Week 1 Reflection

Upon reading the introduction on OpenIDEO, I immediately thought it was not the best idea as it would take away from the empathy factor in design research (since it would be more similar to an online survey which is not an ideal form of generating human-centered solutions). However, reading through the article, I learned about how the online format was implemented in different projects to enhance the company’s approach to solving problems. For example, I appreciated how it was efficiently used to gather ideas on the issue of bone marrow donations. This example shows how the platform was a critical step in starting a domino’s effect of ideas. I quickly realized how useful the online platform is! The new format has allowed people of all different backgrounds and ages to sign up and contribute to existing projects and problems. This alone provides thousands of different perspectives which are always appreciated (as long as the right questions are asked). As expressed by the article, “What is Design Thinking and Why It Is So Popular”, it is very important to think outside of the box and allow for fresh perspectives, just as the young boy was able to surprise professionals in the field with his simplistic yet efficient solution to a truck being stuck under a bridge.

One question that rose while learning about the development of this online platform was how are the contributors going to receive credit for their ideas? The answer to this question quickly came up as I continued my reading: the company strayed away from monetary compensations and instead focused on recognition as well as allowing members of the community the opportunity to be employed at IDEO. They also ensured to create a supportive community by making it less of a competition and more of a collaborative space that builds on ideas. Additionally, they wanted to ensure that the members are aware of the impacts their ideas have on the projects and allow them to continue to contribute throughout the Realization Phase. I believe that the merging of IDEO and OpenIDEO will accelerate the design process and increase the quality of the work because the more people are involved, the more inclusive the environment will be and the more diverse the ideas will be. This makes the ideas more likely to find and solve the fundamental problem, and not just the “symptoms”. Thus, I believe that human-centered design can be put online.