Introduction
“We created everything around us except trees,” claimed Dave Kelly – the engineering leader of the Department of Creativity and Innovations of IDEO Company, whose primary role is to organize the team of creators to wrap any invention into the innovative form to attract more people to use the invented things ("Inside IDEO - Part 1").
Four key elements are necessary to succeed in creativity –the creative person, the product, the process that allows creating in comfort for the creativity conditions and, last, but not least, the possibilities – the climate, surrounding people, process and product (Rhodes, 1961).
This video tells us about the typical working days in IDEO when a group of people is ought to offer the new vision of what people are used to consuming and working with every day. It was fascinating to watch all steps of creating a masterpiece from coming with a brilliant idea to the fruiting and realization of the ready product.
1. People
Dave Kelly is working for IDEO as an engineering professor, is responsible for kicking the team to be creative providing them with the freedom to make a decision but demanding the result by the assigned deadline.
Peter Skillman – a 35-year-old Stanford engineer - works as a project leader.
Tom Kelly (Dave’s brother) is a marketing expert.
Alex Kazaks – a biologist who has turned down four times the university because he made lots of fun all the time.
A woman, Jane Faultonsorrow, who is working as a psychologist ("Inside IDEO - Part 1"). Although Dave is a supreme leader, he only arranges the deadline and monitors the overall execution of the primary task. All preparatory and ongoing work is the responsibility of Peter Skillman, who is competent in creating and mixing up the groups of people, beginning and stopping the stages of the whole work.
2. Product
For IDEO there is “no difference between a spaceship and a toothbrush or toothpaste”, -ensures Dave Kelly ("Inside IDEO - Part 2"). They even tried to mix a monster with a sneaker, although did not succeed in it. Regardless, anything can attract the IDEO specialists’ attention regarding possible modifications and improvements. In particular, in the video we could watch the process of modification of an ordinary shopping cart during the limited deadline – five days only.
So, from an ordinary shopping cart, the creators made a much mobile one, that allowed people to move freely in the shop because it contained many small boxes instead of the only one big container.
Moreover, one big box was removed, and the designers fixed lots of hooks on every side of the cart to hang the plastic packets with the goods.
Furthermore, the vehicle was equipped with the safe seat for the children with the platform to play or put something on it in front of the kid.
And, finally, the cart was equipped with the special scanner that would help the customer to scan the codes on the product covering to define the price and the date of expiring.
3. Process
As for the process, distinct critical thinking approaches are going through the evocation, realization, and reflection stages. The first stage – evocation – people admit the challenge and start expressing their ideas. During this juncture, any criticizing is forbidden. People are welcome to any “wild ideas” ("Inside IDEO - Part 2").
Then the project leader assigns each to the particular group where people discuss their visions and should agree on the only one idea to represent it further to the other groups. People do not spend time at their desks – they are free to consult with the experts and what they usually do is go to the places of target audience attendance, talking to the potential consumers as well as professionals working with the future innovated thing.
The ‘deep dive’ process ("Inside IDEO - Part 3") means something more than just brainstorming. People defend their ideas in front of other people. This stage is for accepting or rejecting, and employees should be ready is their ideas are not for others.
Finally, all coworkers agreed and approved one idea. People start working on its implementation – creating the prototype that will be presented to Dave soon ("Inside IDEO - Part 3").
4. Possibilities
Creativity is impossible without chaos, and IDEO proves it with every its detail of its interior.
“A black umbrella under the ceiling hides the computer screen from the direct sunlight.
The bicycles on the ropes are adjusted to the roof to prevent the clutter” ("Inside IDEO - Part 3").
The basketball ring and balls serve for facilitating the process and providing a relaxing atmosphere.
There are also some musical instruments to play when it is necessary to raise the spirit.
All these attributes demonstrate how weird the IDEO company and how proud it is by being so unusual and genius. However, for the first time clients the company has the conference room with the formal atmosphere in order not to make the unprepared person afraid of such an unusual environment.
IDEO Company is a good example how to organize a creative working place and encourage creative thinking in people.
Works Cited
"ICSCreativity.": Mel Rhodes: The Man Behind the Four P's of Creativity. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 June 2016.
KyrylTube. "Inside IDEO - Part 1." YouTube. YouTube, 28 May 2011. Web. 21 June 2016.
KyrylTube. "Inside IDEO - Part 1." YouTube. YouTube, 28 May 2011. Web. 21 June 2016.
KyrylTube. "Inside IDEO - Part 1." YouTube. YouTube, 28 May 2011. Web. 21 June 2016.
