individuals, the environment and society.
Our ultimate goal is to contribute to a value-based, diverse and united society through our contributions and the change processes we initiate.
This approach is relevant for designers, entrepreneurs and non-governmental organizations alike, as it helps to adapt products and services to people’s real needs while promoting social diversity and understanding.
How we work
Joint Research: We support interdisciplinary research and development projects and offer practical methods.
Upending the status quo: We question systems and use radical concepts to bring about change in supposedly entrenched structures and organizations.
Analysing products in context: We look at how people behave in their surroundings and how they interact with artifacts on their terms.
Presentation at play: We visualize results and processes with a focus on comprehension and thus open up complex content to easy access.
Giving impulses: We help you take stock of challenges and make recommendations on how participation and digitalization can be implemented for you.
Shaping the future: We develop visions with you and help you to generate product ideas and services to shape the future.