About Us
01
something wants to be born
Many organisations today remain mired in counterproductive paradigms—systems that inadvertently limit creativity, diminish individual potential, and stifle effective decision-making.
At the same time, a growing number of forward-thinking organisations are reaching a pivotal threshold. They are beginning to lean into new paradigms that not only capitalise on unique qualities but also foster dynamic cross-pollination between diverse ideas and approaches.
This emerging landscape challenges conventional models and opens the door for a transformative integration of individual empowerment and collective expertise.
02
battle of paradigms
In many traditional organisations, the Human Resource Paradigm prevails—where employees are treated as interchangeable pieces, moved from one reorganisation to the next, rather than being valued as individuals with distinct talents and insights. Causing:
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Diminished Individuality: Viewing people as mere cogs in a machine stifles independent thinking and the development of personal insights.
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Loss of Diverse Perspectives: When employees lose their autonomy, organisations miss out on the varied perspectives that are vital for recognising and addressing emerging challenges.
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Workforce Disengagement: A culture of constant reshuffling can lead to disempowerment, making employees more prone to disengagement, quiet quitting, and even burnout as they struggle to reconcile their personal values with prescribed roles.
Parallel to the traditional model is the Anti-Hierarchical Paradigm, which promotes the idea that “my truth is as valid as yours.” While this philosophy champions equality, it risks devaluing deep expertise and the accumulated wisdom that individuals develop over time. Causing:
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Undervaluing Expertise: Treating all opinions as equally valid can diminish the impact of experience and specialised knowledge, leading to decisions that lack depth.
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Inefficient Decision-Making: Endless negotiations and an insistence on hearing every voice can stifle decisive leadership, slowing down the process of change.
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Organisational Dysfunction: Without clear structures, the perpetual need to negotiate and re-negotiate roles and responsibilities can prevent the establishment of a unified, coherent direction, leaving the organisation vulnerable.
03
Respons-Ability in Action
Recognising the limitations of uniform paradigms, Via Design is forging a new path—one that transforms challenges into opportunities through a commitment to Respons-Ability.
We believe that thriving in a changing world isn’t about clinging to static solutions; it’s about being continually adaptive, responsive, and ready to learn.
At Via Design, transformation is seen as a journey of constant evolution—a dynamic interplay between sensing the present and shaping the future.
By embracing respons-ability, we help organisations not only react to change but become designers of their own transformation.
Our approach integrates closely with your organisation, ensuring that every team member contributes to a culture of authenticity, resilience, and shared responsibility.
01
the issue
Navigating Change is an Everyday Practice
Change is no longer a temporary state but a constant reality. Rapid technological advancements, evolving markets, and shifting societal expectations mean that stability, as we once knew it, no longer exists. Success now depends on the ability to navigate and thrive in ongoing change.
At Via Design, we see that most leaders recognise this challenge and genuinely want to evolve. They understand that traditional structures and mindsets are no longer sufficient, yet the real challenge lies not in recognising the need for change, but in accepting that stability is not the goal. Instead, leaders, employees, and organisations must embrace continuous adaptation as a way of operating.
Thriving in change means letting go of the illusion of a final, stable destination and developing the capacity to evolve in response to what is needed at any given moment.
This requires a shift from seeking fixed solutions to cultivating resilience, responsiveness, and a shared commitment to ongoing learning and growth – and it requires recognising that the reality is that no one has a perfect roadmap for transformation in a world of continuous change. What matters is taking the first step and a willingness to adapt along the way.
02
our Answer
Sense and Respond with Clear Intent
From Control to Respons-Ability
Rather than trying to control change, we help leaders cultivate "respons-ability"—the awareness and capability to engage with shifting dynamics effectively. This requires curiosity, presence, and the ability to make sense of complexity in real time, replacing rigid decision-making with an openness to emerging possibilities.
From Fixed Plans to Adaptive Navigation
The era of five-year strategic plans assuming a stable future is over. Via Design supports leaders in shifting from rigid goal-setting to adaptive navigation—where clarity of purpose is paired with the flexibility to adjust course as new information and opportunities arise.
From Hierarchies to Shared Leadership
Top-down structures struggle to keep pace with continuous change. We help organisations transition from rigid hierarchies to shared leadership, where decision-making is distributed, teams are empowered, and innovation emerges from collective intelligence rather than centralised control.
From Fear of Uncertainty to a Culture of Learning
Uncertainty is often seen as a threat, but it can also be a source of opportunity. We work with leaders to cultivate a culture where learning, experimentation, and iteration become everyday practices. Psychological safety, open dialogue, and a willingness to try new approaches are key to thriving in a constantly evolving landscape.
At Via Design, transformation starts with clear intent—understanding why change is necessary and envisioning the desired future. Organisations must first recognise their wake-up calls—climate change, market shifts, internal inefficiencies, or cultural misalignments—and define a purpose that drives the change.
We then combine this clear intent with a continuous "sense and respond" approach. Rather than rigidly following a fixed plan, leaders are encouraged to stay agile and make real-time adjustments as circumstances evolve. This ensures the organisation steadily moves away from an unsustainable status quo towards a future marked by resilience and adaptability.
We invite you to collaborate with us in taking that crucial first step—even when the roadmap isn’t fully clear—and in building the dynamic capabilities needed for continuous evolution.
With a clear intent and a continuous "sense and respond" mindset as the foundation, the path to transformation becomes a series of tangible shifts in leadership and organisational culture.
03
our framework
Our tailored framework unfolds across five distinct arenas, each crafted to address the unique challenges and opportunities you face in a transformation process.
Open Up – Challenging the Status Quo
Transformation begins with an open mind.
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challenge the status quo by identifying critical wake-up calls
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envisioning a compelling vision for the future.
Wake Up –Expanding Awareness and Identifying Latent Potential
Transformation bridges the gap between your current state and your desired future.
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critical look at your organisation’s present condition
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uncovering blind spots and hidden barriers, and unleashing potential.
Grow up – Maturing Leadership and Organisational Capacity
To truly transform, you need to mature your systems, leadership style and organisational culture.
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dedicated transformation strategy and governance framework
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ensuring that plans are not sidelined by everyday operations
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build up your capacity through targeted training
Clean Up – Addressing Leadership and Organisational Barriers
Unconscious patterns and hidden dynamics can hold back even the most visionary transformation.
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facilitating psychologically safe spaces
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authentic leadership development
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turn challenges and underlying barriers into opportunities
Show Up – Manifesting Change and Securing Legacy
No transformation without manifestation.
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implementing lasting change by involving employees and leaders in design thinking-based pilots
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ongoing harvesting of learnings and course corrections
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align the results of transformation in a new strategy
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securing that people not only adapts to change but thrives in it
04
our framework
Our framework unfolds across five distinct arenas, each essential to the transformation process and engaged according to your organisation’s specific needs:
Open Up
Challenge the Status Quo and Envision the Future
Transformation begins with an open mind.
We help you to:
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challenge the status quo by identifying critical wake-up calls
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envisioning a compelling vision for the future.
By identifying unavoidable wake-up calls and envisioning a desirable future state, we foster a readiness for change that energises the entire organisation.
Wake Up
Expand Awareness and Identify Latent Potential
Transformation bridges the gap between your current state and your desired future.
We help you to:
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critical look at your organisation’s present condition
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uncovering blind spots and hidden barriers, and unleashing potential.
We conduct a thorough examination of the current state—assessing leadership behaviours, cultural dynamics, and systemic structures. Through careful observation, environmental assessments, and interviews, we uncover critical blind spots that must be addressed for the transformation to succeed.
Grow up
Mature Leadership and Organisational Capacity
Transformation requires a departure from everyday operations.
We help you to:
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dedicated transformation strategy and governance framework
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ensuring that plans are not sidelined by everyday operations
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build up your capacity through targeted training
We focus on building a dedicated transformation strategy, establishing governance, and cultivating leadership maturity. And we work with change-makers to instil design thinking and innovative leadership practices that empower them to drive change from within.
Clean Up
Address Leadership and Organisational Barriers
Hidden dynamics and unconscious patterns can hold back even the most visionary transformation.
We help you to:
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facilitating psychologically safe spaces
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authentic leadership development
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turn challenges and underlying barriers into opportunities
We create psychologically safe spaces to confront and resolve challenges and conflicts. Our work helps reshape cultural dysfunctions and reinforces leadership authenticity, establishing a foundation for sustainable transformation.
Show Up
Manifest Change and Secure Legacy
No transformation without manifestation.
We help you to:
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implementing lasting change by involving employees and leaders in design thinking-based pilots
-
ongoing harvesting of learnings and course corrections
-
align the results of transformation in a new strategy
-
securing that people not only adapts to change but thrives in it
We embed the transformation into the organisation’s DNA. By aligning vision with execution, we help ensure that the new practices become an integral part of your organisational culture, driving continuous impact and innovation.
05
Why choose us
At Via Design, we are dedicated to being your trusted partner in transformation.
Our promise is to integrate deeply with your organisation and co-create adaptive solutions that benefit every level—from individual team members to the broader ecosystem of partners and communities.
We are committed to:
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Authentic Responses:
Encouraging actions that stem from genuine understanding and personal commitment.
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Decisive Action Amid Uncertainty:
Empowering leaders to act boldly even when all the answers aren’t clear.
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Cultivating Evolving Relationships:
Building networks of change-makers who support each other’s growth.
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Fostering Collective Responsibility:
Leveraging each person's unique talents for the greater good of the organisation and beyond.
04
our Founders
Ida Vesterdal
I'm motivated by encouraging people to see things in new ways and helping them reach those insights.
Ida Vesterdal is a change leader and executive advisor. With a career spanning over plus two decades, Ida has a considerable expertise in helping leaders and teams succeed with the realisation of new strategies and in building psychological safe environments where people can thrive and create results.
She is recognized for her ability to help leaders at the executive level successfully navigate complex transformation processes by helping them see what stands in the way and what potentials to build on and scale. She is determined to create the change needed and keep up the good vibes even when things get tough.
Ida has during her career led numerous large-scale innovation and transformation projects, drawing on her extensive experience in both consultancy and senior roles at Novo Nordisk.
Beside her engagement in ViaDesign she is the founder of FIX – a woman’s network and chairman of the fund Chora2030.
+45 6017 7340
Sune Kjems
My goal is to empower people with the courage to embrace change and help them navigate it with clarity, creativity, and compassion.
Sune Kjems is a passionate advocate for sustainable transformation with over 30 years of experience. He brings a wealth of knowledge in design thinking, service design, transformational leadership, and strategic communication.
For the past 15 years, Sune has immersed himself in the wisdom traditions of indigenous peoples. His unique blend of modern design thinking and ancient wisdom allows Sune to bring a holistic approach to his work, helping organisations align their purpose with the well-being and innovative potential of their people.
Sune has supported numerous organisations, including Sundhed.dk, the Danish Prison and Probation Service, and LEO Pharma, in transforming their mindset and building the capacity to embrace and lead change.
As a visiting faculty member at the Royal Danish Academy and an active member of the Danish Design Council, Sune is deeply involved in shaping the future of design and leadership.
+45 2627 9392
05
Why Choose Us
Agile and Deeply Integrated
Our boutique setup, as a small-scale, high-quality-focused business, allows us to be deeply integrated into the organizations we support and to quickly adapt to changing needs.
As active partners, we ensure that each transformation is tailored to meet our clients' specific needs and is managed in a way the organization can handle – respectful but challenging and within the learning zone.
As we progress, we emphasize sharing our knowledge with clients, helping them build the skills and confidence necessary to become self-sufficient and sustain the results achieved.
Navigating Diverse Needs
We are putting an honor in navigating a range of roles and act as bridge-builders between the different partners engaged in the process:
At the leadership level, we act as engaged advisors and coaches, offering strategic insights and nurturing the courage needed to navigate through uncertainty.
For talent and change-makers, we serve as facilitators and trainers, providing them with the tools to drive meaningful change – both for the individual employee and for the organization.
Across the wider workforce, we inspire and challenge, fostering deep engagement and promoting a culture of innovation and resilience.
Pushing to achieve success
Our approach is tailored and focused on long-term success, ensuring that the organizations we partner with are not only transformed but also equipped to sustain and build upon that transformation.
This means we won’t leave until this state has been fully achieved. It may take time, and it involves persevering even when it feels tempting to let go.
Throughout this process, you will experience us gently pushing you forward, guiding you to make the right choices and keep moving ahead.
06
our Numbers
2001
With over 20 years of experience at the forefront of design, innovation, and leadership development, we have established a reputation for guiding organizations through complex transformations.
year of foundation
100+
We’ve worked with clients across various sectors such as healthcare, medical and pharmaceutical, finance, energy, insurance, construction, libraries, food, universities and research, IT, municipalities, government, waste and recycling.
different clients
7
We have educations from University of Southern Denmark in Culture Analysis and The Royal Danish Academy in Visual Design and we are certificated in Design Thinking,, Transformation Leadership from Being First, Strategic Sustainability from The Natural Step and The Way of the Human from IndiLife.
educations and certificates
500+
We have facilitated individuals and organisations through courses in transformational leadership, sustainability and design thinking
have completed our programmes
LARS THOSTRUP
X | DANSKE BANK
"I am incredibly grateful to Ida and Sune. They open up new perspectives for me – and, I believe, for most others – in the way they facilitate. There’s a dynamic blend of depth, wisdom, and action that leads to a sense of resolution."
MERETE BRIXEN
PROJECT MANAGER | STENO DIABETES CENTER
"Sune and Ida are experts at mastering complex issues and selecting the right tools for the situation. We also gained knowledge and advice on transformation – knowledge that we are now applying in our ongoing work and other tasks."
INGE FISKER
VICE PRESIDENT | DANISH RETURN SYSTEM
“The process has changed our culture.
We have established competence and confidence.
Previously, we bought many consulting services – now we solve considerably more ourselves.”
FLEMMING S. NIELSEN
HEAD OF CONSUMER POLICY | THE DANISH COMPETITION & CONSUMER AGENCY
"ViaDesign has created tangible value for us through a clear innovation process with a number of specific innovation tools - tailored to our organisation."