By Sandy Speicher

In recent years, IDEO has spent a lot of time and effort thinking about education. The firm’s work with Ormondale Elementary School, in Portola Valley, California, helped pioneer a special “investigative-learning” curriculum that inspires students to be seekers of knowledge. Metropolis spoke to Sandy Speicher, who heads the Design for Learning efforts at IDEO. Her insights provide powerful lessons for architects and designers creating the schools of tomorrow.

Download the PDF

IDEO wins Germany’s “Prize of Prizes” by capturing a gold and silver from the German Design Council.
Learn more about the DesignPreis here.

From the Great Depression to the dotcom implode and 9/11 attacks, U.S. News & World Report considers how some of the most innovative ideas have emerged during times of economic duress. Included in the timeline is the Apple computer mouse, designed by DKD (David Kelley Design, which led to IDEO).

Read the article here.

By TIm Brown

IDEO’s Tim Brown blogs on two worldviews: that of TED and that of Davos. For more on Tim’s take and what inspired him at each event, visit his blog, Design Thinking.

To watch Tim talk about the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play at the 2008 Serious Play conference on TED Talks, click here.

On February 11 and 12 at Design Next—Inspiring Transformation, Jocelyn Wyatt will speak during a session on the Growth of Design, and Sandy Speicher will talk at the next session about Design Innovation.

For more information about the design summit, click here.
To learn more about IDEO’s work in the realm of social impact, click here.

IDEO’s Valerie Casey is a featured speaker at “Social Design: Design + Community + Social Impact” in Tokyo, hosted by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization. There will be live blogging from the event.

On February 6, IDEO’s Ame Elliott helps tackle the issue of global warming policy through the Savannah College of Art and Design’s teach-in. Events include workshops, demonstrations, and discussions on environmental issues and climate change.

For more information about the event, click here.

Reporter Linda Tischler interviews David Kelley about his work, his passions, and how to make a difference in the world. Meet the man John Maeda, president of the Rhode Island School of Design, called “a brainy Muppet,” someone who “you want to support what he stands for.”

Read the article here.
To view a slideshow of IDEO’s latest design projects, highlighted in the article, click here.
For a look into David’s thinking, check out his mind map on education or his lessons learned.

Download the PDF

IDEO’s Valerie Casey, founder of the Designers Accord, is set to speak at the State of Green Business Forum, where GreenBiz reporters and industry execs will tackle the question, How are U.S. businesses doing in their effort to be greener and more environmentally responsible? Hear from leading companies and thought leaders on the key issues affecting corporate environmental strategy during this time of political transition and economic turmoil.

IDEO’s Tim Brown visits BusinessWeek to answer five reader questions, from how to implement design thinking to the growth of China. Tim talks about how business leaders can come up with new and better choices that result in tangible results.

To watch the full video on BusinessWeek.com, click here.

Alice Rawsthorn led a debate about design at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. She challenged some of the world’s top designers, including IDEO’s Tim Brown, to define “good design.”

Read the blog post here.