Share the latest topics, most recently implemented projects, status of current solutions or newly achieved developments during the Poster Session. Which themes are of interest for other experts? What innovation and key points must be made public? Let us know by sharing your poster.

• The focus of your submission should be the recent past until today respectively the near future. 
• Make sure the poster content is marked as "Confidential" or less, it cannot be "Secret". 
• The size of the printed poster will be DIN A0.
• This year we will provide two Poster Sessions to make as much participation also for the authors possible. 
• As always, three best posters will be awarded, voted by the attendees.
  
• The topic does not have to be related to the motto.
• Demos, hardware, displays or other hands-on items related to the poster will move to the Lab section of the event.

Important: Please fill out an abstract for the poster first. Author notification will be on March 31.

Seize these roundtable discussions to address challenges or even problems you are facing in your roadmap to gain support. You present future technologies and topics to align demands and requirements in the next three to five years. All topics belonging to technology roadmaps, requirement roadmaps, product roadmaps, R&D actitivties, etc. are welcome to be disucssed.

• First you very briefly pitch (1 Min) your topic on stage to emphasize your challenge - be precise & creative.
• Afterwards you will be the chair of three small discussion rounds where at intervals experts come to you to get into discussion.
• You address technology gaps in your roadmap your are facing and try to find partners helping you closing them. 
• You can find experienced experts who can help you answering open questions.
  

Important: Please fill out an abstract for the auction first. Author notification will be on March 31.
 

This new format is for practical hands-on experience, formerly known as the demos.

• Please submit your topic if you want to show a demo, make people try out things with hardware, be interactive with the attendees through touchable items. 
• Labs run in parallel to the Technical Auctions. 
• An explanatory poster can be combined. Size is DIN A0, please download Lab poster template from the download section.
• Labs are excluded from the Poster Award voting.
  

Important: Please fill out an abstract for the Lab first. Author notification will be on March 31.

New this year are exclusive breakout sessions in parallel to the poster sessions and auction/lab sessions. Scroll down for details.

Overview day 1, in parallel to the Technical Auctions & Labs, beginning at 2:00 pm:

• #1 Disrupt yourself by Sven Pietrzyk & Rebecca Elsässer
  2:00 pm in conference room 1
• #2 Discovering Insights: The Power of IP Analytics by Anja Kobernuss & Benjamin Mandlmeier
  2:00 pm in conference room 2

• #3 Unconscious Bias by Sandra Subel
  3:00 pm in conference room 1
• #4 TRIZ by Michael Patra
  3:00 pm in conference room 2

Overview day 2, in parallel to the Poster Sessions, starting at 8:00 am and again at 1:45 pm:

• #5 Lead with purpose: How to create products and experiences that matter to users? by Hannah Peres & Stefanie Leuthold & Niels Clausen-Stuck
  8:00 am in conference room 1
• #6 Roadmapping by Saskia Heim
  8:00 am in conference room 2

• #7 Responsible Innovation by Sebastien Charles & Tamara Hermann
  1:45 pm in conference room 1
• #8 Design Thinking - a user centered innovation approach by Wanja Rinke & Julian Mangold
  1:45 pm in conference room 2 

Details on the breakout sessions:

#1 Disrupt yourself

Join us for an engaging session where we delve into the dynamic world of disruption. Discover different types and sources of disruption, including low-end disruption, paradigm shifts, and technology convergence, and learn how they can transform markets and industries. This session will show you the essential skills and mindsets needed to identify and leverage disruption threats and opportunities, both individually and organizationally. Through insightful discussions and a hands-on practical exercise, you'll gain insights to navigate and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape. 

#2 Discovering Insights: The Power of IP Analytics

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, IP analytics has become essential for businesses striving to maintain a competitive edge. We believe that data-driven IP methodologies gain valuable insights into patent trends, market opportunities and competitive landscapes. The key motivation is hereby the input generation for informed strategic decisions, valuable for ZEISS.

Advanced tools and techniques empower businesses to thrive in an ever-changing environment by uncovering hidden patterns and insights that may not be immediately apparent. Moreover, AI-driven tools play a pivotal role in this process, as they can analyze vast datasets at unprecedented speeds, identifying emerging trends and assessing their potential impact on existing and future IP portfolios. This capability enhances the accuracy of analyses and enables organizations to respond swiftly to market changes.

As we explore the significance of IP analytics and early signal detection, we will highlight how these methodologies, combined with the power of GenAI, provide CRT-P with the insights needed to effectively navigate the complexities of the IP landscape and drive the innovation of ZEISS forward.

#3 Unconscious Bias

In this interactive workshop, participants will explore the concept of unconscious bias—hidden mental shortcuts that influence our decisions, behaviors, and interactions. Through real-world examples and engaging discussions, we’ll uncover how these biases impact us at work. Understanding and addressing unconscious bias is critical fo improving decision-making and driving innovation in today’s diverse business environment. Participants will learn practical strategies to recognize and mitigate biases. By the end of the session, attendees will leave with actionable insights helping them becoming actively anti-bias.

#4 TRIZ

Technical systems evolve along universal and hence predictable patterns. If you know these pattern, you can make the next step in your own technical products before your competition does. This is the premise of the TRIZ approach. I will first give a very short overview of the TRIZ methodology, and then we all together will do a quick hands-on application of a simple tool out of the vast TRIZ basket.

#5 Lead with purpose: How to create products and experiences that matter to users?

Putting the user at the center of innovation via UX & Design approaches. Most companies build what they think users want, but the most successful ones start with why it matters to them. Research from McKinsey’s The Value of Design shows that companies with advanced UX maturity accelerate product development by 75% and outperform competitors by 32% in revenue growth. This session explores how teams can embed design methodologies from UX research and prototyping throughout the innovation and product development process to drive better outcomes. We will introduce the Three UX Altitudes framework, which aligns different levels of research and prototyping with product success:

1. Ground-Level: Refines and validates designs through usability testing and high-fidelity prototypes to ensure user-friendliness and readiness for implementation.
2. Mid-Level: Uses ongoing user feedback and mid-fidelity prototypes to refine products, enabling quick adaptation and informed decisions.
3. High-Level: Focuses on early exploration with broad research and rough prototypes to identify opportunities, shape vision, and solve the right problems.

Participants will learn how Design-Heavy Innovation connects Design Thinking with Agile execution, reducing failure rates and optimising iteration cycles, and gain insights on applying user experience prototyping to create solutions that truly meet user needs.

#6 Roadmapping

Within this Breakout session, we will do Roadmapping simulation which provides a practical experience in the Roadmapping process for a ZEISS product, considering future market demands and technological developments. The goal is to develop a coordinated product and technology roadmap that ensures the product's innovation and competitiveness. Participants work in teams to identify strategic priorities and develop solutions for potential conflicts. The simulation fosters strategic thinking and effective communication by highlighting the importance of collaboration and the harmonization of roadmaps.

#7 Responsible Innovation

This session explores the concept of Responsible Innovation and its integration within ZEISS company’s practices. Sebastien, Innovation Manager ZEISS Climatetech portfolio (from CRT ZEISS@KIT Innovation Hub) and Tamara (Project Manager Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Brand, Communications and Public Affairs) will provide definitions, examples within ZEISS, and practical guidance on embedding responsible innovation principles into product and brand communication as well as innovation projects. 

#8 Design Thinking - a user centered innovation approach

Design Thinking is an innovative approach prioritizing user needs and motivations to develop valuable & new products and services for ZEISS customers. By exploring the problem space, prototyping, gathering feedback, and iterating, we can mitigate risks and develop innovative applications in human-centered ways. Additionally, this method helps improve team collaboration and communication, leading to more informed decisions and better alignment with business objectives.

Renowned thought leaders and experts take the stage to share invaluable insights and offering compelling perspectives. Engage with visionary ideas, thought-provoking concepts, and inspiring narratives, promising an enlightening experience for all attendees.

• Andreas Pecher, President & CEO ZEISS Group: CEO Talk
• Prof. Dr. med. Surjo Soekadar, Head of research divison Translation and Neurotechnology, Head of research group Clinical Neurotechnology: Keynote I
• Dr. Julian Kaller, Senior Principal Scientist, ZEISS SMT: SET Tech Talk
• Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Manfred Spitzer, Universitätsklinikum Ulm: Impulse Talk Human and Artificial Intelligence
• Sandra Subel, Head of People Experience & Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging (DEIB): Keynote II

The panelists for the Panel Discussion "Technology for Humans" are:

• Dr. Bengt Wunderlich, Head of Digital Transformation Management at ZEISS SMT
• Dr. Eleonora Tagliabue, Research Team Lead Medical Robotics and Assistance Systems at ZEISS CRT
• Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Manfred Spitzer, Medical Director of the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy III at Universitätsklinikum Ulm
• Dr. Carolin Klusmann, Product Management Surgical Robotics at ZEISS MED