Fevers. Boogers. Yucky meds. IDEO Play Lab designers dove deeply into the challenges of sick days and doctors’ appointments through video diaries, online surveys, and in-person interviews with parents, healthcare providers, and small children in homes and pediatric offices across the US. They heard about the struggles of giving medicines, wonky thermometer readings, kids having “stethoscope scaries,” and, worst of all, what happens when kiddos hear the “s-word”—shot.

‍‍The research confirmed Sydney and Kaitlin’s initial hunches about playful healthcare products and provided the team with insights on how to move forward. The answer was a formula of sorts. To help reduce kids’ anxiety and keep them calm at the doctor, give them a choice in their care whenever possible. Build familiarity with doctor’s visits and medical devices through playful moments at home. Redirect their attention away from fear. Design for multisensory richness. And provide age-appropriate narratives about healthcare experiences.

Inspired by this kid-centric formula, the IDEO Play Lab team worked closely with Sydney, Kaitlin, and their co-founder, Michael Kamins, to iterate on several designs, winnowing down more than 150 brainstorm ideas into a dozen tangible prototypes (or tinker models) that were shown to doctors, nurses, parents, and young kids for feedback. The designs—a rocket ship medicine dispenser, an elephant-shaped nose aspirator, and a narwhal nasal bulb, among others—were intended to evoke a sense of playfulness, comfort, and familiarity, with features designed for maximum cuteness. Some even lit up and played sounds, like popular toys.

While the designs passed the fun test with kids, they also needed to be functional for parents, trusted by doctors, easily manufactured, and affordable. Eventually, they would need to be approved by the FDA as regulated medical devices. Playhouse MD also requested patentable innovations to help protect their products from imitation.

With these constraints in mind, IDEO Play Lab delivered a collection of nine unique, high-fidelity prototypes that add a dose of fun to caretaking challenges in homes and doctors’ offices. The final designs were durable, medically sanitizable, and safe for testing with real kids, which helped the startup secure multiple rounds of funding and bring its first products to market in 18 months.

Playhouse MD began selling its first four direct-to-consumer products on its website in June 2025: two Medicine Buddies (medicine dispensers shaped like a rocket ship and a butterfly) and two Booger Buddies (a light-up nasal aspirator elephant called Luna and a light-up nasal bulb narwhal named Noa, which was named one of The Best Inventions of 2025 by TIME). The products are available at Target and Babylist stores, and on Amazon through leading medical distributor McKesson Medical-Surgical.

Most companies design child healthcare devices with parents’ or doctors’ tastes in mind; none, however, focus on what will make kids smile, too.

TIME Best Inventions of 2025

in the Parenting Category, Playhouse MD's Light-Up Nasal Bulb

1 ½ years

from initial brainstorms to in-market launch of 4 kid-centric medical products

Verathon offers one of the broadest portfolios of video laryngoscopes on the market. While these life-saving devices increase the likelihood of successful first-time intubations, reducing trauma and speeding recovery times, they are more costly and can be more challenging to learn how to use than traditional mechanical ones, which rely on directly looking at the vocal cords. Wanting to make it easier for cost-conscious hospital administrators to transition from traditional laryngoscopes to Verathon’s video systems, the medical device manufacturer asked IDEO to technically and visually unite its next-gen reusable baton and stats, ensuring they worked together seamlessly, flexibly, and intuitively during the most routine and demanding healthcare moments.

‍The IDEO and Verathon teams used a prototype-led approach to safely gain feedback from anesthesiologists and emergency physicians. Research participants were given various intubation models to simulate surgical use cases and understand ergonomic trade-offs between different design directions. Insights from the field led to design principles such as prioritizing device balance over weight reduction, providing flexibility to accommodate a variety of gripping positions, making connection points between various parts clear, intuitive, and secure, and ensuring the device was easy to clean.

Inspired by physician feedback, the team designed an innovative video baton that felt both familiar and new, supported the ergonomics of diverse holding styles, and fit Verathon’s wide range of stat sizes (one of its competitive advantages). To prevent accidental disconnections, users receive clear tactile, visual, and sound feedback when the monitor and cover are correctly attached to the baton. IDEO chose color, materials, and finishes to help clinicians quickly distinguish between parts of the system and easily identify reusable components from single-use ones.

Verathon’s new GlideScope ClearFit stats-based video laryngoscope hit the market in August 2025. Combining one reusable baton with an industry-leading selection of six single-use stats, it’s compatible with both the GlideScope® Go™ 2 handheld and GlideScope® Core™ cart-based systems. Magnetic QuickConnect™ technology allows doctors to seamlessly switch between platforms, giving hospitals a standardized airway management solution that simplifies workflows, streamlines inventory, enhances medical education and training, and promotes cost-effective care.

Verathon invented video laryngoscopy technology. Twenty years later, the COVID-19 pandemic spurred more competitors to enter the market.

‍

Cutting-edge technologies like video laryngoscopes are critical—and costly—devices. Hospital systems want to invest in the most comprehensive, flexible, adaptable, and affordable tools for quality patient care

6 shapes and sizes

of single-use covers fit one video baton, enabling health workers to quickly access different throat anatomies

Since its founding in 1992 by the Gokongwei family, which also operates one of the nation’s largest conglomerates, JG Summit Holdings, GBF has supported Philippine education through student scholarships, teacher training funds, and donations to top universities. Over its 30-plus-year history, GBF has reached more than 200,000 teachers and impacted over 1.5 million learners nationwide. When the foundation approached IDEO in 2021, it wanted to move the needle on STEM education in the country’s struggling public schools.

The IDEO and GBF teams interviewed more than 100 subject-matter experts across various government agencies, leading technology companies, and top national universities and educational institutions to build a comprehensive understanding of the current state of STEM in the Philippines. To experience classroom struggles firsthand, the team also shadowed STEM educators and principals. The research revealed that time-strapped teachers needed help mastering overall STEM content, preparing for their classes, and selecting the most suitable activities for their students. They also didn’t always feel supported in their own career development journeys. But the burden of daily responsibilities didn’t leave them any time for outside learning opportunities, either. 

Recognizing that empowering teachers empowers students, the team created an innovative lesson prep tool, the GBF Class Builder, that's based on these insights. Using existing technology and course materials designed to align with school curricula, IDEO developed a working prototype of the Class Builder in under a week, with minimal investment. The team then systematically improved it over several “build-test-iterate” feedback cycles in real classrooms over the course of four months.

The final GBF Class Builder is a targeted program that helps STEM teachers deliver compelling lessons for their students, learn new teaching strategies, and build content mastery along the way. In addition to helping design the Class Builder, IDEO continues to advise GBF on key aspects of the program's piloting and rollout. This includes advising on how to implement the content development, think through the curriculum development process, support in designing feature iterations, define metrics for success, and decide which additional roles GBF will need to support the ambitious program going forward. 

The foundation launched the GBF Class Builder at its 30th-anniversary celebration in 2023. Feedback from pilot 3,500 public schools and 15,000 teachers has been overwhelmingly positive. “Through the GBF Class Builder, we envision our teachers to be more confident and effective in class, more ready to face the challenges of the future, while enjoying every class—feeling proud to be a teacher, " says Grace Colet, Executive Director of GBF.
‍
The ambitious program continues to scale and is on track to be rolled out in public schools nationwide by 2029.

90% of 10-year-olds in the Philippines can’t read a simple text, according to a Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics report. Eighty-three percent of Filipino 10-year-olds lack minimum proficiency in math.

More than 15,000 teachers in 3,500 public schools

are now using the innovative GBF Class Builder program
‍

94%

of teachers report the GBF Class Builder has improved student engagement, while 89% say it saves them 1-2 hours in prep time per lesson

Fizik came to IDEO with the aim of entering the helmet market with a range of high-end performance options fit for road racing, mountain biking, time trials/triathlons, and everyday cycling. Fizik planned to use its world-class production and engineering capabilities (the company is part of the Selle Royal Group, which has over 1,400 employees and manages five other cycling brands, including Crankbrothers and Brooks England). IDEO’s task was to develop an on-brand design language that would unify its new helmet line and integrate seamlessly with the sleek, modern aesthetics of the company’s other products.

The design sprint began with in-context interviews with avid and professional cyclists to learn what they wanted—and didn’t—in a helmet. Unlike other accessories, such as shoes or shorts, riders viewed helmets as a necessity rather than an exciting or aspirational purchase. They also wanted a helmet that complemented their overall style, rather than standing out, and had a flattering silhouette. Avoiding making a cyclist look like a “mushroom” was key.

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Different cycling styles involve varying riding postures, ranging from a dropped and horizontal position (time trial/triathlete) to an upright and vertical position (mountain biking). IDEO proposed a family of helmet designs that correspond accordingly. On the horizontal extreme, the time trial/triathlete helmet has the most fluid, organic, aerodynamic shape. A statement of refined simplicity and speed, it features minimal venting and a magnetic wrap-around visor to reduce drag that can be exchanged for the rider’s own cycling glasses.

On the vertical extreme, the mountain biking helmet features a more rugged, angular form with an adjustable brim, rectangular venting, and boxier, back-of-the-head protection. It also offers affordances for goggles, sunglass storage, a GoPro mount, and an optional integrated rear light.

In between, a compact helmet for road racing features evolutionary variations on these design extremes, with more venting as well as a front glasses holder and integrated rear light. All four helmets strike a balance between lightness, comfort, safety, and performance, embodying Fizik’s signature modern style.

In April 2025, Fizik launched all four helmet models simultaneously: Kassis (mountain biking), Kunee (trial/triathlon), Kudo, and the more aerodynamic Kudo Aero for road and gravel. The helmets were greeted with critical acclaim from the cycling world, while Virginia Tech’s independent helmet-safety research lab gave them five-star performance ratings for their strength and durability.‍

‍

Legendary cycling company Fizik was known for its high-performance bike seats and shoes, but wanted to be a fierce entrant in a challenging product category—helmets.

4

new helmet designs

1

new product category

At IDEO's Play Lab, we spend all year making and testing toys, games, and experiences for kids—and grown-ups who used to be kids. Here are some of our best recommendations for everything from storytime play to game night with your pals. Some come from our very own Play Lab, and others from toy and game makers we admire.

Ready to make it official? You can find a link to our store here. (Please note that IDEO makes a commission off of affiliate links.)

1. Incohearent Family Edition by Relatable

A hilarious party game guaranteed to get a laugh with the fam during the holiday season! Each turn, one player draws a card with a gibberish phrase on it (i.e. “sa male leaf heat”) and the rest of the players race to sound out the gibberish and be the first to guess the hidden message in the garble (in this case— “smelly feet”) and collect that card. First to 13 cards wins! Tons of content, quick to learn, and quick to play, this game will have your whole family shouting pure playful gibberish at each other in no time.
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Who will love it: family and friends ages 10+, or check out the spicy version for cards with humor geared toward adults
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—Matt Callahan

2. So Clover

In So Clover, you’re given four pairs of random words. Then you have to come up with clues connecting each pair for your friends to decipher and discover which words go with which. Imagine CodeNames, but nobody gets angry or upset at you for giving weird clues! While it has a competitive element to it, ultimately this is a super fun word association/logic game that I can’t get enough of.
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Who will love it: Pretty much everyone, but for the adults, it’s extra fun as a drinking game
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—Andrew Stewart

3. FreeSkates

Skateboarding is the perfect combo of athleticism and artistry. It has parents like me holding our breaths and hoping that our kids avoid injury, but there’s nothing like the magic of seeing your kid flying across the asphalt, building confidence to try bigger and better tricks. FreeSkates introduce a whole new challenge with a separate board for each foot, bringing a fresh elegance and rhythm as your feet glide independently of each other, snaking in and out underneath you. There’s a bit of a learning curve, but it’s worth the effort and the scrapes!
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Who will love it: Adventurous kids of all ages, though the younger ones tend to heal faster…
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—Michelle Lee

4. Flipslide

We bought our son a Rubik’s Cube, but it was just a little too monotonous for him to stick with it. Enter Flipslide! You have to flip, slide, and match the lights against the clock, and it’s wild how addictive it gets. It’s fast-paced, super portable, and great for challenging yourself or competing with one another to get the best time. Perfect for road trips or whenever you want a fun, screen free distraction.
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Who will love it: Puzzle fans and anyone 8+ who loves quick reflex challenges
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—Diana Tobey

5. Lights from Anywhere (Marvin’s Magic)

A classic, off-the-shelf illusion perfect for anyone getting into magic but looking for something beyond card tricks! Conjure magical lights between your hands, pulling them out of thin air and making them disappear in the blink of an eye. Without giving away any secrets, I can say this is a brilliant, timeless effect that deserves two thumbs up! 👍👍
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Who will love it: Any kid interested in magic (it does require some dexterity), but also parents too! It’s the ultimate party trick.
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—Neal Boyer

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6. DC Comics Batman Ultimate Transforming Batmobile Playset

This one is for the little Batman fans in your life that love getting lost in their own storylines.  One minute, you’re driving around Gotham; the next, the Batmobile opens up into a full-on Batcave with gadgets, a jail cell, and tons of cool spots for action figures. It’s the Batmobile that keeps giving.
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Who will love it: Batman fans 4+ and any kid who loves action-packed play
‍
—Elise Granata

7. Mantis

There are only two rules in this family board game for kids and adults. One, steal or score your way to victory by collecting matching cards. Two, the first player to reach 10 cards in their score pile is crowned the winner. The game is easy to learn and fast-paced. Ready for the emotional rollercoaster of stealing from your opponent—or being stolen from yourself?
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Who will love it: Family, and friends age 7+
‍
—Jeremy Chen

8. Sticker Wow! From Melissa and Doug

During our research talking to families with young kids, we discovered just how much they love stickers. But peeling and sticking can be hard for little fingers. So we came up with this super fun, fidgety way to stamp stickers. The best part? They stick tightly to activity books and paper, but are easily removable if kiddos stick them to other things. The stickers are refillable (and collectible), which means you never run out, and it’s not wasteful. All the kids we’ve seen play with this are instantly obsessed. (This toy is a patent-pending IDEO + Melissa and Doug invention.)
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Who will love it: Kids age 3-7
‍
—Vlasta Komorous-King

9. Story Time Chess

A way to teach kids (and adults!) how to play chess through fun, engaging stories. Each chess piece is turned into a unique character with a personality and movement pattern that aligns with that piece's actual rules in chess. For example, King Chomper can only move one step at a time because he loves to eat so much and his pockets are stuffed with food. The game comes with mini-games and workbooks to help kids practice specific skills as they get more advanced with their chess strategy and tactics. The perfect pick if you enjoyed The Queen’s Gambit and secretly aspire to raise your own chess prodigies—or better remember the rules yourself.
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Who will love it: Any age will benefit from the memorable story and characters, but especially younger kids 3+
‍
— Diana Tobey

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10. DJ Bouncin' Beats

This toy knows how to PARTY! I have spent hours of my life hanging out with DJ Bouncin' Beats and my two-year-old niece as it sings us ABCs, counts with us, and plays back custom recordings of phrases or sounds we make. It’s a combination teacher, boombox, and dance partner. Maybe even better than having a sibling?
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‍Who will love it: Kids 12-36 months
‍
—Elise Granata

11. Disney Princess Carriage to Castle Playset

So much play value in one play set! With Carriage to Castle, kids can act out both magic princess vehicle play AND full castle doll house play with all their favorite princesses. This playset comes with four figures, tons of accessories, and an exciting transformation to help them story play. Parents will love that this castle can transform back down to a carriage size for easy storage.

Who will love it: Young kids that love princess play! Best for ages 3+
‍
— Rikki Devlin

12. Drop Trivia

If you love some competition with your play, this game is perfect for a post-dinner or drinks moment with friends. The questions are a mix of pop culture, random facts, and fun surprises, so there’s something for everyone to shine at (or totally blank on). Think Trivial Pursuit with the countdown urgency of disassembling a bomb.  
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Who will love it:  Trivia buffs ages 10+—and anyone who loves a good challenge
‍
—Matt Callahan

13. Wild Flowers by Moose Toys

The ultimate chill board game! Wild Flowers features stunning graphics that transport you to a serene flower field. Players use tiles to grow and claim flowers, and complete task cards related to the flower board. Perfect for one to four players, it strikes the ideal balance between strategy and luck, making every game fun and engaging. The perfect way to end your day!
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Who will love it: 8+
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—Inna Yankelovich

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14. Illusion

Illusion is a quick and fun card game where players test their perception of color and patterns by arranging cards in order of the percentage of a specific color they contain. Each turn, you can challenge the lineup if you think someone made a mistake—revealing dramatic surprises when the cards are checked. It’s a fast-paced mix of strategy, observation, and the thrill of calling someone out, making it perfect for parties or family game nights!
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Who will love it: Kids 6+ (but it’s also great for adults)
‍
—Sam Hobish

15. Scout

This card game is easy to pick up and learn with a ton of depth. Unique cards have different values on their top half and bottom half. At the start of each round, you can decide whether to play with the top set of numbers or flip your entire hand to play with the other set. But player beware, your hand is now fixed for the rest of the game. Play cards to make new combos or take another card to make your hand even stronger. To win, play a hand no one can beat or get rid of your hand.
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Who will love it: kids (8+) and adults
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—Weishan Liao

16. CoComelon Transforming School Time Bus

The perfect gift for any CoComelon lover, this classic school bus play set transforms into a tiny classroom and playground. Kids can drive around on the ground in school bus mode, then easily open up the bus to find tons of play inside. The chairs magically pivot into a classroom setting.
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Who will love it: Kids 3-6, but also Cocomelon lovers of any age
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—Weishan Liao

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17. The Magic Puzzle Company

Think you’ve mastered all the puzzles out there? Welcome to the enchanting world of the Magic Puzzle Company. These puzzles are designed to challenge even the most seasoned puzzlers, with whimsical scenes, quirky characters, and a surprise twist that will leave you in awe. Packed with hidden Easter eggs and playful vignettes, every piece you place brings a touch of joy. With such captivating designs, it’s nearly impossible to step away. (And check out this puzzle by IDEO alum Felicia Chiao.)
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Who will love it: Kids 15+ to adults
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—Lauren Schreiber

18. Barbie Dog Duo With Wheelchair

This set offers such a sweet way to expand storytelling opportunities, with Barbie caring for her pup who’s using a wheelchair, bringing inclusion and creativity into playtime. The little accessories are a great touch, and it’s been a hit for sparking imaginative, heartwarming adventures.
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Who will love it: Kids 3+
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—Keren Wong

Stumped about which toys or games to add to your list this year? We’ve got you covered.

There are few parts of the industry we haven’t touched. Why? Because few sectors offer so many possibilities for making a positive impact in people’s lives, if we can ask the right questions, and innovate our way to the right solutions.

Last month, we headed to HLTH to learn more about the trends, hurdles, and paradigm shifts companies, hospitals, and other care organizations are coming up against in this space. Here are some of the things we took away from our time on the ground.

‍1. Design can help us move beyond point solutions

Right now, we’re seeing a lot of standalone digital platforms tailored for different diagnoses, different age groups, and different patient populations. While this approach can better align with the way payments work in the healthcare system and result in more easily-proven health outcomes, it often feels like we’re reinventing the wheel over and over. You see this especially in mental health—solutions for youth, solutions for kids, solutions for employees, etc. Larger organizations across payers, medtech, and pharma, are starting to ask, “What is actually generalizable here?” And, “Can a connected experience better fit the patient's needs?” “Does everything have to be custom-built for every drug, every piece of equipment, and interventions?” That’s costly, not only to operate but also to sustain. Why don’t we already have frameworks that are broad but adaptable? With all the research and data we have, we could create a shared understanding that we can tune to fit specific needs. Theoretically, we have the data; we know what works and what doesn’t. There are systemic reasons—proprietary systems and data hoarding come to mind. But still, if we could create a more universal approach, we could make an enormous difference.

‍2.  We need to use AI to upskill healthcare workers, not replace responsibilities

‍The way we’re using them now, AI tools primarily aim to speed up workflows and improve operational efficiencies—whether it’s faster prior authorizations or streamlined documentation through AI scribes. But without careful implementation, these efficiencies could merely increase volume without enhancing care quality. Accelerating prior authorizations might lead to more requests and denials, rather than improved outcomes. Saving time on documentation might enable doctors to see more patients, but it doesn’t necessarily mean better patient interactions. We need to look beyond low-hanging fruit to achieve lasting impact. The industry must ask itself: Will widespread AI adoption genuinely drive health outcomes? And crucially, how do we encourage buy-in in a field where practitioners—trained over decades to rely on their own expertise—may resist technology-driven changes? At IDEO, we recently worked with a large payer organization to develop an internal AI strategy, focusing on how to foster acceptance across all employee levels. Building comfort with AI requires thoughtful design that respects existing expertise while gradually upskilling, rather than displacing, responsibilities.

‍3. “Practical innovation” may just be a buzzword

‍On the ground, we heard a lot about the challenge of sustaining innovation as budgets tighten across the healthcare landscape. Our conversations with people driving innovation at health systems and large organizations revealed not only budget cuts, but also a shift toward tactical, outcome-driven approaches. Organizations that we spoke with are increasingly looking to “practical innovation” to kick start their innovation cycle. Practical innovation in its original definition ensures a focus on commercial impact vs. innovation theater–a concept that we bring to each of the challenges we take on–but we shouldn’t allow the push for pragmatism to result in innovation falling into a trap. In this climate, innovation teams are expected to tie their work to key metrics prematurely, and reach scaled efficiency too quickly. This results in fewer bets, lower tolerance for risk, and a short runway to demonstrate outcome-focused results. Design has a crucial role to play in avoiding potential traps and increasing impact. For instance, by leaning into co-design and creating products alongside providers and patients, we can significantly de-risk innovative products and services. During our partnership with Kooth to create a mental healthcare app for youth in California, we worked directly with a youth council of 50 diverse young people to launch and validate a proof-of-concept, before then getting full investment for a state-wide launch.

‍4. Hospitals are recognizing their power as innovative forces in the healthcare ecosystem

‍Shaking off the antiquated image that they’re bureaucratic dinosaurs, hospitals across the country are setting their sights on innovation and beginning to think of themselves as engines of impact across the healthcare ecosystem. Whether that’s lending their space and access to incubate startups or giving their skilled medical talent the time and resources they need to conduct research and development activities, hospitals are eager to deploy their assets in new ways to unlock new value and drive exponential impact by improving healthcare experiences and outcomes.

‍5. The time for good health is (always) now

‍Every year, we see, hear, and feel a sense of urgency around solving large, intractable problems, and every year we feel the collective disappointment that we are falling short of the progress we hope to see. Over the course of our week in Las Vegas, we spoke to thousands of people from across the healthcare ecosystem about novel ideas, genuine patient needs, product innovation, and promising new therapies. Each and every person wants to make an impact to improve the lives of those we serve—and it is true that we are seeing some remarkable progress. But good health remains elusive for many. We are working with clients in every corner of the sector to make good health a reality—innovating patient care, supporting carers to deliver on the purpose that drove their choice in vocation, partnering with life science companies to deliver innovative care to patients, and digital health companies to make huge leaps in how we deliver care. Our goal? To make healthier human futures a reality of today, not the hope for tomorrow.

We dedicate a lot of our time to making healthier human futures, from working with healthcare providers to create a culture of innovation, partnering with pharmaceutical companies to create new drug delivery approaches, and co-creating new digital solutions with disrupters.

This initiative, aimed at exploring what the next 10-15 years might bring, allowed me to leverage the full spectrum of a futurist's tools as well as those of an organizational designer—simultaneously exploring their design question while teaching and integrating foresight capabilities.

Being a futurist means spotting signals that may only be whispers today, but could become profound shifts tomorrow—shifts that companies will have to be prepared to navigate. When playing this role we use a mix of facilitative, creative, and analytical tools that not only identify emerging patterns, but also embed foresight into the organization itself, helping shape the culture to be more forward-facing. Our techniques range from examining historical patterns to scanning for signals of change to telling stories of multiple plausible futures—each designed to bring clarity to a complex environment and make emerging opportunities actionable for an organization as a whole.

What do those tools include?

Hunting for signals in the noise

Identifying and tracking signals of change is the primary activity of any foresight work. It’s focused on spotting glimpses of the future that exist in the world today. A signal might be a new idea, behavior, technology, social context, or business model that may seem insignificant now, but could redefine industries or the world at large if it scales. Recent examples I uncovered for clients include everything from the resurgence of “dumb” phones to the emergence of four-day work weeks to big tech’s greenhouse gas emissions surges fueled by the expansion of AI. Grasping these subtle shifts enables teams to broaden their perspectives and think beyond what’s currently happening.

Mapping drivers of change

Tracking and mapping broader trends and underlying drivers of change — like the climate crisis or the rapid rise of LLMs —gives further context to signals and reveals potential structural shifts influencing social, technical, environmental, economic and political systems—ultimately shaping how organizations adapt, innovate, and respond to emerging opportunities and risks in the future. Understanding the why behind these changes allows teams to build flexible strategies grounded in deep awareness of external forces.

Considering different futures

Imagining a range of possible futures challenges teams to consider different potential outcomes and to design tangible steps the company can take to either grab opportunity or avoid risk. Although it's important to imagine ideal or preferred future scenarios to create a transformative vision for the future, it's just as critical to explore potential futures with extreme uncertainty or disruption to stress-test ideas. Imagining “what if” scenarios like, “What if AI became the standard for all customer service?” or, “What if customers demand ownership of their data?”stretches a team's thinking to identify resilience strategies and become more nimble.

Preparing for disruption

Identifying and interpreting emerging paradigms helps organizations to anticipate market or strategic shifts before they disrupt, making it possible to proactively invest in nascent opportunities or manage the decline of legacy approaches or systems. It minimizes risks associated with abrupt change and encourages continuous innovation, ensuring the organization remains competitive and able to seize new growth opportunities as they arise. It’s all about building confidence in making strategic choices.

Creating artifacts from the future

A future news headline, a mock product, or an immersive experience can make abstract concepts concrete, spark discussion and inspire strategic actions that could be aligned with longer-term goals. Sometimes the most powerful stories or artifacts of the future are those that are the most mundane, like a job description or a transportation ticket set 15-20 years into the future. These  visions bring the future to life, and enable teams to embed future-thinking into strategic choice making.

Given the scale of the organization I was working with, we expanded the traditional signals exploration, mapping everything from the future of work and retirement, to the rise of a digitally-native generation, to shifts in human decision-making related to a broad and rapid integration of AI. A collaborative team of consultants and internal staff updated this tool weekly, regularly identifying and tracking trends, drivers, and future scenarios across the tech industry. And we mapped paradigm shifts in critical areas of the company’s operations, spotlighting strategic opportunities to lead change in the space.

Additionally, we developed and deployed a futures-focused curriculum and a program to engage leadership and key cross-functional stakeholders, ensuring lasting impact and sustained capabilities across the organization. Not only did we prepare the organization to anticipate and navigate future shifts, we also embedded a lasting culture of foresight, empowering the organization to lead its industry with confidence and agility.

For companies like this one, having a futurist-in-residence is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic imperative. This role is critical for two reasons: preparation and opportunity. With so many variables at play—from technological advances to societal shifts—it’s critical to have someone who can filter through the signal noise, identify potential game-changing opportunities, and help those who guide the organization to adopt a more forward-thinking approach. The role can also foster a culture that challenges assumptions, encourages innovative and creative thinking, and equips teams to identify and interpret the forces that are shaping tomorrow.

In today’s volatile and complex world, companies need futurists not just as advisors, but as strategic enablers who build futures literacy across an organization. Investing in the future means investing in the people who can help organizations see a wide array of futures clearly and act on uncertainty with confidence, helping turn that uncertainty into strategic possibility.

As part of a client engagement, I recently stepped into a futurist-in-residence-style role for a major tech company that was eager to infuse futures thinking throughout an already innovative organization.

One of the ways they deliver this value is by being more approachable and responsive to a wide range of user behaviors. Or, seen another way, by being social and emotional by default. Designers of these tools can lean into the power of emotional engagement, or pretend it isn’t actually there at all. Count us on the side of emotional engagement: We believe that designers should understand and intentionally integrate emotion into data analysis tools.

Why does emotional engagement with data matter?

Data is at the heart of decision-making, driving everything from product development to customer service. Every presentation of data is ultimately telling a story, from a dry spreadsheet to Florence Nightingale’s famous casualty diagram. But how effective, impactful and, perhaps most importantly, intentional is that story? Emotional engagement is vital because it not only makes data more relatable, but also invites curiosity and deeper reflection. By intentionally crafting the personality of conversational AI systems, we can create experiences that enhance functionality through emotional connection.

Personality-driven AI interfaces help transform the process of making sense of data into an experience that can spark empathy, understanding, and even enjoyment. This approach offers a way to help AI systems humanize data, making the interaction with that data feel less transactional and more like a conversation.

The role of personality in AI systems

Integrating personality into data presentation systems is more than a party trick to add life to your pie charts. It’s about designing tools that can communicate with users in ways that reflect their mood, tone, and even sense of humor. Large Language Models (LLMs) make this not just possible, but accessible to everyone who needs to present data. By generating natural-sounding dialogue and infusing it with personality, LLMs allow for conversations that resonate emotionally—and at times playfully—rather than just delivering dry data. We believe all data tells a story, and LLMs can help you tell a better one.

What can that look like in practice?

During a recent workshop we hosted at HCI International 2024, we asked participants to design AI-enabled systems using an evolved version of the "Talking to Docs" framework. Our goal was to strip back the LLM interface as much as possible, until it contained just the elements we wanted to explore: a base prompt and a searchable vectorized document set. This simplification let our participants experience how setting intentions around personality and emotional framing through prompt engineering can recontextualize their unstructured data (held in the vectorized document set). Each participant took a unique approach to how their unstructured data could be presented in a more intentionally humanized way, blending functionality with personality. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Exploring Newton’s Principia Mathematica with an enthusiastic fitness coach

One participant created a conversational system to explain Newton’s Principia Mathematica in the style of an overly-enthusiastic fitness instructor. This personality is rooted in humor and contrast. Principia contains some of the most revolutionary ideas in physics, not to mention that it’s written in Latin–not an inviting combination. By choosing the framing of a fitness coach, the system immediately added a whole different set of cultural signifiers. But, the benefits went beyond style. The system actually framed its explanations of the ideas in the text as fitness metaphors, making them more relatable to a common human experience—like when it explained the concept of gravity.
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"Just like your muscles build momentum during a run, gravity pulls that ball down the hill! Keep up the energy,—you’ve got this!"‍

This example shows how AI can make even the most challenging material feel dynamic and engaging and, perhaps most importantly, welcoming to audiences who might not be seen as the core one for a particular subject​.

What could this mean in real-world applications? Imagine large multinational corporations creating engaging experiences for AI adoption and upskilling their workers; hospitals could explain complex medical treatments to patients in digestible ways, and schools and education companies could make tough subjects more fun and accessible to learners.

2. Demystifying Picasso’s Guernica for the curious

Another participant used a friendly, approachable art teacher personality to explain Picasso’s Guernica to younger audiences. By using relatable language and a conversational tone, the system helped break down the complex themes and techniques of the painting, making art more accessible as a patient teacher might:
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"Picasso broke things apart and put them back together in strange ways to show the confusion and chaos of war. It’s like a giant puzzle, and you’re the detective figuring it out!"‍

LLMs can be prompted to use existing pedagogy techniques (for example, Socratic dialogue or reciprocal teaching) to deepen understanding of topics a user might normally just skim over. This approach could be used by art and fashion players like museums and brands to explain the backstories of their artifacts, or by travel companies to add greater context to a visitor’s experience of a new place. Or, even more provocatively, this technique could be used to create understanding, consent and trust when agreeing to data usage, especially in highly-sensitive but complex areas like genetic data and other personal information.

3. Adapting the approach to user behavior

A third participant introduced a humorous twist to the bureaucratic process of filling out tax forms by creating an interface that changes its entire persona based on the attitude of its user. If the system detects the user’s tone as positive  and polite, it responds with the personality of a bubbly, cheerful government worker right at the start of their career. But if the system sees that the user is grumpy or rude, it replies with a sarcastic and grudging attitude, and adopts the persona of a government worker on their very last day on the job.
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"Ugh, all right. You do not put your ITIN here. Grab a coffee and take a deep dive into section 4 of Pub. 15 if you really want to know more."‍

What happens when you no longer have to design your interface with an assumed user intent, but instead can dynamically adjust it based not just on explicitly gathered user preferences, but on their tone and attitude?

There are many applications where creating some intentional friction when users don’t behave as intended is desirable, from financial planning to medical treatment plan adherence. Instead of building these frictions on a one-size-fits all design, we can use LLMs to estimate user attitudes and create the right behavioral nudges at the right time. And maybe they can even manage to be funny while doing it.

The future of emotionally-engaged AI design

Designing AI-enabled systems isn’t just about efficiency and ease. It’s about creating meaningful interactions that leverage how humans think and feel to make data more accessible, relatable, and even enjoyable. With their ability to understand and transform human language, AI systems naturally evoke emotional responses that differ from those triggered by traditional software or hardware. Even the absence of a defined personality becomes a personality in itself. As designers of these systems, it’s our responsibility to think deeply about how they’ll relate to users, not just how technically accurate their responses will be. The applications of personality-driven, emotionally-infused AI interfaces can span sectors from technology to healthcare, culture, media, education, government, consumer products, and beyond, potentially making data more vital, relatable, and actionable in all of our everyday lives. It all depends on design.

As AI technology advances, so does the potential to reimagine how we experience data—where even the most abstract information can evoke curiosity, empathy, and engagement.

Try it for yourself

We created this process to make engaging with the fundamentals of AI tools more accessible to designers–and that means you too! If you’d like to try your hand at our personality crafting exercise you can find instructions here. We’d love to hear about what you make! And if you’d like to partner with us to help solve an AI problem of your own, get in touch.

AI data analysis tools are promising a lot: efficiency, adaptability—even enhanced comprehension.

I help organizations cut through complexity by shaping how they show up, through brand strategy, identity, and storytelling.

Working at the intersection of brand and business, I bring an editorial eye and a bias toward making—turning ideas into tangible experiences that people can understand, trust, and believe in.

My work spans government, healthcare, financial services, media, and consumer goods, from launching Gen Z-focused ventures to building innovation labs and reimagining legacy brands. I relish moments of ambiguity and enjoy translating across teams, perspectives, and priorities to move ideas forward.

I started my career in editorial and digital design, shaping cross-platform experiences and identity systems in publishing and agency environments. That foundation still shapes how I work today: I’m detail-oriented, collaborative, and overreliant on the Oxford comma. I hold a BFA in Visual Communication from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

For 25 years, I've asked the same question: Who does this design exclude—and what are we going to do about it?

My work spans human-centered strategy, inclusive design, and qualitative research, with clients ranging from Microsoft, Google, and Verizon to the National Science Foundation, and San Francisco Unified School District.

Before IDEO, I taught elementary school in East Palo Alto and spent a decade doing design work with social service organizations—where I learned firsthand what it costs people when systems are built without them in mind.

I am currently writing User Error, a nonfiction book about digital access and the design decisions behind it. I live in Oakland, California.

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My expertise spans brand, communication, and product design across tech, education, the arts, and social impact.

I believe great work demands both high-level vision and obsessive attention to detail, and only happens through collaboration.

I bring an inclusive, hands-on approach and a deep understanding of business, which enables me to consistently deliver excellence while always asking why.

Before joining IDEO, I worked at the brand firms Pentagram and VSA Partners. I began my career as a designer, leading teams at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Milwaukee Art Museum. I hold an MFA in graphic design from Maryland Institute College of Art and a BFA in communication design from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, and have taught at some of the best design schools in the US.

I am responsible for IDEO’s long-term success in China and working with clients to use design as a tool to enable growth. Specifically, I have helped Chinese companies design holistic brand solutions through the development of their products, communication, services, and innovation teams, and I have helped multinationals expand their presence and influence in China.

I advise global leaders on developing China-led innovation and capabilities.

In over 15 years in IDEO Shanghai, I have worked on projects that use design to elevate the quality of the experience of healthcare products and services, streamline processes that increase productivity, create spaces and programs that promote and enable inclusive communities, and build next generation mobility solutions that are planet-positive.

Before joining IDEO, I worked at Philips Electronics and the Electrolux Group in Italy, the Netherlands, and Singapore on a number of breakthrough commercial products. I am a member of the Young President Organization in Shanghai.

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