Igor Schwarzmann
Research & Strategy
Establishing permanent innovation capacity within Europe's second-largest broadcaster

Client: Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Cologne 

Engaged to architect WDR's first Innovation Lab, starting with executive stakeholder alignment and strategic foundation work in 2019. Through focused workshops and board-level strategy sessions, we shaped the case for structured innovation capacity. Framework development, process design, stakeholder management - each element precisely calibrated for institutional context. The result: five positions at launch in 2020, expanded to ten by 2023. What began as a three-year project earned permanent status through demonstrated impact.

Our work: designing organizational structure, developing operational frameworks, aligning stakeholders across WDR's ecosystem. Creating space where structured innovation could take hold within established broadcasting infrastructure.

Three phases: strategic foundation in 2019, project launch in 2020, transition to permanent unit in 2023. Each step carefully measured, each expansion earned. A case study in patient institutional transformation.

Agency
Third Wave

Role
Proposal Lead, Client Lead & Strategic Design Lead

Year
2019 - ongoing
Services
Proposal Design
Trend Research
Stakeholder Interviews
Stakeholder Alignment
Workshop Design
Scenario generation
Strategic Roadmapping
Lab Architecture
Capability Building
Organizational Framework




Photo: Dennis Horn



Explore Further

Inside WDR’s Innovation Journey

At re:publica 2024, we shared insights from establishing and scaling WDR's Innovation Lab, discussing key learnings and transformation patterns with stakeholders. Watch our panel discussion exploring this institutional evolution.



Watch the full conversation on Youtube

Need Strategic Support?

Working on media transformation and looking to make sense of today's rapidly shifting landscape? Let's discuss how I can help your team navigate emerging patterns and identify meaningful opportunities.

Schedule a Conversation