IDEO Case- Ch. 4; Marketing Management, Kotler; pg 119

1. Why has IDEO been so successful? What is the most difficult challenge it faces in conducting its research and designing its products? IDEO has been successful due to a “design thinking” approach centered around “human-centered methodology.” In addition, they design products that consumers actively want because they solve a consumer’s problem and as a result offer a superior experience. The most difficult challenge for IDEO is to design products from the outside in, in order to put customers first, as opposed to most tech companies that design from the inside out. They do deep dives into consumer behavior to determine how they purchase, interact with, use, and even dispose of products. They employ methods such as shadowing consumers, taking pictures or videos of them during product purchase or use occasions, conducting in-depth interviews with them to further evaluate their experiences. They also use “behavioral mapping,” which creates a photo log of people within a certain area like an airline departure lounge, a hospital waiting room, or a mall food court over a span of several days to gauge how the experience can be improved. IDEO also utilizes“camera journals” that participants keep, in which they record their visual impressions of a given product or category. They also invite consumers to use “storytelling” techniques to share personal narratives, videos, skits, or even animations about their experiences with a product or service.

2. In the end, IDEO creates great solutions for companies that then receive all the credit. Should IDEO try to create more brand awareness for itself? Why or why not? Until I read this article, I had never heard of IDEO. I had always assumed that Apple, Palm, TIVO, Procter & Gamble had designed those products themselves. Therefore, based on the approach described in