We organized our first learning journey in 2012, and since then we have run new learning journeys tailored to our clients every year.
Why a learning journey? Many things can’t be learned by reading at your desk or browsing online – you have to see and experience them directly and be able to ask questions about them. At its core, the learning journey concept is about experiential learning: by directly experiencing and discussing unfamiliar or excitingly implemented ideas and concepts, participants take away new impulses and ideas for their own work and their organization.
Why is it called a learning journey? By visiting various institutions, you set out on a “learning path” – both literally, through the distances covered between the different stops, and figuratively, through the inspiration we encounter, which excites us and challenges us to think and “learn.”
The goal of a learning journey is to shift the focus away from everyday life, which naturally narrows our horizons through its priorities, toward interesting developments and innovations – and in the end to take away new approaches / information / concepts / ideas for your own work. Reflecting on the experiences both during and after the journey is an important part of the learning journey. Members of the group can compare what they have seen with their own experiences, and in the follow-up the goal is dialogue and prioritization regarding the usability, applicability, integration, or further development of new ideas/innovations for their own organization.
Participants in our learning journeys are regularly innovation managers from large companies, but representatives of foundations, works councils, and SMEs have also joined us in Berlin in search of new impulses, ideas, partners, and examples of change. The groups usually consist of 5–20 participants, and the program takes into account the size of the group as well as its backgrounds and areas of interest.
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What happens on a Schaltzeit learning journey? Here’s an example:
During a conversation about innovation and examples of change at an innovation event, the question came up: “What’s it like in Berlin – isn’t there that big startup scene?” That was the start of a learning journey held in September 2015.
A group of works council representatives wanted to “get fit” for the changing world of work. Digitalization, change in the workplace, machines displacing people, new ways for employees to participate, fostering innovation in the company – the participants wanted to experience current developments up close and talk with experts and practitioners about the new opportunities, but also the risks, for employees. “We want to help shape it!” was their motto.
Together with the group, we defined goals, topics, and possible stops in a participatory process. The result was a 2.5-day tour with two groups and more than 12 stops. We visited startups with various business models and products such as sensor technology and 3D printing, coworking spaces, research institutes, an innovation agency with more than 10 managing directors, design thinking experts, works councils, political parties, a foundation, and a startup accelerator.
After 2.5 days of pure Berlin, with public transportation, interesting stops, many highlights, and Berlin flair, the group returned to their everyday work tired but happy. They “took home” many new ideas and approaches, as well as newly initiated collaborations – for example, with a research institute in the field of robotic assistance systems.
Further learning journeys, for example on e-mobility or Industry 4.0, have taken place since then and provided impulses for new innovation activities in various industries. This year, too, interested visitors will once again explore Berlin’s innovation landscape with us, and we look forward to many more voyages of discovery.
