There’s a saying that every organization is optimized to achieve the results it currently gets. The implication is that, in order to achieve new and better results, organizations must respond differently by taking on novel means of evaluating problems, spotting opportunities, and working toward future success. At IDEO, design for organizational transformation focuses on seeing firms through a human-centered lens to help them change and evolve. By examining how an organization is set up to deliver its offerings, we can help it overcome myriad challenges. To this end, we conceive and develop spaces, tools, processes, strategies, and programs that prompt behavioral and cultural changes.

Many clients come to us seeking to become more innovative, customer-oriented, and willing to explore new opportunities. While these are certainly important organizational concerns, we typically begin with the end goal in mind: the new products, services, brands, or delivery models that a client can create and deliver. This defines the behaviors that the organization should strive for.

We start each organizational design project by understanding the client’s culture and setup — and how it currently meets business goals. Successful companies typically ask three questions: Why innovate? What kinds of innovation do we do? How do we innovate? This gives them a clear mission, a sharp focus, and an ability to provide appropriate support for employees. We help our clients, from start-ups to established corporations, find these answers and become self-sufficient in their long-term innovation efforts.