Ideo Case Analysis

Danielle Erlich

Dr. Dasborough

MGT 304

10/5/2011

Case 4- IDEO

IDEO is a global design and innovation firm that was founded in 1991. The company is innovative in its way of business and the way it handles its employees. The design they use is a human-centered design approach, which is used to help organizations in all sectors. IDEO’s goal is to generate interesting and original ideas through the use of design thinking which uses collaboration and engages people from all different expertise and areas in dialogue to generate such ideas.

When hiring, IDEO uses an interesting and unique process when hiring people. The company looks to hire people who have strength in a specific field and are passionate about what they do. These people are also known as “T-shaped people”. IDEO workers are all very willingly to work in collaborative groups. All IDEO workers use brainstorming as a fundamental element of design thinking. The employees at IDEO must be able to perform in difficult times where there may be lack of information, confusion, etc. Using their creativity, IDEO employees create videos and similar tools in order to present their thoughts and ideas in a easy way to comprehend.

This company functions similarly to a democratic government. IDEO as a company does not have a dress code, there is no formal titles for employees, and promotes employees to expand from the traditional work environment. Therefore, the company developed many open workspaces that people say remind them of Kindergarten classrooms in order for designers to talk to each other and mingle in a non-stressful environment.

Idea thinking is displayed within the company, by using team inputs such as team structure, member, characteristics, organizational resources and support. They also use Team processes such as norms, decision-making, groupthink, and synergy in order to develop successful ideas. Groupthink often occurs when members lose their critical evaluative capabilities causing them...