Prof. Dr. Frank Heidmann

Research Professor for Design of Software Interfaces

Committees & Offices

Master's Program Academic Advising

Chair of the Design Master's Commission

Member of the Research and Transfer Commission of the FH Potsdam

Member of the Ethics Committee of the FH Potsdam

Ombudsperson for good scientific practice

Unit

Department of Design

Institute for Applied Research Urban Futures (IaF)

frank.heidmann@fh-potsdam.de

Phone

+49 331 580-4427

Room

D.2.02

(

House D

)

Office hours

By arrangement

Main fields of activity (research, teaching)

Teaching in the fields of usability engineering and human-computer interaction
Project manager at the IDL (Interaction Design Lab) of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam
Implementation of research and service projects on various issues of human-technology interaction, including web usability, design patterns, eye-tracking studies, interface design for the aging society, integration of user-centred design methods in the design process, etc.

CV

born 1967 in Hagen (Westphalia)
1988 - 1994 Studies of Applied Physical Geography at the University of Trier with the subsidiary subjects cartography and remote sensing
1995 - 1998 Research assistant in the Department of Cartography at the University of Trier, set-up and management of the Laboratory for Experimental Cartography and Media Evaluation with a focus on the conception and evaluation of digital cartographic media and multimedia products
1998 - 1999 Doctoral scholarship from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate
1999 Doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) at the University of Trier with a thesis on task- and user-oriented support of cartographic communication processes through working graphics
2000 - 2001 Project manager at the Fraunhofer IAO, Stuttgart, Usability Engineering Department
2001 - 2003 Head of the Market Strategy Team Usability Engineering (Fraunhofer IAO)
2003 - 2005 Head of the Competence Center Human-Computer Interaction (Fraunhofer IAO)
since October 2005 Professor at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam in the course of studies Interfacedesign
February 2016 to December 2027 Honorary International Chair Professor National Taipei University of Technology (Taipei Tech), Taiwan

Publications at FHP from 2018 onwards (according to core data set for research)

2026

Tobias Schröder, Frank Heidmann, Meike Ortmanns (2026): Arbeit(en) für die Stadt der Zukunft
100.
Jordi Tost, Eva Hornecker, Frank Heidmann (2026): Playing with Self-Provocations: Constraining Strategies for Making Internalized Assumptions Strange.
In: C&C '26: Proceedings of the 2026 Conference on Creativity and Cognition. Creativity & Cognition 2026. New York: Association for Computing Machinery. S. 1151-1166.
Wisanukorn Boribun, Frank Heidmann (2026): Scaffolding Reflection, not Generation: Exploring Non-Directive Social Robot Interaction in Early-Stage Ideation.
In: Social Robotics + AI: 17th International Conference, ICSR+AI 2025, Naples, Italy, September 10–12, 2025, Proceedings, Part I. 17th International Conference on Social Robotics + AI. Berlin: Springer Nature. S. 482-489.
Wisanukorn Boribun, Frank Heidmann, Eva Hornecker (2026): Seeing Thinking with the Abacus: Making Embodied Reasoning Visible Through Hybrid Sensing.
In: CHI '26 : Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2026. New York: Association for Computing Machinery.

2025

Nan-Ching Tai, Yi-An Hsieh, Frank Heidmann, Constanze Langer (2025): Conducting Behavioral Studies Anytime, Anywhere: A Mobile Application to Facilitate Behavioral Mapping for Design Thinking.
In: 2025 ICCE-TW : The 12th IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics - Taiwan: Generative AI in Innovative Consumer Technology. 12th IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics – Taiwan. New York: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). S. 95-96.
Paul Morat, Aaron Schwerdtfeger, Max Emanuel Feucht, Frank Heidmann (2025): Der Trog: Prototype for an embodied contactless Breath-To-Water-Interface.
In: CHI EA '25: Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2025. New York: Association for Computing Machinery. S. 1-5.
Wisanukorn Boribun, Frank Heidmann (2025): Real-Time 3D Heatmap Visualization and Collaborative Gaze Analysis in XR Environments
In: HCI International 2025 Posters: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part I. Conference on Human-Computer Interaction 2025. Cham: Springer International Publishing. S. 13-22.

2024

Jordi Tost, Rahel Flechtner, Rahel Maué, Frank Heidmann (2024): Caring for a companion as a form of self-care: Exploring the design space for irritating companion technologies for mental health.
In: Live - Uniting HCI for a Hyperlocal and Global Experience: Proceedings of the 13th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction. Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction 2024. New York: Association for Computing Machinery. S. 1-15.
Wisanukorn Boribun, Frank Heidmann (2024): Collaborative Learning through XR: A study of eye- and hand-based XR interactions to support collaborative learning in the chemistry classroom.
In: Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies (IHIET 2024). 12th International Conference on Human Interaction & Emerging Technologies. Italien: University of Venice. S. 297-305.

2023

Rahel Flechtner, Leyla Dewitz, Rahel Maué, Jordi Tost, Paula L. Schuster, Judith Ackermann, Frank Heidmann (2023): Facing fears, facing opportunities

2022

Paul Morat, Aaron Schwerdtfeger, Frank Heidmann (2022): Nachtalb: A multisensory Neurofeedback VR-Interface.
In: ACM SIGGRAPH 2022 Immersive Pavilion. SIGGRAPH '22. New York: Association for Computing Machinery. S. 1-2.
Jordi Tost, Paula Schuster, Frank Heidmann (2022): Prototyping Inconvenience : A pedagogical experiment on designing for debate in design education
Interaction Design and Architecture(s) : IxD&A, Heft 51, S. 81-110.
Constanze Langer, Frank Heidmann, Ryan Sheng-Ming Wang (2022): Unfolding Spaces: Introduction of a Methodical-Didactical Teaching Concept for a Virtual and Intercultural Cooperation Course in Art-Based Research and Design Study Programmes.
In: Universities of Tomorrow: Global, Interdisciplinary, Digitized, Sustainable (UNITO). Universities of Tomorrow : Global, Interdisciplinary, Digitized, Sustainable. Konstanz: HTWG - Hochschule Konstanz Technik, Wirtschaft und Gestaltung. S. 72-77.
Janna Kienbaum, Sarah Kreiseler, Frank Heidmann (2022): Wahrnehmungsstrukturen und User Experience des digitalen Kulturerbes: Ein Blick auf museale Online Sammlungen.
In: DHd2022 : Kulturen des digitalen Gedächtnisses: Konferenzabstracts. Digital Humanities im deutschsprachigen Raum 2022 : Kulturen des digitalen Gedächtnisses. Hamburg: Verband Digital Humanities im deutschsprachigen Raum e.V.. S. 1-4.

2021

Paul Morat, Aaron Schwerdtfeger, Frank Heidmann (2021): In Case You Don’t Know What To Play: Framework for a VR application that manipulates time perception through spatial distortion.
In: Proceedings of Mensch und Computer 2021. Mensch und Computer 2021. New York: Association for Computing Machinery. S. 609-613.
Paul Morat, Aaron Schwerdtfeger, Frank Heidmann (2021): Nachtalb: A multisensory Neurofeedback VR-Interface.
In: Proceedings SIGGRAPH Asia 2021XR. SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 XR. New York: Association for Computing Machinery. S. 1-2.
Mark-Jan Bludau, Marian Dörk, Frank Heidmann (2021): Relational perspectives as situated visualizations of art collections

2020

Antje Michel, Frank Heidmann, Constanze Langer (2020): Design trifft Informationswissenschaft
Information - Wissenschaft & Praxis, Band 71, Heft 2-3, S. 86-94.
Tobias Schröder, Frank Heidmann, Michael Prytula (2020): Gleich und doch verschieden
39.
Jordi Tost, Paula Schuster, Frank Heidmann (2020): “Stranger Things - Prototyping Inconvenience”: A Case Study On Critical Design In Design Education.
Konferenz: ACM Designing Interactive Systems 2020.

2019

Antje Michel, Constanze Langer, Frank Heidmann (2019): Design 0815 – Curriculumentwicklung in den Design-Disziplinen
DUZ : Wissenschaft & Management, Heft 10, S. 17-20.
Matthias Beyrow, Marion Godau, Frank Heidmann, Constanze Langer, Reto Wettach, Harald A. Mieg (2019): Inquiry-Based Learning in Design
Sebastian Meier, Jordi Tost, Frank Heidmann (2019): On the relevance of cartography
Katja Budinger, Frank Heidmann (2019): Our Symbiotic Life
In: Proceedings of the 2019 on Designing Interactive Systems Conference. ACM Designing Interactive Systems 2019. New York: Association for Computing Machinery. S. 1349-1362.

2018

Antje Michel, Constanze Langer, Frank Heidmann (2018): Curriculum design: How can the development of information science curricula benefit from interdisciplinary cooperation?.
In: The Future of Education in Information Science: Proceedings from FEIS – International EINFOSE Symposium, 10–11 September 2018 Pisa, Italy. FEIS 2018 - International Symposium on the Future of Education in Information Science. Kroatien: University of Osijek. S. 223-228.
Frank Heidmann, Andreas Klose, Johannes Vielhaber (2018): Erlebbar machen von Forschung für Studierende an Fachhochschulen
In: Forschendes Lernen: Ein Praxisbuch. Potsdam: Verlag der Fachhochschule Potsdam. S. 533-553.
Jordi Tost, Fabian Ehmel, Frank Heidmann, Stephanie M. Olen, Bodo Bookhagen (2018): Hazards and accessibility
Frank Heidmann (2018): Interface Design : Corporate Interaction
In: Corporate Identity & Corporate Design 4.0: Das Kompendium. Stuttgart: avedition. S. 89-107.
Dominik Braunschweiger, Marco Pütz, Frank Heidmann, Mark-Jan Bludau (2018): Mapping governance of adaptation to climate change in Switzerland
Regional Studies, Regional Science, Band 5, Heft 1, S. 398-401.

2017

Jordi Tost, Stephanie M. Olen, Bodo Bookhagen, Frank Heidmann (2017): Communicating landslide risk by combining hazard and open infrastructure data in interactive visualizations
Jordi Tost, Frank Heidmann (2017): Visualization and interaction with multiple devices: A case study on reachability of remote areas for emergency management.
i-com : Journal of interactive media, Band 16, Heft 3, S. 223-246.

Additional publications

2025

Boribun, Wisanukorn, Heidmann, F. (2025). Real-Time 3D Heatmap Visualization and Collaborative Gaze Analysis in XR Environments. In: Stephanidis, C., Antona, M., Ntoa, S., Salvendy, G. (eds) HCI International 2025 Posters. HCII 2025. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 2522. Springer, Cham.
Paul Morat, Aaron Schwerdtfeger, Max Emanuel Feucht, and Frank Heidmann. (2025). Der Trog: Prototype for an embodied contactless Breath-To-Water-Interface. In Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA '25). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, Article 725, 1–5.

2024

Boribun, Wisanukorn, Heidmann, F. (2024). Collaborative Learning through XR. A study of eye- and hand-based XR interactions to support collaborative learning in the chemistry classroom. In: Tareq Ahram, Luca Casarotto and Pietro Costa (eds) Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies (IHIET 2024). AHFE (2024) International Conference. AHFE Open Access, vol -1. AHFE International, USA.
Tost, J., Flechtner, R., Maué, R. & Heidmann, F. (2024). Caring for a companion as a form of self-care. Exploring the design space for irritating companion technologies for mental health. In Proceedings of the 13th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (NordiCHI '24). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, Article 10, 1–15.

2023

Rahel Flechtner, Leyla Dewitz, Rahel Maué, Jordi Tost, Paula L. Schuster, Judith Ackermann, Frank Heidmann (2023). Facing fears, facing opportunities: Lessons learned from a participatory design format with people affected by social anxiety.

2022

Heidmann, F. & Kienbaum, J. (2022). Wahrnehmungsstrukturen und User Experience des digitalen Kulturerbes - ein Blick auf museale Online-Sammlungen. DHd 2022.
Konferenzabstracts, pp. 411–414.
Tost Val, J., Schuster, P. & Heidmann, F. (2022). Prototyping inconvenience: a pedagogical experiment on designing for debate in design education. IxD&A Journal, issue N. 52, pp. 81–110.
Morat, P., Schwerdtfeger, A. & Heidmann, F. (2022). Nachtalb: A multisensory Neurofeedback VR-Interface. In ACM SIGGRAPH 2022 Immersive Pavilion (SIGGRAPH '22). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, Article 14, 1–2.

2021

Morat, P., Schwerdtfeger, A. & Heidmann, F. (2021). In Case You Don't Know What To Play. Framework for a VR Application that manipulates Time Perception through spatial distortion. In Mensch und Computer 2021. Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, pp. 609–613.
Morat, P., Schwerdtfeger, A. & Heidmann, F. (2021). Nachtalb: A multisensory Neurofeedback VR-Interface. In SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 XR (SA '21 XR). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, Article 13, pp. 1–2.
Bludau, M.J., Dörk, M. & Heidmann, F. (2021). Relational perspectives as situated visualizations of art collections. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, Volume 36, Issue Supplement_2, October 2021, pp ii17–ii29.
Schröder, T., Heidmann, F. & Prytula, M. (Hrsg.)(2021).Gleich und doch verschieden: Herausforderungen an Städte im internationalen Vergleich. Studentische Forschung Urbane Zukunft, Band 3. Fachhochschule Potsdam.
Langer, C., Heidmann, F. & Wang, R. S-M. (2021). Unfolding Spaces – Introduction of a methodical-didactical teaching concept for a virtual and intercultural cooperation course in art-based research and design study programmes. Universities of Tomorrow: Global, Interdisciplinary, Digitized, Sustainable (UNITO): 2021 International Conference, November 4th, virtual. Konstanz: HTWG Hochschule Konstanz. 72–77.
Christ, I, Lessing, R., Fiedler, S., Credico, G., Heidmann, F. & Schuster, P. (2021). Systemische und Innovative Ansätze für die Umweltberichterstattung. Herausgeber: Umweltbundesamt. TEXTE 00/2021. Abschlussbericht Forschungskennzahl 3717 12 103 0. Dessau.

2020

Michel, A., Heidmann, F. & Langer, C. (2020). "Design trifft Informationswissenschaft – Eine Diskussion zum Wandel zweier Disziplinen im Kontext der Digitalisierung" Information - Wissenschaft & Praxis, vol. 71, no. 2-3, pp. 86-94.
Tost Val, J., Schuster, P. & Heidmann, F. (2020). “Stranger Things – Prototyping Inconvenience”: A Case Study On Critical Design In Design Education. ACM DIS 2020 Workshop – Speculative and Critical Design in Education: Practice and Perspectives.

2019

Budinger, K. & Heidmann, F. (2019). Our Symbiotic Life. An Exploration of Interspecies Relations. ACM DIS '19: Proceedings of the 2019 on Designing Interactive Systems Conference June 2019, pp 1349–1362.
Michel, A., Heidmann, F. & Langer, C. (2019). Design ~~0815~~. Erfahrungen der Alumni für Curricula nutzen. DUZ Wissenschaft & Management 10/2019, pp. 17–20.
Meier, S., Tost, J. & Heidmann, F. (2019). On the relevance of cartography — An interaction design perspective. Proc. Int. Cartogr. Assoc., 2, 84.
Beyrow, M., Godau, M., Heidmann, F., Langer, C., Wettach, R., & Mieg, H. A. (2019). Inquiry-Based Learning in Design. In: Mieg, H.A. (Ed.) Inquiry-Based Learning – Undergraduate Research. The German Multidisciplinary Experience. Cham: Springer Open. pp. 229–247.

2018

Heidmann, F., Klose, A. & Vielhaber, J. (2018). Erlebbar machen von Forschung für Studierende an Fachhochschulen. In: Lehmann, J. & Mieg, H.A. (Hrsg.): Forschendes Lernen. Ein Praxisbuch. Potsdam: Verlag der Fachhochschule Potsdam. pp. 532-553.
Heidmann, F. (2018). Interface Design. Corporate Interaction. In: Kiedaisch, P., Beyrow, M. & Klett, Bettina (Hrsg.): Kompendium Corporate Identity & Corporate Design 4.0. Stuttgart: avedition, pp. 88–107.
Michel, A., Langer, C. & Heidmann, F. (2018). Curriculum design: How can the development of information science curricula benefit from interdisciplinary cooperation? In: Proceedings from FEIS – International Symposium organized by EINFOSE – European Information Science Education: Encouraging Mobility and Learning Outcomes Harmonization,10–11 September 2018 Pisa, Italy, pp. 223-228.
Braunschweiger, D., Pütz, M., Heidmann, F. & Bludau, M.-J. (2018). Mapping governance of adaptation to climate change in Switzerland. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 5:1,
pp. 398-401.

2017

Heidmann, F. & Schiewe, J. (2017). Human-Computer Interaction in Geovisualization. i-com – Journal of Interactive Media, Band 16, Heft 3, p. 203.
Beyrow, M., Godau, M., Heidmann, F., Langer, C., Wettach, R., & Mieg, H. A. (2017). Forschendes Lernen im Design. In Mieg, H. A. & Lehmann, J. (Hrsg.): Forschendes Lernen: Wie die Lehre in Universität und Fachhochschule erneuert werden kann. Frankfurt/Main: Campus. pp. 269-279.
Tost, J., Olen, S. M., Bookhagen, B., & Heidmann, F. (2017). Communicating Landslide Risk by Combining Hazard and Open Infrastructure Data in Interactive Visualizations. In: Proceedings of the 19th EGU General Assembly, Conference Abstracts. p. 12575.
Tost, J. & Heidmann, F. (2017). Visualization and Interaction with Multiple Devices. A Case Study on Reachability of Remote Areas for Emergency Management. i-com – Journal of Interactive Media, Band 16, Heft 3, pp. 223–246.
Tost, J., Ehmel, F., Heidmann, F., Olen, S.M. & Bookhagen, Bodo (2017). Hazards and accessibility: combining and visualizing threat and open infrastructure data for disaster management. In: ICC 2017: Proceedings of the 2017 International Cartographic Conference, Washington D.C.

2015

Thom, A., Meier, S. & Heidmann, F. (2015). Anforderungsanalyse bei IT-Experten mittels Experience-Sample-Methode. In: Endmann, A., Fischer, H. & Krökel, M. (Hrsg.): Mensch und Computer 2015 – Usability Professionals. Berlin: De Gruyter Oldenbourg. pp. 133-143.
Meier, A., Matthies, Denys J.C. & Heidmann, Frank (2015). A brief Survey on Understanding the Interaction between Human and Technology at the Task of Pedestrian Navigation. In Proceedings of the International Summer School on Visual Computing 2015 - VCSS 2015. p135-140. Fraunhofer Verlag.
Wolf, I., Gortana, F., Herrmann, I., Thiele, P., Heidmann, F. & Schröder, T. (2015). Drag and Drop Cognition: Graphical User Interface for Cognitive-affective Models in Multi-agent Systems. 2nd GESIS Computational Social Science Winter Symposium. Köln, Germany.

2014

Meier, S., Heidmann, F. & Thom, A. (2014). Heattile, a New Method for Heatmap Implementations for Mobile web-based Cartographic Applications. In: T. Bandrova et al. (Eds.): Thematic Cartography for the Society, Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography. International Conference on Cartography and GIS 2014. Berlin: Springer, pp. 33-44.
Meier, S., Heidmann, F. & Thom, A. (2014). A Comparison of Location Search UI Patterns on Mobile Devices. In: Proceedings of the MobileHCI 2014, Sept. 23–26, 2014, Toronto, ON, CA, pp. 465-470.
Meier, S. & Heidmann, F. (2014). Too many Markers, revisited. An empirical analysis of web-based methods for overcoming the problem of too many markers in zoomable mapping applications. In: Computational Science and Its Applications (ICCSA), 2014 14th International Conference on Computational Science and Its Applications, pp. 121-125.
Thom, A., Meier, S. & Heidmann, F. (2014). Interkulturelle Nutzeranforderungen erheben. UP14, Stuttgart.

2013

Heidmann, F (2013). Interaktive Karten und Geovisualisierungen. In: Weber, W., Burmester, M. & Tille, R. (Eds.). Interaktive Infografiken. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, pp. 39-69.
Heidmann, F. (2013). Interfacedesign: Corporate Interaction. In: Beyrow, M. et al. (Eds). Corporate Identity und Corporate Design. Das Kompendium. Vol. 2, erweiterte Neuauflage. Ludwigsburg: avedition, pp. 74-91.
Heidmann, F. (2013). Popper 2.0. Warum unser Wissen fehlbar ist, und wie wir aus Fehlern lernen. Forschendes Lernen als Schlüsselkompetenz für die Wissensarbeit von morgen. In: Ammann, B. et al. (Eds.). InterFlex. Querdenken erwünscht. Potsdam, pp. 43-45.
Nagel, T., Heidmann, F., Duval, E., Klerkx, J., & Vande Moere, A. (2013). A. Unfolding – A Simple Library for Interactive Maps and Geovisualizations in Processing. GeoViz 2013, March 6-8, Hamburg, Germany.

2012

Matthies, D.J.C., Antons, J., Heidmann, F., Wettach, R., & Schleicher, R. (2012). NeuroPad: Use Cases For A Mobile Physiological Interface. In: NordiCHI'12: Proceedings of the 7th nordic conference on Human computer interaction. Copenhagen, Denmark, October 14 - 17, 2012. ACM, New York, NY, USA, pp. 795-796.

2011

»Exploring faceted geospatial data with tangible interaction« Till Nagel, Frank Heidmann. In: GeoViz 2011. Linking Geovisualization with Spatial Analysis and Modeling. 10./11.3.2011, Hamburg.
»Tangible User Interfaces for Exploring Facetted Data in a Geographical Context« Till Nagel, Frank Heidmann. In: 25th International Cartographic Conference, 3.–8.7.2011, Paris.

2010

Nagel, T., Heidmann, F., Condotta, M., Duval, E.: Venice Unfolding: A Tangible User Interface for Exploring Facetted Data in a Geographical Context. NordiCHI 2010, October 16–20, 2010, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Condotta, M., Nagel, T., Heidmann, F.: Browsing and correlation of territorial data in tangible maps – a Venice case study. INPUT 2010, UniBas, Potenza, Italy.

Selected projects

DISA – Digital Inclusion in the Context of Social Anxiety Disorders

The project addresses digital inclusion in the context of social anxiety disorders.

Design "0̶8̶1̶5̶ "

In the "Design nicht 0815" project, the curricula of the design degree programmes at FH Potsdam are being further developed with the aim of integrating central competences for the digitally shaped world of work.

International Study and Training Partnership with the National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan*

Exchange programme for students and teachers within the framework of the DAAD ISAP programme