W.I.R.E. places its expertise as a think tank at the service of public and private institutions. Strategic analyses of medium-term to long-term challenges form the core of our consultancy work. Companies and public agencies often find it difficult to get a grasp of these challenges, with resources frequently being absorbed by their day-to-day responsibilities. An inward-looking perspective makes it difficult to develop solutions that often require a holistic conceptual approach and exceed the scope of individual departments.

Our think tank lends a hand in the formulation of long-term strategies and options: we deliver specific consultancy services as an external partner networked in the fields of science, enterprise, politics and design, from setting up customised think tanks to providing inspiration in keynote speeches and idea generation workshops.

Our clients include global companies, public agencies, universities and municipalities as well as decision-makers from business, politics, science and the cultural sector. Embedded in a far-reaching network of academics and practitioners, we can provide the support of highly qualified experts from a wide range of disciplines in response to your company’s specific challenges.

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INTERDISCIPLINARY STRATEGY CONSULTANCY AND INITIATION OF CUSTOMISED THINK TANKS

The development of long-term strategies starts with systematic early recognition of the developments and trends that could shape an institution's future, followed by the development of concrete recommendations. Changes are then made in the organisation’s processes or the development of its products. W.I.R.E. works here with a number of project models that are available individually or in combination and range from temporary projects to the establishment of long-term, customised think tank structures. Our competence in networking different disciplines, the integration of science, business competences and design and on our unorthodox, future-oriented mindset come into play here.

Current economic, social, technological and political trends are recognised early and analysed on a broad basis. These specific developments are clustered into superordinate opportunities and challenges, which in turn form the basis for the development of concrete fields of action. Existing structures or the theoretical feasibility of technical problem-solving approaches are not central here. Instead, W.I.R.E. focuses on the client institution’s core competences to add value and deliver benefits to target groups and customers.

CONTRACT STUDIES

In addition to its own research, W.I.R.E. undertakes selected publication projects building on the think tank’s competences. We produce customised studies and books that help to bring important topics into the public domain, raise awareness with customers, partners or employees and position the client’s own organisation as a forward-thinking institution.

In examining development opportunities and risks for companies, W.I.R.E. can draw on many years of experience in generating scenarios and visions. These are always incorporated into our work on studies and help to align the viewpoint of current activities with the medium- and long-term future.

Our studies are based on sound methodological competence in the fields of qualitative and quantitative research. Studies vary in form and function and the results can be presented in any format from a brochure to a fanfold leaflet or a book.

INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT

W.I.R.E. also provides support in adapting and creating processes and products for strategy implementation. We believe there is no such thing as a recipe book that guarantees innovation. A rigorous focus on the operating environment of the future often demands iterative processes and experiments based on ideas and visions. Innovation is to be understood as a cycle in which invention, implementation strategy and diffusion succeed and build on one another. At the same time, however, the alignment of the products and processes with the actual added value for the end user is often inadequate.

W.I.R.E. therefore aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the customer needs on which services and products centre, combining this with critical thinking – because not everything that is new is automatically an innovation.

IDEA GENERATION WORKSHOPS

W.I.R.E. leads and facilitates workshops adapted to specific needs and target groups. We work with a variety of approaches and apply a wide range of methodological skills (scenario building, idea generation/design thinking, mind-mapping and brainstorming techniques etc.) to create interactive facilitation and participation processes.

B.R.A.I.N. – BOARDROOM FOR ANTICIPATION, INNOVATION AND NETWORKING
In addition, our purpose-designed workshop room in the “Haus der Zukunft“ ("House of the Future“) offers the opportunity to open your mind to innovative formats for disseminating and acquiring knowledge: B.R.A.I.N. was designed as an interactive modular space for workshops and events. The aim is to work together with decision-makers from business, science and politics to develop future-related projects, strategies and ideas that will deliver added value for the institutions concerned and for the general public. B.R.A.I.N. was designed on the assumption that the spatial environment is of essential importance in the creative process of developing ideas and arriving at solutions. Therefore, insights from workplace and spatial design are intended to accompany the generation of new concepts in this room. The workshop room was designed in cooperation with the ETH Zurich, Vitra and Artemide.

KEYNOTE SPEECHES

The research results from W.I.R.E.‘s publications can provided in the form of customised keynote speeches depending on requirements. W.I.R.E. has long and broad experience in the field of corporate and organisational presentations and aims for a critical and inter-disciplinary thought process in such speeches. With their holistic approach and inspiring, unexpected presentation format, W.I.R.E.’s keynotes are thought-provoking and a source of input for organisations. Clients include large companies and SMEs, political institutions, associations and players from the non-profit sector.