WORKSHOP

SUBJECT: Excelling Teamwork

Project Partner: IPM AG, Hannover

The 3rd AM Medical Days took place in Berlin on December 11 and 12, 2023. The conference aims to bring about a change in innovation in the medical industry. Doctors, hospital representatives, medical technology manufacturers, regulatory authorities, health insurance companies and educational institutions exchanged ideas with additive manufacturing (AM) industry experts with the aim of driving change towards the broader application of additive technologies in the medical industry. The conference showcased the entire value chain - from implants and bioprinting to orthotics & prosthetics and hospital care - and brought together decision-makers, developers and entrepreneurs around the topic of 3D printing medical solutions.

At the invitation of the congress organizer IPM AG, I developed and led the workshop «How research teams in the medical field can act more effectively». At the well-attended event, I was able to share knowledge with many very committed participants in a very short space of time, discuss practical experiences from a wide range of perspectives, and find and organize new approaches:

• What makes a successful research team?
• Which stakeholders are involved in research projects and what needs do they have?
• Which skills can be observed in high performance teams, e.g. from high-performance sport, and transferred to research teams?

As a design thinker, it was important to me to inspire the participants with effective creative methods that they can apply in their day-to-day work.

The insights we gained together demonstrate the complexity of the topic very emphatically and also highlight the diverse expertise required within a successful research team.
In addition to the actual research work, there are therefore many other factors to consider that can drive or impair the effectiveness of teams!

«Beate Woehrle’s work impressively demonstrates how important the creative factor is in finding solutions. And this should be a requirement in the healthcare sector in particular.»
Dr. J. Mehlhorn