Alumni Interview with Jan Tietje

The program allowed me to view the challenges of my daily work from a new, scientifically grounded perspective. Thanks to the strong practical focus of the lectures and the close connection between my coursework and specific projects at my company, I was able to apply my knowledge directly. This provided an even clearer conceptual framework for my responsibilities in IT product and project management. Since my research questions were often closely linked to my professional topics, I benefited in two ways: on the one hand, through excellent results in my academic work, and on the other, through practical, immediately applicable solutions for my projects.

I found the content from the modules on project management—both agile and traditional—as well as topics in leadership and IT architecture to be particularly valuable. They continue to help me on a regular basis even today, almost a year after I graduated. The program significantly expanded my methodological “toolkit”: Even though my approach in many areas was already close to the concepts taught, the theoretical foundation allowed me to solidify my actions and justify them more professionally.

In addition, I benefited from practical best practices and lessons learned that I was able to apply directly in my day-to-day work—whether in operational decisions, tactical issues, or at the strategic level. This allowed me not only to improve my personal work style but also to create concrete added value for my company.

1. Practical Relevance
2. Methodological expertise
3. Network

In my role as Product Owner and IT Project Manager at Schwarz IT, I am responsible for the development and international launch of digital solutions for Lidl and Kaufland. This includes managing projects from concept through implementation to rollout in more than 30 countries. My responsibilities include, among other things, requirements management, close coordination with business units and international stakeholders, and ensuring quality and adherence to deadlines. It is particularly important to me to create solutions that not only work technically but also deliver tangible added value for users in the stores and for business processes.

Currently, I see several issues that are of central importance across all industries and, therefore, also in international trade: First, the question of how cloud architectures and artificial intelligence can be used to make processes more efficient and implement innovations more quickly. Second, the issue of digital sovereignty is becoming increasingly relevant. For globally active retail companies, this means reducing dependence on individual providers while consistently meeting data protection, security, and regulatory requirements.

The real challenge lies in intelligently combining these aspects: creating powerful and innovative solutions that are globally scalable, remain flexible locally, and at the same time ensure long-term independence. Companies that integrate efficiency, technological innovation, and digital sovereignty equally into their strategies will strengthen their competitiveness in the long term.

The interview was conducted by Celina Reichel