Reflection 1 _Open IDEO Case Study

IDEO is an example of a design company with many novel and creative approaches in its product development process. “Innovation starts with the eyes.” IDEO believes that observation is the starting point of all design, and personal experience is better than all virtuality and imagination. IDEO’s dynamic design team always moves quickly to identify problems. Rather than interviewing “experts” or engaging in traditional “focus group” surveys, they go back to the source and observe product users or potential users of developing products. Find problems through subtle observation.

Proposing solutions by listening to customers’ ideas sounds simple, but anyone with experience in project docking knows it is much more difficult in actual operation. Especially now, with the development of information technology, online management is facing enormous challenges. Many times, customers need help understanding what problems they are facing and what the real difficulties are that need to be solved. During the IDEO online work process, it will be complicated to establish empathy and achieve emotional resonance with project customers and users in the first place. Therefore, I do not favor simple online interviews with clients because it is difficult for clients to explain what is wrong in their lives with the appropriate words or lack of taste. And when customers say “okay,” they realize that the message conveyed by language is hollow and worthless. IDEO emphasizes observing the behaviors people take for granted daily because the most ordinary things contain the most profound knowledge. How can you truly help your customers if you need help understanding them first?