Masih AnwarShella Bakke

Matthew EldredKaren He

Breaking the traditional project management process

IDEO Product Development

Overview of IDEO

Based out of Silicon Valley since 1991, IDEO uses Design Thinking methodologies coupled with engineering to create aesthetically appealing products with ease of use

Prototyping is IDEO’s philosophy to go through multiple iterations and focus on small parts of the prototype.

Extremely challenging to create devices involving compact and complex design such as automotive components, medical instruments, and small computing devices

Clients: Apple, AT&T, Samsung, Philips, Amtrak, Steelcase, Baxter International, NEC Corp.

Design Centers: Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, London, Palo Alto, Grand Rapids, New York, Milan, Tel Aviv, Tokyo. DCs run independently for local business but best practice exchanges.

Monitoring & Controlling Processes Initiating ProcessesPlanning ProcessesExecuting ProcessesMonitoring and Controlling

ProcessesClosing Processes

PMBOK IDEO’s Innovation

ProcessPhase 0: Understand &

ObservePhase 1: Visualize & RealizePhase 2: Evaluate & RefinePhase 3: Implement &

Detailed EngineeringPhase 4: Implement &

Manufacturing Liaison

IDEO

Project Phases: IDEO versus PMBOK

Closely tied to prototyping – took place throughout Phases 1 and 2 of the project

Brainstorming Principles Stay focused on topic Encourage wild ideas Defer judgment to avoid interrupting flow of ideas Build on the ideas of others Hold only one conversation at a time Go for quantity! Be visual

Other office initiatives designed to inspire creativity: Monday ‘Show & Tells’ ‘Tech Box’ to inspire innovators by having them play with ~300 objects including

switches, buttons, archery bows, etc.

Brainstormers at IDEO

Used as a way to communicatePrototypes ensured everyone was imagining the same

designCould be simple or sophisticated

Depends upon project statusRough, Rapid, Right!

The goal of prototyping was to get one specific aspect of design correct

Prototypes at IDEO

Project roles were very transientRoles assigned by team leaders and played out by

team membersProject teams formed for the life of a project and then

disbandedNo permanent job titles or assignments

Leaders emerged on basis of personal excitement about a project

Engineers and designers did not feel forced into management

Project Roles at IDEO

Overview of Palm V Project

• Jeff Hawkins developed the ‘Palm Pilot’ that meant to compete with paper rather than larger computers. Palm Pilot had immediate customer acceptance, leading new entrants in the market with new functionalities but Jeff Hawkins cared about simplicity.

• Dennis Boyle from IDEO to work with Hawkins to simplify the Palm and draw more female users. Currently 95% of Palm users are men.

• Boyle’s team outlined plans for a slimmer, sleeker version of the existing Palm. Reducing thickness from 19mm to 11mm and reducing weight by ⅓

Comparison: Palm V and Handspring Visor

Project start July 1998, project end October 1999 (10 months) Phase 1: 2 months Phase 2: 3 months Phase: 3 & 4: 5 months

$150 Inexpensive plastic housing and

AAA batteries Springboard for cartridge insert

Handspring Visor

Project start Fall 1996, Project end February 1999 (22 months) Phase 0: 3 months Phase 1: 2 months Phase 2: 5 months Phase 3: 6 months Phase 4: 6 months

$450 Rechargeable lithium-ion

battery

Palm V

Innovation & design vs. client’s goals ‘tried and true technology’ vs. early phases of development

process

Our Suggestion would be to go with option 3 – Delay Project.

Should IDEO accept Visor Project?

Decline Project Accept Project Delay Project

Pro: • IDEO’s brand & values

Con: • Potential lost revenue• Hawkin’s relationship at

stake

Pro: • New design to IDEO’s

portfolio• Gain market share in hand-

held devices

Con: • IDEO’s brand reputation

Pro: • More time for design

prototype• Better quality

Con: • Lowered projected

Handspring sales

Dennis Boyle accepted visor project Visor was released in September 1999, but the product had

design flaws“In one quarter of selling exclusively over its Website, Handspring racked up

sales of $15.8 million on an unspecified number of units with 32% gross margin” - Fortune

“As that selling season was marred by glitches at Handspring's Website, which made it difficult for the company to satisfy demand, investors still don't have even a real yardstick to measure sales” - Fortune

In 2002, handspring discontinued Visor and integrated Visorphone to launch TREO smartphones

In 2003, Handspring merged with Palm, Inc. (defunct in 2011)

Results

Questions & Discussion

Appendix

New Project Process

IDEO would provide ideas and concepts that are within budget and timelines

IDEO submits cost and time estimates to potential clients, ranging from $40K to $1M

Designers’ perfectionism would lead to cost and time overruns (Creeping elegance)

Palm V and Handspring Visor Timeline

“We are at a critical point where rapid change is forcing us to look not just to new ways of solving problems but to new problems to solve.” -Tim Brown CEO

“Opportunity to work on amazing challenges. Flexibility to shape your work and career. Amazing colleagues and culture.” – Anonymous Employee “Glassdoor”

“ One can’t help but wonder if these design flaws could have been avoided, had IDEO been able to spend more time early on during the product development” – Anonymous researcher

Reviews about IDEO