Over the past decade, digitalization projects in the social economy and healthcare sectors have taken shape in various forms – as data processing systems, applications, or digital ecosystems. Transdisciplinary collaboration plays a key role in such R&D initiatives, as the focus is not only on programming software solutions but also on advancing operational professional practices, organizational development, communication and documentation tools, and interface work from a Social Work perspective.

Guided by the principle of professional autonomy in Social Work, this lab brings together ethics, law, social sciences, and organizational development to co-create solutions for digitalization challenges faced by companies, associations, and institutions – ensuring contemporary management of emerging practice-related issues.

Currently, several organizations have expressed interest in participating as research partners. Students are also encouraged to bring in their own organizational contacts and, in collaboration with faculty, design digital solutions tailored to those settings. Additionally, students with technical interest are invited to independently develop software solutions for operational design – with support being provided by lecturers.

Potential project topics include:

• Documenting complex issues and enabling cross-organizational exchange
• Designing tools that support autonomous living for service users
• Creating installations and tools to stimulate professional reflection processes
• Shaping inter-organizational collaboration and communication workflows