Ideo’s Innovation Process

IDEO processes

IDEO’s innovation process is centralized by productive brainstorming and rapid prototyping during development and encourages ideas and activity. There several phases to this which includes: Understanding and client business and observing feasibility of the product, Visualizing product context, Enhancing prototypes, manufacturability, and smooth implementation. 

IDEO is an extremely flat organization. Teams were organized with no permanent assignments or organization charts and titles. Teams members were enabled to be more creative and produce more quality of work and with a lack of hierarchy they were driven with motivation without the administrative aspect. The company provides a culture where employees can be creative with ideas that sound absurd at first which are then funnelled through the process. Employees were enabled to design their workspace to reflect their personalities, discouraged formal titles with no mandated dress codes, and high interaction among peers. 

IDEO’s management style was to empower their employees ad give them the motivation and creative environment to deliver the best product. IDEO focused on managing good employees and employees were rarely fired. If the free environment does not seem motivating enough, management still provided rewards for high performing employees with leadership for more projects.

I would characterize their process, organization, culture and management as progressive. As stated in the case study, their philosophy is iconoclasm with a respect for new ideas and invention. They have a very low turnover rate and employees are encourage to personalize their workspaces and discouraged formal titles and dress codes. I would say their process is organic in the sense that they were encouraged to brainstorm in the early stages and get creative. They may have a few ideas stem from this approach and would ultimately funnel down to one idea.