One of the biggest lessons I took from the Slim Strandnet project is the power of visual storytelling in innovation. By translating a complex technical idea into something relatable and easy to grasp, I saw how much design can influence strategic conversations. It also became clear that successful stakeholder alignment doesn’t depend on overwhelming people with details, but rather on offering the right level of clarity that speaks to their role and concerns. This project taught me to approach design from a systems-thinking perspective — looking at the broader picture, including infrastructure, policy, and societal behavior, instead of just individual touchpoints.

Working on an early-stage concept like this also reinforced the importance of grounding innovation in real value. The idea of a smart energy grid can easily remain abstract, but when you show how it could reduce energy bills, increase resilience, or give communities more control, it becomes something people can connect with. Perhaps most importantly, I learned that as a designer, you don’t need a fully working product to add value. Even at the conceptual stage, design plays a crucial role in making ideas tangible, sparking alignment, and giving direction to innovation.