People
Dr Anna Lisa Martin-Niedecken
Head of Institute for Design Research
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Anna Lisa Martin-Niedecken is a Professor of Design Science specializing in (digital) health topics (including healthcare and sports).
She is the Head of the Institute for Design Research (IDR), while also serving as the Deputy Director of the Department of Design at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK).
Furthermore, she leads the cross-institutional Digital Health Design Living Lab (DHD LL). This pioneering initiative is an interdisciplinary hub that co-develops and implements innovative solutions – ranging from products and processes to services and standards – for the (digital) healthcare system. These solutions are based on individual and societal needs as well as the latest findings from interdisciplinary research. Furthermore, new knowledge is being generated, and interdisciplinary skills are promoted.
It brings together researchers from the Institute for Design Research at ZHdK, the Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine (IBME) at the University of Zurich, the Institute for Public Health (IPH) at Zurich University of Applied Sciences, as well as various practice and research partners, including university hospitals, patient organizations, and healthcare professionals.
As a sports scientist (Magister & PhD degree from Technical University of Darmstadt, GER), design and HCI researcher, Dr. Martin-Niedecken’s research and teaching activities span interdisciplinary domains, with a primary focus on advancing the role of design and design research in the healthcare sector. Drawing on her interdisciplinary background, she specializes in human-centered, evidence-based (co-)design and the evaluation of innovative, technology-driven health solutions. These are tailored for diverse application areas within healthcare, including Serious & Applied Games, Exergames, and digital or AI-based healthcare tools.
Dr. Martin-Niedecken has received numerous prestigious awards for her research and development work, including several Best Paper Awards and the prestigious SIGCHI Outstanding Dissertation Award. She regularly gives talks at renowned events such as TEDxZurich and among other things was named one of Switzerland’s 100 Digital Shapers 2020 by the Swiss business magazine Bilanz.
Beyond her academic endeavors, Dr. Martin-Niedecken has demonstrated her entrepreneurial spirit by founding and serving as the CEO of the fitness gaming startup, Sphery Ltd, a ZHdK-spinoff established based on the results of her R&D work in 2018. The company has been awarded several prestigious prizes, including the FIBO Innovation & Trend Awards 2020 and 2021, the German Innovation Award 2020 and the German Design Award 2021.
Dr. Martin-Niedecken is also a member of various advisory and strategic boards, such as the German Society for Prevention (GPeV) or the EPFL+ECAL Lab. Furthermore, she serves as member of the Digital Health Committee of digitalswitzerland and is a founding member and chair of the RAL Quality Association "Serious Games e.V.". Since April 2025, she is also a member of the Research Council of the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Further information on the academic CV and track record on ORCiD.
Jasmina Courti
Senior Assistant / Communication
Jasmina Courti arbeitet seit 2017 am Institute for Design Research. Zuständig für die interne und externe Kommunikation betreut sie den jährlichen Forschungsbericht, die Webseite und unterstützt bei Veranstaltungen oder Tagungen.
Nach einer Erstausbildung zur Buchhändlerin und einem MAS in Kulturmanagement hat sie 2010 ihre Tätigkeit im Forschungsmanagement, zuerst am Institute for Contemporary Art Research und danach am Institute for Performing Arts and Film an der Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK) begonnen.
Seit 2021 studiert sie im Master Art Education in Curatorial Studies und hat ein Mandat als interne Vertrauensperson der Fachstelle Gender & Diversity an der ZHdK.
Arbeitszeiten: Montagvormittag, Dienstag und Mittwochvormittag
Jasmin Huber
Assistant
Jasmin Huber ist im IDR Team zuständig für alle administrative Abläufe, sie führt das IDR Archiv und betreut die Forschungsdatenbank (FDB). Ausserdem organisiert sie das Junior Research in Design Programm (JRD).
Sie berät gerne bei Fragen rund um die Forschungsdatenbank und ist Ansprechperson für das JRD-Programm.
Sie hat einen Masterabschluss in Design mit Schwerpunkt Erkenntnis-Visualisierung. Vor ihrer Tätigkeit beim IDR, hat Jasmin Huber fünf Jahre als Unterrichtsassistent für die Fachrichtung Knowledge Visualization gearbeitet. Neben ihrer Anstellung an der ZHdK ist Jasmin Huber selbständige Wissenschaftliche Illustratorin.
Arbeitszeiten: Dienstag und Mittwoch