5 Questions for...: Prof. Benjamin Amshoff takes up the professorship in ‘Integrated Product Development’

Since 1 November, Prof. Benjamin Amshoff has been joining the team at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences. He holds the professorship in ‘Integrated Product Development’. He introduces himself in this short ‘Five Questions for...’ interview.

What still fascinates you about your faculty today just as much as it did on your first day?

Even during my degree programme, I was fascinated by the question of how companies can identify at an early stage which products and technologies will be in demand in five or ten years’ time – and how product development, in all its facets, can be geared towards this. To this day, I’m particularly thrilled by the moment when an initial idea finally becomes a real product that you can hold in your hands.

What has been your most instructive practical experience to date – one that isn’t in any textbook?

You could probably write a whole book about that. Above all, I’ve gained a great deal of respect for just how much work, perseverance and, at times, sweat and tears are required to take a product from the initial idea right through to the start of series production. Textbooks cover the essential steps, methods, calculations and technical framework. However, they can only go so far in conveying what it actually means in practice to develop a market-ready product in collaboration with many different stakeholders.

What can students look forward to with you – and what should they ‘brace themselves for’?

It is important to me to share my practical experience in product development with the students and to prepare them as well as possible for the demands of industrial practice. This includes, for example, the question of how to contribute effectively to a development team and work together to devise viable solutions. Interdisciplinarity and internationality also play an important role here, as product development is almost always a cross-functional, cross-disciplinary and cross-organisational endeavour. As for what students should ‘brace themselves for’ in my course, the older cohorts will probably be better placed to answer that in future …

What left a lasting impression on you during your first visit to the Wildau campus?

Definitely the long industrial history, which is still palpable everywhere on the campus today. I find the preservation of the historic factory buildings and their integration with modern research and teaching environments particularly inspiring.

What are three things people should know about you that won’t appear on any CV?

As well as product development, I’m particularly passionate about three things: cooking and gastronomy, my dog, and sport in all its forms.

The best way to get in touch with me is:

Feel free to email me or send a chat message via WebEx.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Benjamin Amshoff studierte Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen mit dem Schwerpunkt Maschinenbau an der Universität Paderborn. Anschließend promovierte er am Lehrstuhl von Prof. Gausemeier am Heinz Nixdorf Institut der Universität Paderborn. Dort leitete er die Forschungsgruppe Strategische Planung und Innovationsmanagement und betreute nationale sowie internationale Forschungs- und Industrieprojekte. Während seiner anschließenden Tätigkeit bei der Miele & Cie. KG war er unter anderem als Entwicklungsleiter für Haushalts- und Servicerobotik verantwortlich. Zuletzt beriet er Unternehmen zu Fragestellungen der Produktentwicklung.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Benjamin Amshoff studied Industrial Engineering, with a track in Mechanical Engineering, at the University of Paderborn. He subsequently completed his PhD at Prof. Gausemeier’s research group at the Heinz Nixdorf Institute at the University of Paderborn. There, he was the head of the Strategic Planning and Innovation Management research group and served as a supervisor for national and international research and industry projects. During his subsequent role at Miele & Cie. KG, his responsibilities included serving as head of development for domestic and service robotics. Most recently, he advised companies on product development issues.