At any given time, there are 15 to 20 IDEO teams in the field doing research for projects. We are a naturally curious bunch, and tend to collect quite a few artifacts from our trips. In addition to interesting foods, new turns of phrase, and the occasional non-contagious skin disease, we take photos of interesting things in the places we are.
When we see something remarkable, we capture it to show our fellow IDEOers at home in the studio. Now we are sharing some of our blink-worthy images with you. Enjoy!
Traditional and Modern
Arusha, Tanzania
March 31, 2008 08:14 PM
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Members of the Masai tribe who live in the Tanzanian countryside sometimes come into the urban centers for supplies. They maintain a strong hold on their tribal identity, medicine, and roles, while also being part of the larger social fabric.
Free Bus
Austin, Texas
March 29, 2008 02:44 PM
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Austin is one of Texas’s more environmentally conscious cities. These free “Dillo” buses were a fun and attractive celebration of public transportation.
Tea Pentagon
Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan
March 25, 2008 02:14 PM
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At a little tea shop in Aoyama, each tea we tasted had a small pentagon on its packaging that graphically showed the tea’s different elements—taste, fragrance, rarity of ingredients, etc. Visitors could visually understand what kind of tea they were going to partake of without knowing Japanese.
What’s Your Number?
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
March 22, 2008 08:06 PM
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In India, people have a different sense of privacy, from personal space to the boundaries between personal and professional lives. Here, a cell phone number is displayed on a billboard.
Profane Plastic
Mahabubnagar, Andhra Pradesh, India
March 20, 2008 08:04 PM
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Cows are sacred animals for Hindus, and have always been an important part of life in India. Traditionally, people placed their garbage in the streets, where the cows ate it. With the invention of the plastic bag, this system has broken down—it’s reported that 20,000 cows die each month in India from ingesting plastic bags.
Thoughtful Details
Ginza district, Tokyo, Japan
March 17, 2008 02:12 PM
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In purchasing a gift from the Shiseido Parlor in Ginza, the shopkeeper put a little “raincoat” on our shopping bag in order to protect it from the wet weather. This wasn’t an afterthought. This was intentional and such a delight.