Christian Steiner

Head of Design & Technology – ProKASRO Mechatronik GmbH

Karlsruhe, Germany · since 03/2026

Established in-house software development for a mechatronics company that builds robots, UV curing systems, and special-purpose vehicles for underground infrastructure. Within seven months, a coherent product line of twelve applications emerged: real-time measurement data from the systems in the vehicle with live transmission to clients, order management, quality assurance, service scheduling, warehouse and sales controlling for executive management, as well as live timing and pit-stop strategy for the company’s race team in the FIM Endurance World Championship.

Concept, design, and development in one hand: understanding workflows with the business units, translating them into clear interfaces, and implementing them independently, from the first concept to operation on servers, tablets, and vehicle computers. A proprietary design system keeps look and behavior consistent across the entire product line. Development is AI-powered throughout with Claude Code; the development process is built for it from the ground up, with documented decisions, rules, and automated checks. AI accelerates architecture, design, and implementation. New applications go into production within a few weeks.

Sabbatical and Continuing Education

Zurich · Berlin · 04/2025 – 02/2026

• Three-month sabbatical in Zurich for long-distance swimming
• Continuing education: AI-powered software development with Claude Code, from the first prototype to a dedicated development process, plus generative design and data visualization with p5.js
• chrisinterface UI-Kit: conception and development of a proprietary design system that builds interfaces from ready-made components and distributes itself by sync to all connected applications – today the foundation of the product line at ProKASRO

Creative Director Digital – German Federal Ministry of Finance

Berlin · 11/2022 – 03/2025

• User interface for Vesta Bund, the federal government’s platform for digital shareholding management with over 100 federal shareholdings – concept and design of the entire feature set
• Financial forms, reports, deadlines: dynamic forms with built-in analysis, report generation with layout preview and export up to the report for the German Bundestag, comments for responsibilities
• Business processes analyzed with the ministry’s divisions and translated into clickable prototypes – the basis for acceptance testing and development
• Design system following Atomic Design – a binding specification for the development teams at Bundesdruckerei and ITZBund, implemented in compliance with GDPR and WCAG 2.1 AA

GovTech Fellow – Tech4Germany

Berlin · 08/2022 – 10/2022

Federal government fellowship for digitalization projects in public administration: analyzed administrative processes at the Federal Ministry of Finance, described them with flowcharts and user stories, and distilled them into validated solution concepts. Final presentation to the ministry’s senior leadership.

Startup Coach and Consultant – CyberForum

Karlsruhe, Germany · 2018 – 2021

Coaching tech teams and startups in the network of CyberForum, the business network of Karlsruhe’s IT industry in the ecosystem of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT): conception, design, and development of software applications. Lectures at the startup center and at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences.

Design Director Digital – Allianz SE

Munich · 05/2015 – 08/2017

User interface design for oneWeb, the content management system of Allianz Germany: a modular kit of reusable components modeled after Google Material Design, with which the business units assemble their web pages themselves. Concept and visualization in close collaboration with IT and software development, presentation of the results to the Executive Board.

Freelance Projects

International · 2007 – 2015

Lead concept and design in projects for industrial and financial corporations, mostly as part of interdisciplinary teams on site at the client:

• Continental AG (10/2014 – 01/2015) – digital tracking of vehicles and tire conditions for vehicle fleets, concept and development
• PostAuto Schweiz AG (08/2013 – 10/2013) – real-time traffic data on touchscreen displays in public transit, concept and design
• Allianz AG (06/2010 – 07/2011) – advisory processes for client meetings on the iPad, design and concept
• Mercedes-Benz (04/2008 – 10/2008) – prototypes for a digital cockpit of the S-Class, design and development
• AT&T (08/2007 – 12/2007) – interface for a mobile operating system and touchscreen devices, together with Samsung and AT&T in the U.S.

Senior Designer, Interactive Branding – MetaDesign AG

Berlin · 2005 – 2007

Design of graphical user interfaces, interactive applications, and motion design at one of Europe’s leading brand agencies. Main project: the redesign of the Volkswagen intranet, further work for Audi, DHL, and Zürcher Kantonalbank, among others.