Design Thinking

Blogs / Posted: September 2008

Design Thinking

Design thinking is an approach that uses the designer’s sensibility and methods for problem solving to meet people’s needs in a technologically feasible and commercially viable way. In other words, design thinking is human-centered innovation.

— Tim Brown

CEO Tim Brown is using his blog to share ideas about design thinking, a discipline that melds the sensibility and methods of a designer to people’s real-world needs. Tim plans to roll key discussion points into a book.

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Reframing Recession: Lessons from the potato

Articles / September 2008

Reframing Recession: Lessons from the potato

Criticaleye Review

— James Moed

James Moed discusses how businesses can best identify opportunities that can be used to create new business growth in the current economic climate.

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‘Greater Good’

Articles / September 2008

‘Greater Good’

newdesign magazine

— Adam Mack and Aaron Sklar

Adam Mack and Aaron Sklar of IDEO discuss the three tools that will make the strongest contribution when designing for social impact.

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‘Designs On—’

Books / August 2008

‘Designs On—’

Produced by IDEO designers, 2008

— IDEO

"Designs On–" is the first edition of a printed design publication by IDEO designers. Crafted in response to I.D. Magazine's 2007 Annual Design Review award competition, the concepts featured in the booklet aim to raise awareness about global warming through various design disciplines.

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‘Informing Our Intuition: Design Research for Radical Innovation’

Articles / July 2008

‘Informing Our Intuition: Design Research for Radical Innovation’

Rotman Magazine

— Jane Fulton Suri

"Design research is most valuable when it is treated as integral to the innovation process rather than as an external activity."

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IDEO Eyes Open

Books / April 2008

IDEO Eyes Open

The Guidebooks

— Fred Dust

IDEO Eyes Open is a series of photo-filled experiential city guides written by IDEO's Fred Dust. Culled from the experiences and observations of IDEO's designers, cultural anthropologists, and architects, the first two volumes delve into the social, architectural, and epicurean scenes of London and New York.

Buy the book

 

“Innovation, Growth, and Getting to Where You Want to Go”

Articles / December 2007

“Innovation, Growth, and Getting to Where You Want to Go”

Design Management Review

— Ryan Jacoby and Diego Rodriguez

"Our experience creating successful innovations at IDEO tells us again and again that the best efforts come from organizations that solve for human desirability."

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Everyday Engineering

Books / July 2007

Everyday Engineering

— Andrew Burroughs

Everyday Engineering is a photographic primer for looking at the world through the eyes of an engineer. From Andrew Burroughs and IDEO, it's an insightful meditation on how ordinary objects and environments behave over time, and invites us all to open our eyes to the daily wonders of the built world.

Buy the book

 

“Embracing Risk to Learn, Grow and Innovate”

Articles / April 2007

“Embracing Risk to Learn, Grow and Innovate”

Rotman Magazine

— Diego Rodriguez and Ryan Jacoby

"In the world of 'design thinking,' acknowledging risk is the first step toward taking action, and with action comes insight, evidence, and real options."

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“Strategy by Design”

Articles / June 2005

“Strategy by Design”

Fast Company

— Tim Brown

"In order to do a better job of developing, communicating, and pursuing a strategy, the head of IDEO says, you need to learn to think like a designer. Here's his five-point plan for how to make the leap."

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The Art of Innovation

Books / July 2001

The Art of Innovation

— Tom Kelley

In The Art of Innovation, Tom Kelley, general manager of IDEO, takes readers behind the scenes of this wildly imaginative and energized company to reveal the strategies and secrets it uses to turn out hit after hit.

Buy the book

 

Design Thinking

Blogs / September 2008

Design Thinking

Design thinking is an approach that uses the designer’s sensibility and methods for problem solving to meet people’s needs in a technologically feasible and commercially viable way. In other words, design thinking is human-centered innovation.

— Tim Brown

CEO Tim Brown is using his blog to share ideas about design thinking, a discipline that melds the sensibility and methods of a designer to people’s real-world needs. Tim plans to roll key discussion points into a book.

 

“From Small Ideas to Radical Service Innovation”

Articles / July 2008

“From Small Ideas to Radical Service Innovation”

Design Management Review

— Mark Jones and Fran Samalionis

“Mark Jones and Fran Samalionis probe challenges and pitfalls in the process and outline five steps that leverage positive results."

View the PDF

 

“Innovation through Design”

Articles / May 2008

“Innovation through Design”

International Design & Culture Conference

— Bill Moggridge

"The development of a new category of bicycles based on the Shimano Coasting Platform illustrates the process of design-led innovation as a case study."

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“The Role of Consumers in Energy Industry Innovation”

Articles / May 2008

“The Role of Consumers in Energy Industry Innovation”

World Economic Forum

— Tim Brown

Tim Brown's contribution to the World Economic Forum report, Energy Vision Update 2008, is a one-page look at how the consumerization of the energy industry could prompt innovation and redefine the market.

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“From Plague to Paradigm: Designing Sustainable Retail Environments”

Articles / April 2008

“From Plague to Paradigm: Designing Sustainable Retail Environments”

Rotman Magazine

— Steve Bishop and Dana Cho

"We have presented a new perspective on the retail space—one that puts people first and engages them in new ways. Building a relationship with shoppers based on values such as sustainability has impact beyond the storefront."

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“Lessons from Sao Paulo’s Streets”

Articles / March 2008

“Lessons from Sao Paulo’s Streets”

Adweek Online

— Paul Bennett

"Can we apply what's happening in places like Sao Paulo, where people are taking matters into their own hands, and see how we can use that as inspiration for our own design process? I think so."

Read the story

 

2007 Yearbook of Design Excellence

Articles / September 2007

2007 Yearbook of Design Excellence

Innovation

— Roshi Givechi, Brenda Natoli, Eric Stangarone

Included in the IDSA's 2007 compendium of IDEA award-winning designs are six bylined case studies by IDEO designers and writers, featuring work for Bank of America, Eclipse Aviation, Lifeport, and othersl.

View the PDF

 

“Davos Summers in Dalian, China”

Articles / September 2007

“Davos Summers in Dalian, China”

BusinessWeek Online

— Tim Brown

"This melting pot of company executives (over 1,700 from more than 90 countries) spent three days discussing all aspects of business and the economy... ."

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“Leadership and Innovation in a Networked World”

Articles / July 2007

“Leadership and Innovation in a Networked World”

innovations

— Doug Solomon and Diego Rodriguez

"At its best, innovation is more than a team sport - it is a networked, collaborative adventure."

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Product Experience

Books / July 2007

Product Experience

IDEO human factors specialist Katja Battarbee contributed to Product Experience in Chapter 19, Co-experience: Product Experience as Social Interaction (co-written with Ilpo Koskinen).

Buy the book

 

The No Asshole Role

Books / February 2007

The No Asshole Role

— Bob Sutton

"Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't."

Buy the book

 

“Most Memorable Ads of 2006”

Articles / December 2006

“Most Memorable Ads of 2006”

BusinessWeek Online

— Paul Bennett

"Channeling the needs of consumers and making sure that they see themselves somehow in the process and the end result is how brands are starting to win." - BusinessWeek.com

 

“Managing Change, by Design”

Articles / November 2006

“Managing Change, by Design”

Rotman Magazine

— Peter Coughlan and Ilya Prokopoff

The leads of IDEO's Transformation practice address the group's methods to proactively manage change within organizations and complex systems, including the healthcare industry.

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“Medication Adherence: Many Conditions, A Common Problem”

Articles / October 2006

“Medication Adherence: Many Conditions, A Common Problem”

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

— Devorah E. Klein, Gretchen Wustrack, and Amy Schwartz

IDEO explores ways to apply design thinking to the problem of medication adherence. The result? A generative framework that can be used to create real solutions.

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“Going Deeper, Seeing Further”

Articles / September 2006

“Going Deeper, Seeing Further”

Journal of Advertising Research

— Jane Fulton Suri and Suzanne Gibbs Howard

Going Deeper, Seeing Further: Enhancing Ethnographic Interpretations to Reveal More Meaningful Opportunities for Design September 2006

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“A Mouse in the O.R.”

Articles / July 2006

“A Mouse in the O.R.”

Ambidextrous Magazine

— Arna Ionescu

"We rely heavily on prototypes, because though it's relatively easy to guess how users will interact with a system that runs on a standard computer with a keyboard and mouse, with novel input devices, there's little on which to base such a guess."

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“Time for Some Buzz-Kill”

Articles / June 2006

“Time for Some Buzz-Kill”

BusinessWeek Online

— Paul Bennett

IDEO's creative director Paul Bennett calls for a halt to the nonsensical buzzwords that have overrun branding and marketing, and makes a case for a return to "simple stories" and "truths well told."

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Designing Interactions

Books / June 2006

Designing Interactions

— Bill Moggridge

Designing Interactions captures the stories and viewpoints of 40+ industry insiders—including author and IDEO founder Bill Moggridge—in a book, DVD, and website.

Buy the book

 

“Think Big”

Articles / April 2006

“Think Big”

BusinessWeek Online

— Diego Rodriguez

IDEO's Diego Rodriguez explores trends in business and design in his column for BusinessWeek Online.

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“Happiness and the Art of Innovation”

Articles / March 2006

“Happiness and the Art of Innovation”

BusinessWeek Online

— Diego Rodriguez

IDEO's Diego Rodriguez explores trends in business and design in his column for BusinessWeek Online.

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“Listening Lessons”

Articles / March 2006

“Listening Lessons”

Rotman Magazine

— Paul Bennett

from AdvertisingAge's Point, March 2006

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“Saturn’s Rust-Proof Brand”

Articles / October 2005

“Saturn’s Rust-Proof Brand”

BusinessWeek Online

— Diego Rodriguez

IDEO's Diego Rodriguez explores trends in business and design in his column for BusinessWeek Online.

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“A Laboratory for Insights”

Articles / September 2005

“A Laboratory for Insights”

BusinessWeek Online

— Tim Brown

At IDEO, we manage a constant stream of experimental projects designed to expand our knowledge and create new intellectual property valuable to us and our clients.

Read the story

 

Thoughtless Acts?

Books / July 2005

Thoughtless Acts?

— Jane Fulton Suri

Thoughtless Acts? is a book by Jane Fulton Suri and IDEO that invites you to notice the subtle and amusing ways that people react to the world around them.

Buy the book

 

The Ten Faces of Innovation

Books / July 2005

The Ten Faces of Innovation

— Tom Kelley

Filled with engaging stories of how companies such as Kraft and Procter & Gamble have incorporated IDEO's thinking to transform the customer experience, The Ten Faces of Innovation is an extraordinary guide to nurturing and sustaining a culture of continuous innovation.

Buy the book

 

“Valuing a Positive Perspective”

Articles / May 2004

“Valuing a Positive Perspective”

Interactions

— Aaron Sklar and David Gilmore

May-June 2004

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“Empathic Research”

Articles / March 2004

“Empathic Research”

Aircraft Interiors International

— Alan South

Empathic Research Can Help Uncover Latent Passenger Needs

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IDEO Method Cards

Books / July 2003

IDEO Method Cards

IDEO's Human Factors team

IDEO Method Cards show 51 of the methods we use to inspire great design and keep people at the center of our design process. Each card describes one method and includes a brief story about how and when to use it.

Buy the cards

 

“Bringing Real World Context into the Focus Group Setting”

Articles / June 2003

“Bringing Real World Context into the Focus Group Setting”

Taylor & Francis and The Design Journal

— Peter Coughlan and Aaron Sklar

Chapter 8 of Focus Groups: Supporting Effective Product Development (Taylor & Francis, London 2003) edited by Jon Langford and Deana McDonagh

View the PDF

Buy the book

 

“Developing Tangible Strategies”

Articles / December 2002

“Developing Tangible Strategies”

Design Management Journal

— Laura Weiss

Winter 2002

View the PDF

 

Materials and Design

Books / December 2002

Materials and Design

— Kara Johnson and Mike Ashby

Mike Ashby and IDEO's Kara Johnson have written the definitive text on materials and manufacturing processes for the designer, which includes over one hundred profiles of materials and the ways in which they are shaped, joined, and finished.

Read a one-page PDF on Materials and Design

Buy the book

 

“Understanding and Overcoming Resistance to Ethnographic Design Research”

Articles / May 2002

“Understanding and Overcoming Resistance to Ethnographic Design Research”

Interactions

— David Gilmore

May-June 2002

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IDEO: Masters of Innovation

Books / July 2001

IDEO: Masters of Innovation

This book documents the history, culture, and work product of the world's most successful design consultancy. With over 200 color photographs and illustrations, and essays, interviews, and case studies, IDEO: Masters of Innovation tells the story and shows the work of the most talked-about design firm ever.

Buy the book

 

“Experience Prototyping”

Articles / July 2001

“Experience Prototyping”

DIS 2001

— Marion Buchenau and Jane Fulton Suri

from DIS '00, Brooklyn, New York. Copyright 2000 ACM

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“Prototyping is the Shorthand of Design”

Articles / July 2001

“Prototyping is the Shorthand of Design”

Design Management Journal

— Tom Kelley

Summer 2001

View the PDF

 

“Interaction Design at IDEO”

Articles / April 2000

“Interaction Design at IDEO”

Interactions

— Danny Stillion

March-April 2000

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“Designing for Business, Consulting for Innovation”

Articles / July 1999

“Designing for Business, Consulting for Innovation”

Design Management Journal

— Tom Kelley

Summer 1999

View the PDF