Open IDEO Case Reflection

I do think that human-centered design can be put online, since while meeting in person can help with idea generation, being online can help reach out to more people with various backgrounds and interests. This is valuable because it will increase the likelihood of finding a solution to the problem. Managing a challenge online would be different since working in real-time might be harder, and by the time the team members respond to each other, it is possible that their ideas for solutions might have shifted in different directions. It is also likely that there might be language barriers and that translators will be needed. Another problem is that mistranslations may occur. Because of this, I believe that while human-centered design can be put online, a hybrid version such as collaboration between OpenIDEO and IDEO would be much more effective. The ground team would be able to completely understand the issue and the perspectives of everyone involved, and then they would be able to work with the online team to create a solution. In the Air New Zealand case study, the IDEO team visited New Zealand and traveled on multiple airlines so that they could understand the culture of New Zealand and the airline customers’ experiences. Afterwards, the IDEO team separated the data into common themes in order to find a solution. If they had worked with an OpenIDEO team, they might have come across entirely different solutions, and might have even found one that is more effective. In order to foster collaboration and make spaces safe, all the users of the space need to ensure that they are non-judgemental and willing to listen to different ideas. In addition, some people are more comfortable with voicing their opinions through writing, so it would be useful to have an online space (or an area where they can print out and share reports) where they can submit their research and solutions. Their co-workers could then build off this information and ask any questions that they might have.