In a corner office on the fifth floor of the software company Systematic, a meter-wide bulletin board is covered in yellow Post-its. Through the tall glass windows, one can watch the flow of traffic over Ringgadebroen, see Aarhus University, and let the eyes wander through the jungle of companies lining the busy roads into downtown Aarhus.

Around a table sit six selected students from different fields at Aarhus University, tasked by Systematic with collaboratively proposing a solution to a major societal problem.

The programme is the result of a collaboration between Systematic and Aarhus University aimed at creating a groundbreaking project where interdisciplinarity and innovation are central, based on the idea that cross-disciplinary collaboration can help solve complex future challenges.

Specifically, the task is framed as finding a solution “that can promote the health, well-being, and quality of life of Danes aged 50-70 through monitoring and prevention,” according to a news article about the project on Systematic’s website.

“At Systematic, we believe the best ideas arise when different disciplines look at the same challenges from their unique perspectives, which is exactly why this collaboration is so exciting to be part of,” says Michael Holm, founder and chairman of Systematic, in the same article.

At the end of the semester-long programme, the students will present their project at a Product Board meeting attended by Michael Holm and others, after which a new group of students will take over for the next semester.

“I think it makes perfect sense to work with Aarhus University because it bridges the gap between being at a university and working in the real world. It provides us, as professionals, insight into what is happening at the university, and definitely the other way around as well. It’s a great opportunity for students to experience how things work in practice,” explains Christina Zakrisson, Product Manager at Systematic, who serves as the project lead.

The six students have chosen to focus on loneliness based on research, user studies, and expert interviews they have conducted on the topic.

“I found it really exciting and relevant to work on the future of Danes’ health. It also easily connected to much of what I’ve studied,” says Esben Korsgaard Nymand, who is studying Information Science at Aarhus University.

Looking at problems from new perspectives

Throughout the programme, the six students—studying sports science, philosophy, anthropology, business, information science, and engineering—receive training and guidance in humanistic innovation.

This instruction includes how to work in projects, generate ideas, and structure creative thinking with the aim of creating value.

“Innovation can be many things. It can involve creating new products, but in reality, innovation can be seen more broadly. We have huge societal problems—climate, health, and many others. That’s what Systematic taps into, asking: How can we contribute to solving some of the major societal challenges?” explains Pia Storvang.

She serves as an academic advisor for the project, teaching humanistic innovation, and is a senior lecturer in the Department of Digital Design and Information Studies at Aarhus University, alongside the project’s academic coordinator, Associate Professor Michael Mose Biskjær.

“This new project aligns with AU’s strategy of closer collaboration with industry, focusing on innovation as a joint knowledge project across disciplines. Humanistic skills strengthen analysis and interpretation, while technical and health expertise make solutions concrete and targeted. Together, we can develop new solutions that create both economic and health value,” he explains.

In this way, innovation is about approaching a problem differently.

“Sometimes, by diving deep into an issue, you can find a solution with transformative potential—a new way of looking at things. That’s what Systematic hopes will come out of this project: finding a radically different way of thinking about the problem,” Pia Storvang emphasizes, continuing:

“We can observe that there is a serious health issue affecting a specific population group, and we recognize that finding a solution can be challenging. But if we can uncover some of the underlying causes and start addressing them, that is, to me, innovation.”

Higher collective knowledge

In their work, the six students have used innovative design thinking, creativity, co-creation, and design processes to break the project into phases, including gathering data, idea development, defining and formulating the problem, and a creative, solution-oriented phase where they also tested their proposals.

They say that guidance from both AU specialists and Systematic’s project leads has been extremely helpful.

“It’s been really essential, I think. About every other week, we bring in Pia Storvang and explain the challenges we are facing at that moment. How do we move forward from here?” says Olivia Stegemeier Bladt, a philosophy student.

Esben Korsgaard Nymand adds:

“I think it has prepared us well by giving us concrete approaches. Humanistic innovation has provided a framework and helped us move from point A to point B,” he says.

The group feels that their diverse academic backgrounds have been a strength.

“When we conducted interviews, I could sometimes see the limitations of my sports science perspective. Then Olivia from philosophy or Liv from business would point out something I hadn’t noticed at all. You gain a completely different perspective on the interviews we conducted,” explains Patrick Gandrup Vendelbo.

Gustav Joachim Elbrønd, an engineering student, agrees:

“Generally, because we’re six very different people, we have achieved a higher collective knowledge. It’s faster for us as a group to understand the physical or mental aspects, or how people respond to different technologies,” he says, continuing:

“In that way, it has probably also saved us time. We can get ‘up to speed’ faster by, for example, asking Patrick why certain things happen in the body the way they do.”

Cultural change through innovation

For Pia Storvang, the project’s idea of addressing major societal problems through interdisciplinarity reflects how humanistic innovation is about understanding things in new ways and approaching problems from fresh angles.

“Some of these societal problems are so large and complex that no single discipline can solve them. We need to work together to figure out how to tackle them,” she explains, citing how the students have drawn on each other’s knowledge.

Pia Storvang believes ARTS has a unique contribution to make when it comes to innovation and challenging conventional thinking.

“We have something to offer that differs from traditional project thinking—some slightly different perspectives. That’s why we have so many cross-disciplinary collaborations, where we facilitate processes and provide continuing education for industry professionals. We’ve become good at seeing our role and value in society.”

For Pia Storvang, innovation is about more than product development.

“Innovation doesn’t just happen through technological development or profit creation. Innovation occurs when you help transform cultures. That’s why it’s interesting to include a philosopher in this project. Innovation is about more than just creating the next product or technology—it’s about how innovation, by generating value on multiple levels, can benefit the company, society, and individuals while addressing some of the major challenges of the future.”

Contact

Pia Storvang
Senior Lecturer, Department of Digital Design and Information Studies
Institute for Communication and Culture
Aarhus University
Phone: +45 26 14 04 62
Email: pist@cc.au.dk

Christina Zakrisson
Product Manager, Systematic
Phone: +45 41 96 52 05
Email: christina.zakrisson@systematic.com