posted 08-01-2003 10:08 AM              

Can anybody help?

posted 08-01-2003 01:03 PM              

quote:

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Originally posted by PigBoy:
I am doing a research paper on the "design experience" and wanted to talk to some actual people who have worked with them.

Can anybody help?

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Sounds like you're thinking about working there and just want to check on them.

nice cover though..... research "paper" ..haha

posted 08-01-2003 01:38 PM              

Some people actually do research white papers so they can go in front of their board of directors to convince them that Industrial Design needs to be a core business on the same level as engineering etc.

posted 08-01-2003 01:54 PM              

quote:

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Originally posted by PigBoy:
Some people actually do research white papers so they can go in front of their board of directors to convince them that Industrial Design needs to be a core business on the same level as engineering etc.

But I am sure you knew this...

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haha... the more reason why this is a good cover. I'm only saying that this is a good way to find out about companies which interest you - in case you want to work there. But... if you sincerely want to know about IDEO and what it's like there because you ARE going to write a paper, then why don't you look at their current employee list and try to interview one of them? Trying to interview someone who left IDEO might not be the best way to get up-to-date info. Besides, they might have been layed off for one reason and another and they might have a strongly "opinionated" view of the company.

posted 08-01-2003 03:25 PM              

quote:

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Originally posted by PigBoy:
I am doing a research paper on the "design experience" and wanted to talk to some actual people who have worked with them

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posted 08-01-2003 03:31 PM              

I would love to take a look at their employee list! Do you know where I can get it?

When I say "design experience" I dont mean working for them, but rather with them. Not so much as an employee, but more as a partner. Their clients rave about how IDEO makes them feel like they are part of the team and provides them with a WOW! experience. I am trying to compare this with the perception of quality, responsiveness, and ultimate product sucess.

You really shouldnt judge people so quickly!
Some of are actually telling the truth!

posted 08-01-2003 03:55 PM              

On the other hand, they tend to want to cater to non-designers. They want to be the only sighted people among blinds. And they don’t take guidance too well as they think they know more than anybody else. Also they tend to put slick people on a podium in presentations or workshops who may not be too involved in the project or familiar with the project. They have a few “talkers” with strong opinions who are into themselves and can’t keep their mouths shut.

posted 08-01-2003 07:47 PM              

Thanks for your honest replies. What info I have gathered so far is similar to Mixed Feelings reply. One firm I talked to described them as great designers, but needed alot of direction and lacked focus. Good for blue sky thinking, but tough when something needs to be reduced to practice.

However, no matter how ther are viewed in the design world, the business world considers them "thought leaders" (an actual quote from an interview.

Thanks again for your honest answers!

Most topics on this board end up as pissing matches between people, as seen in the first few replies, so I am glad it has not turned out that way ..so far

posted 08-04-2003 03:40 PM              

I have had my eye on IDEO since my sophmore year of Mechanical Engineering school here in Cali - worked for K2 sports, Guidant-Mech/Medical Design, and Medical Design Consultant (Pacifix Inc.) and a few other Machien Design firms. blah blah blah

posted 08-04-2003 04:52 PM              

quote:

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Originally posted by Mixed feeling:
I have worked with IDEO as a client in a few occasions and also inherited a few projects that IDEO started up in the past. I have a really mixed feeling about them. They have great designers. No doubt about that. They are consistently talented and smart. They may have the best talent pool in the industry probably next to Philips.

On the other hand, they tend to want to cater to non-designers. They want to be the only sighted people among blinds. And they don’t take guidance too well as they think they know more than anybody else. Also they tend to put slick people on a podium in presentations or workshops who may not be too involved in the project or familiar with the project. They have a few “talkers” with strong opinions who are into themselves and can’t keep their mouths shut.

Good designers, big egos, not so well listeners, sleek talkers, good reputation but not so good in delivering deliverables on time. And they really work for their own interests. I can imagine how non-designers and startups can be easily impressed by them though. If I don't have to work with them, I would not.

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I've bumped into them at the competitive level, had to deal with them as a consultant to my own company and have heard evaluations from my peers at the director levels of other organizations. I'm sorry to say I haven had or heard of a single positive experience with them. They insist on sole control of the prevailing strategy (authorship is more important then effectiveness) and credit for all results. When they were struggling with managing a positive relationship with me and my group, they tried to go around to me to my senior management - unbelievable.

They're also obsessed with their own awards and their own press. They order ~100 - 150 IDEA entry kits per year and have ~3 people full time to fill out entries during peak awards season.

A good way to check on their ability to address ALL their client's needs is to look at the percentage of repeat business they have; a good firm will have 60 - 80% repeat business, IDEO and frog are most likely well below 50%.

posted 08-04-2003 07:25 PM              

quote:

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Originally posted by Root:
I'm sorry to say I haven had or heard of a single positive experience with them. They insist on sole control of the prevailing strategy (authorship is more important then effectiveness) and credit for all results. When they were struggling with managing a positive relationship with me and my group, they tried to go around to me to my senior management - unbelievable....

They're also obsessed with their own awards and their own press....

IDEO is about IDEO first, client's business needs a far distant second, period....

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Welcome to the world of industrial design - full of self-centered,snobish control freaks. I'm NOT saying that everybody in ID is like that, its just that alot of people involved in this field are like that. I don't know much about IDEO, but from what it sounds like they're not too different from many other design consultancies in Silicon Valley. Best example of this is the fact that they've gotten together and formed this yearly event which they call "Bay Area's Best". I've been to a couple of these award ceremonies and all they do is give each other awards and pat each other on the back. Many of the products which win these awards don't even make it to the market - it makes me wonder how they set criteria for selecting award winners.

posted 08-05-2003 02:25 PM              

Timbo-

What likely turns their heads are products that would win design awards for which you have contributed the MechE stuff. Your work looks pretty good (I am an ID'er, not a MechE) but to my eyes, don't have much of a "cool" factor. I know it sounds silly, and I know you are applying for a MechE position, but this is my sense of what catches their eyes.

Realize that working in IDEO's Boulder office is many people's dream job and you are likely one of possibly hundreds of people who have submitted work.

When you talked to the MechE's at IDEO what kind of products did they work on before they came to IDEO? If I had to guess the products had quality, eye catching ID in addition to the MechE.

Hope this helps.

posted 08-06-2003 03:36 PM              

I wonder what the asking price is?