Designing for clarity  — where complexity meets product, experience and business.

Working at the intersection of design, product and business. Guiding teams through complexity and into coherence. Shaping customer-centric product culture, building resilient experience teams, and helping turn market momentum into strategic impact.

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Who

Strategic. Reflective. System-oriented.

Thomas Otto works at the intersection of design, product and organizational development. With over 14 years of experience, including 6 years leading teams in startups and SaaS environments. He combines deep craft with strategic clarity.

Stations & Case Studies

Working across industries for trustworthiness, sustainable success and excellence

Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work in multiple industries and environments. From agencies and consultancies to startups.  If you are interested in learning more about the topics of my work regarding data platforms, digital ecosystems, algorithmic systems, robotic automation or leading design organizations, please reach out. 

Recent articles and essays

Designing the Invisible – How algorithms became our new material

Algorithms are becoming one of the most influential materials we work with in design. This essay reflects on what it means to design for behavior rather than appearance …

Design with Human Data — The ethical tool kit for data products and services

The Design Human Data Kit is a set of tools and information to enable designers and their interdisciplinary teams to create sustainable and human-centered data services. Developed from a Master’s thesis, iterated with teams and experts and designed for practical use.

Best Presentation Award

MUC 2019

Overview from Design Human Data kits Miroverse template

Human-Algorithmic Design — A exploration of systems people can trust

A research project to explore a human-centred and iterative way to create fair and transparent algorithmic systems. Connecting experts, academia and best practices.

Design Leadership Call — A design leaders diverse support group

A monthly group call of where international design leaders come together and discuss topics and challenges of their current roles.  Supporting and grow with each other.

feelin’ — Your anonymous mood app for workshops and team sessions

feelin’ is a tool for remote workshops, to quickly gather everyone’s mood and to create an entry point for a personal and empathic exchange with each other. Based on the research of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

traces of surveillance — A photo project staging tools of surveillance in people’s everyday life

»traces of surveillance« is a private photo project that attempts to catch and observe the observers. Staging surveillance cameras and bringing them into focus.