E-Types Case Study

e-Types A/S

A design firm founded in 1997 by a few design school graduates. During the dot.com bubble, the company was doing great, with many projects and clients. However, in the 2000s, some of the original founders have left, and the clients became fewer and fewer.

In 2001 e-Types merged with Wetware, and it became a successful cooperation. The company grew, but by 2003 the growth and success led to disagreements. After a crisis, the company established itself again. By the end of 2005, the number of employees had doubled and the firm had reasserted itself in brand strategy, corporate identity, and graphic design.

Four criteria when deciding whether to take a job: Fun, Finance, Fame, and Forward.

1. Will it be fun for us to do?

2. Will it be financially rewarding?

3. Will it expand our reputation and earn us respect?

4. Will it challenge us to develop our skills in a new direction or help us establish new client relationships?

e-Typaes characteristics:

• Employees always busy meeting deadlines
• Dedication was critical to getting the “right idea”
• Thinking in ideas not in hours
• Working overtime
• Desire to be number one (“if you’re not number 1 or 2 it’s not fun”)
• Cooking and eating together was part of the culture

Team Danmark Competition

• TD needed to be more appealing to sponsors, create a visual identity
• e-Types had 3 weeks to come up with something, less than ideal

e-Types Assignment Questions:

1) Which design should e-Types show to the client? How should they think about this decision?

• They should stick with their design
• Even though it is a big opportunity, creating the classic design for TD would not be who they are, might even convey the wrong message to the outside
• e-Types is financially secure and already enjoys a good reputation
• Challenging the client is part of their culture
• They would compromise identity for money

2) How might e-Types become more profitable?

• Economies of scale

• Standardize process (e.g. Type A, Type B, etc.); do something else based on the project

• IDEO process

• Cost effective?
• Creativity

• Raise prices? –> unique product: high price

3) How should e-Types think about their next phase of growth? Can they become bigger while remaining the kind of firm they want to be?

• They would have to compromise something
• Either profit or brand identity
• Expanding internationally while keeping the exact same culture would be impossible
• They can branch out, go to other countries, and carefully select their employees
• However, they will have to give up some control

• Or remain loyal to their identity and remain in Copenhagen
• Increase their reputation, start charging a premium
• Become an “exclusive” design firm: not more clients, but bigger and more exclusive clients –> keeping their identity while still making more money

• New offices

• Lose “edgy style”
• Can the new companies learn the right thing

• Product development
• Departments, subsidiaries

Team New Zealand

• Task to design a boat to win America’s Cup
• Question whether to build two similar boats, two different ones, or just one at first and a second one after the prototyping
• Team spent three weeks defining the mission statement and their vision of how to work together
• Lead designer is considered one of the best one in the world

Team New Zealand Assignment Questions:

1) Evaluate how Team New Zealand has set up its syndicate and the way it is running product development. What are the strengths and weaknesses of its program?

• Emphasize on team building and common vision
• Using simulation technology

2) Which yacht construction strategy should Team New Zealand follow:

a) two identical boats now;

b) two different boats now; or

c) one boat now and one later?