In this fascinating conversation, Charlotte and Réka from Zühlke‘s Digital Consulting team reveal how their dramatically different professional journeys have converged to create a powerful approach to digital innovation.
Charlotte shares how she “completely fell into tech” after studying liberal arts and sustainable design, bringing a holistic perspective that examines stakeholders, environments, and societal trends. Her journey from AI innovation to founding her own sustainability consultancy challenges the notion that tech requires a traditional technical background. Meanwhile, Réka traces her path from an eight-year-old fascinated by dismantling household items to specializing in product management for robotics, developing expertise in translating business objectives into technical solutions.
The magic happens when these diverse perspectives meet. As they explain, human-centred innovation requires understanding actual user needs rather than assumptions – whether through Charlotte’s stakeholder interviews and persona creation or Réka’s field observations of users in their environments. Their complementary approaches ensure solutions that address both high-level strategic goals and detailed implementation challenges.
For anyone contemplating a career transition into technology, their message is clear: your diverse background is an asset, not a limitation. The tech industry desperately needs professionals who can bridge technical capabilities with human needs – a combination that often comes from the most unexpected and varied journeys.
