How to design breakthrough inventions

Summary

David Kelley, founder of IDEO, is a pioneer in Design Thinking, a method that integrates human behavior into design. His firm has created numerous influential products, including the first Apple mouse. Kelley emphasizes empathy for consumers and collaboration among diverse teams to innovate. He worked closely with Steve Jobs, contributing to Apple's success. Kelley also established the d.school at Stanford, teaching design thinking for innovation across various disciplines.

Takeaways

• 🌟 David Kelley is recognized as one of the most innovative thinkers of our time and the founder of IDEO, a leading global design firm.
• 🖱 IDEO has been instrumental in creating groundbreaking inventions such as the first computer mouse for Apple and the stand-up toothpaste tube.
• 🤔 Design Thinking is an innovative approach pioneered by Kelley that emphasizes human behavior in design, allowing for collaborative idea building.
• 👥 IDEO's approach to problem-solving involves diverse teams with different backgrounds, fostering a culture of collaboration and empathy.
• 🔍 Kelley's method focuses on empathy for the consumer, observing human behavior to understand needs and improve products.
• 💡 The Design Thinking process often involves creating prototypes to visualize solutions and iterate based on user feedback.
• 💼 Kelley was a close friend and colleague of Steve Jobs, and IDEO helped design several Apple products, including the Apple Mouse.
• 🏫 Kelley established the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University, also known as the d.school, to teach design thinking across disciplines.
• 🌐 IDEO's work impacts a wide range of industries, from redesigning kitchen tools to improving access to safe drinking water in developing countries.
• 🎓 The d.school at Stanford is highly sought after, with twice as many students wanting to take classes as there are available seats.
• 🚗 David Kelley's personal passion for making things is evident in his workshop, where he and his daughter work on projects like building a 3D printer.

Q & A

Who is David Kelley and what is his significance?

David Kelley is the founder of IDEO, a global design firm in Silicon Valley known for creating thousands of breakthrough inventions. He is also a pioneer in Design Thinking, an approach that incorporates human behavior into design.

What is Design Thinking and how does it work?

Design Thinking is an innovative approach that allows people to build on each other's ideas, incorporating human behavior into design. It encourages collaboration, diversity, and empathy for the consumer, often involving brainstorming and prototyping to solve problems.

How did David Kelley's company contribute to Apple's product designs?

IDEO helped design dozens of products for Apple, including the Apple Mouse, Apple III, and Lisa. They were tasked with creating a mouse for $17 that would be used in all of Apple's computers.

What was the issue with the first Apple Mouse prototype?

Steve Jobs was not satisfied with the sound the ball made on the table, so IDEO had to rubber coat the ball, which presented a significant technical challenge due to the requirement for no seams.

What is the role of empathy in Design Thinking?

Empathy in Design Thinking involves understanding what humans really want by observing them. It's about building a connection with the consumer to figure out their needs and preferences.

Can you provide an example of how IDEO used Design Thinking to improve a product?

IDEO redesigned Zyliss kitchen tools to make them easier to use and developed a heart defibrillator that talks to and guides users during an emergency with visual cues.

How did David Kelley's childhood influence his approach to design?

Kelley's childhood in Barberton, Ohio, taught him the value of building with his hands and fixing things. He was a tinkerer who enjoyed taking things apart and putting them back together.

What was the turning point in David Kelley's career that led him to become a design thinker?

The turning point was when Kelley joined Stanford University's product design program, which synthesized art and engineering, and later working with Steve Jobs.

What misconception does David Kelley believe people have about Steve Jobs?

Kelley believes the misconception about Steve Jobs is that he was malicious or mean. In reality, Jobs was deeply focused on getting things done right.

How did Steve Jobs support David Kelley during his battle with cancer?

Steve Jobs advised Kelley to go straight to Western medicine for his cancer treatment and was there for him emotionally, even giving him an iPhone right after it was announced.

What is the d.school at Stanford University and how is it related to David Kelley?

The d.school is a program at Stanford dedicated to teaching design thinking as a tool for innovation. Kelley approached Stanford with the idea of setting up the school, and it was funded by a wealthy client, Hasso Plattner, with $35 million.

Outlines

00:00

🛠️ Innovation and Design Thinking

David Kelley, founder of IDEO, is a leading figure in design thinking, a methodology that integrates human behavior into product design. His firm has been instrumental in creating numerous groundbreaking inventions, such as the first Apple computer mouse, the stand-up toothpaste tube, and an improved Pringle. Kelley's approach emphasizes collaboration and diversity in brainstorming sessions, encouraging a culture of building on each other's ideas. A key aspect of his process is empathy for the consumer, achieved by observing how people interact with products to identify areas for improvement. This approach was pioneered with clients like Steve Jobs, leading to designs for Apple's early products. Despite the challenges, Kelley's dedication to intuitive and user-centric design has driven innovation across various industries.

05:00

🌟 Design Thinking in Action

The practical application of design thinking is showcased through various examples, including the development of a smart TV system that learns user preferences and a classroom chair that addresses the needs of students. David Kelley's work extends globally, improving access to safe drinking water and redesigning school systems. His first job at Boeing and his childhood experiences in Ohio laid the foundation for his hands-on approach to problem-solving. Kelley's relationship with Steve Jobs is highlighted, emphasizing Jobs' influence on his life and work. Jobs' advice during Kelley's battle with cancer underscores the importance of focus and determination. This personal connection also led to the establishment of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford, known as the d.school, which teaches design thinking as a tool for innovation across various disciplines.

10:02

🚀 Legacy and Personal Passions

David Kelley's legacy in design thinking continues to inspire future generations. His commitment to education is evident through the d.school, which offers a unique program that does not award degrees but instead focuses on enhancing students' master's degree studies with a design thinking approach. Kelley's personal life is intertwined with his professional achievements, as he spends time in his workshop with his daughter, working on projects like a 3D printer. His love for creation is mirrored in his affection for his vintage Chevy pickup truck, which he drives between Stanford and IDEO. Kelley's philosophy suggests that challenges can bring out the best in people, and his epitaph might reflect his role in empowering creativity and changing the world.

Keywords

💡Design Thinking

Design Thinking is an innovative approach to problem-solving that focuses on human-centeredness and collaboration. It encourages empathy for the consumer and involves brainstorming, prototyping, and testing ideas to create solutions that meet human needs. In the video, David Kelley is described as a pioneer in Design Thinking, and his company, IDEO, uses this approach to develop products like the first computer mouse for Apple and a better Pringle for Procter & Gamble.

💡IDEO

IDEO is a global design firm founded by David Kelley, known for its breakthrough inventions and design thinking approach. The company has created thousands of products, including the first computer mouse for Apple and innovations for Procter & Gamble. IDEO embodies the concept of design thinking by fostering an environment where diverse teams collaborate to solve problems creatively.

💡Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs was an American entrepreneur and co-founder of Apple Inc. He is mentioned in the video as a longtime friend and client of David Kelley. Jobs is noted for his attention to detail and his role in fostering the development of the first Apple Mouse through IDEO. His relationship with Kelley highlights the importance of design thinking in the creation of Apple's products.

💡Human-Centered Design

Human-Centered Design is a process that starts with a focus on the people for whom the solution is being designed. It involves understanding their needs, motivations, and behaviors to create products that are intuitive and useful. The video emphasizes this concept through Kelley's work, where he and his team observe people using software to identify pain points and improve the user experience.

💡Innovation

Innovation refers to the process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that creates value or for which customers will pay. The video showcases David Kelley and IDEO as innovators, creating new products and improving existing ones, such as the stand-up toothpaste tube and a heart defibrillator that talks to the user during an emergency.

💡Diversity

Diversity in the context of the video refers to the variety of backgrounds and perspectives that team members bring to the problem-solving process. IDEO encourages assembling diverse teams, including engineers, journalists, doctors, and anthropologists, to brainstorm and build on each other's ideas, leading to more innovative solutions.

💡Prototyping

Prototyping is the process of creating a preliminary model or sample of something. In design thinking, prototyping is a way to test and refine ideas by making physical or digital models. The video mentions how IDEO encourages making actual prototypes to visualize solutions, which is a key step in the design thinking process.

💡Empathy

Empathy in design thinking means understanding and sharing the feelings of the users for whom the product is being designed. The video describes how IDEO figures out what humans really want by observing them, such as watching people using software and making improvements based on their reactions.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration is the process of working together to achieve a common goal. The video emphasizes the importance of collaboration in design thinking, where people from different disciplines work together to brainstorm and develop innovative solutions, as exemplified by the diverse teams at IDEO.

💡d.school

The d.school, or Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford, is a program dedicated to teaching design thinking as a tool for innovation. It was co-founded by David Kelley and is highlighted in the video as a place where students from various disciplines come together to solve problems using design thinking methodologies.

💡Creativity

Creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; it is a core aspect of design thinking. The video portrays David Kelley as someone who helps people find the confidence in their creativity, suggesting that fostering creativity is essential for innovation and problem-solving.

Highlights

David Kelley is the founder of IDEO, a global design firm known for breakthrough inventions.

IDEO's creations include the first computer mouse from Apple and the stand-up toothpaste tube.

David Kelley is a pioneer in Design Thinking, an approach that incorporates human behavior into design.

Design Thinking allows for collaborative idea building, leading to more innovative solutions.

Kelley emphasizes the importance of diversity in brainstorming sessions for problem-solving.

IDEO's approach to design involves empathy for the consumer and understanding their needs.

David Kelley was a longtime friend and colleague of Steve Jobs, working closely with Apple on numerous products.

IDEO helped design the Apple Mouse, which has a descendant still in use today.

Steve Jobs' attention to detail influenced IDEO's design process.

Design Thinking has led to innovations in various fields, including kitchen tools and heart defibrillators.

IDEO's work with clients globally focuses on improving everyday life through intuitive human-centered design.

David Kelley's childhood in Barberton, Ohio, instilled a hands-on approach to problem-solving.

Kelley's first job at Boeing involved designing lights around passenger windows.

Stanford University's product design program transformed Kelley's life and approach to design thinking.

Steve Jobs advised Kelley to focus on Western medicine when diagnosed with cancer.

Kelley's experience with cancer led him to focus on family and survival, influencing his work.

The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford, also known as the d.school, was co-founded by Kelley.

The d.school teaches design thinking as a tool for innovation to students from various disciplines.

David Kelley's love for making things is a significant part of his identity and work.

Kelley's work aims to inspire the next generation of design thinkers and shape the future.

Transcripts

now CBS this morning co-host Charlie

Rose on assignment for 60 minutes

tonight we're going to introduce you to

one of the most innovative thinkers of

our time he's a man who has had an

enormous impact on our everyday lives

David Kelley is the founder of the

Silicon Valley global design firm IDEO

his company has created thousands of

breakthrough inventions including the

first computer mouse from Apple the

stand-up toothpaste tube and a better

Pringle for Procter & Gamble audio maybe

the most influential product design

company in the world Kelley was a

longtime friend and colleague of Steve

Jobs and he is a pioneer in something

known as Design Thinking an innovative

approach that incorporates human

behavior into design the story will

continue in a moment

the big thing about Design Thinking is

it allows people to build on the other

the ideas of others instead of instead

of just having this one thread you think

about it I come up with an idea and then

somebody from somewhere else says oh

that makes me think we should do this

and then we could do that and then you

get to a place that you just can't get

to in one mind if you follow david kelly

around i do you can see how he has

infused that thinking into the legendre

Palo Alto firm he founded more than 20

years ago breakthrough ideas happen

every day here the key to unlocking

creativity I do maybe their unorthodox

approach to problem solving they throw a

bunch of people with different

backgrounds together in a room so you're

in the business in my background for

engineering journalism aerospace

engineer doctors opera singers an

anthropologist for example and get them

to brainstorm you got to have a certain

culture you got to have collaboration

you got to have diversity you gotta have

an anthropologist and a business person

and an engineer and a computer scientist

all of those kinds of you got it that's

the hard part is the cultural thing of

having a diverse group of people and

having them be good at building on each

other's ideas they encourage wild ideas

and visualize solutions by making actual

prototypes but the main tenant is

empathy for the consumer figuring out

what humans really want by watching them

if you want to improve a piece of

software all you have to do is watch

people using it and see when they

grimace and then correlate that to where

they are in the software and you can fix

that right and so the thing is to really

build empathy try to understand people

through observing them in other words

their experience will communicate what

you need to focus exactly it is a

concept that had its genesis in 1978

when Kelly and some Stanford Powell's

took the notion of mixing human behavior

in design and started the company that

would eventually become audio one of

their first clients was the owner of a

fast-growing personal computer

manufacturer by the name of Steve Jobs

he made ideal because he was such a good

client we did our best work for him we

became friends and he called me at 3

o'clock and my 3:00 a.m. yeah we were

both bachelors so we knew he could call

me

right so he called me at 3 o'clock and

he just like with no preamble hey it's

Steve first I knew if it was 3 o'clock

morning was him and there's no preamble

and he just start he said you know those

screws that were using to hold the two

thing on the inside I mean he was deep

into every aspect of things

Kelly's company helped designed dozens

of products for Apple including Apple 3

and Lisa and the very first Apple Mouse

a descendant of which is still in use

today he said to us you know for $17

make oh and he gave us that number $17

want you to make a mouse we're gonna use

in all of our computers so what happened

here was we're trying to figure out how

to make so you move your hand and how

you make the thing move on-screen so at

first we thought I got to make it really

accurate you know like when we move the

mouse an inch that's got to move exactly

an inch on the screen and then after we

prototype to realize it doesn't matter

at all your brains in the loop the whole

thing was make it intuitive for the

human but even after they saw that

monumental problem job still wasn't

satisfied so he didn't like the way the

ball sounded on the table so we had to

rubber coat the ball well rubber coating

the ball was a huge technical problem

because you can't have any seams you got

to get it just right and so you know

it'd just be one thing like supposed to

even said you I'd like to have a ball

that's not steel but rubber coated and

you said no you can't do that Steve what

would he say the expletives that I would

have would probably you're not good on

on-camera but it was basically I thought

you were good you know like I thought I

hired you because you were smart you

know like you're letting me down

since then design thinking has led to

thousands of breakthroughs from

redesigning Zyliss kitchen tools so

they're easier to use to coming up with

a heart defibrillator that talks to you

during an emergency so it talks to you

and it shows you visually what to do and

they came up with t-bo's thumbs up

thumbs down button it makes your TV

smarter right because you said you give

it the thumbs up or thumbs down and the

TV learns what you like and what you

don't like it's why Steelcase a company

that has been building furniture for 100

years turned to I do to reinvent the

classroom chair this is one of my

favorite things I want you to sit in

this

so this is for kids right so well I'm a

kid so there you go you're perfect so

when we looked at that old wooden thing

with the dog egg leg kind of stuff right

and if you just watch kids and see what

they need what do they need well the

main thing they need is a place to put

their backpack yeah right so you got a

place to put your backpack and then they

needed to they're they're fidgety they

want to move around so you put it on

wheels right and then getting in and out

of it you know you need to this so it's

not rocket science it's what it's

empathetic aesthetic empathetic to

people like really like trying to really

understand what they really value now

they're working with clients all over

the globe they're using the same

intuitive human point of view to improve

access to safe drinking water in India

and Africa redesigning school systems in

Peru and helping Northface expand their

brand into China Kelli has always been

good at coming up with ingenious

solutions to everyday problems his first

job was at Boeing he was part of a team

that designed the lights around the

passenger windows as well as a milestone

in aviation history the laboratory

occupied sign but he says the seeds of

who he is today can be traced to his

childhood in Barberton Ohio the

passenger tire capital of the world

where he learned the value of building

with his hands in my family if the

washer broke you didn't go order the

part you went down toward the washer

part and tried to make a new part to fix

it because that was part of the that was

part of the game that you know we're

capable of fixing things and that was

something that was part of you too you

were a tinkerer who wanted to take it

apart and put it best as my mother's

tell us I took the family piano apart

but it wasn't that interesting to put it

back together so it did because the

piano sat there with this big harp kind

of thing hanging out of it for most of

my childhood he was in his 20s working

unhappily as an engineer when he heard

about Stanford University's product

design program what he learned there

would transform his life as a design

thinker and so what happened when he

came to Stanford so I get the Stanford

and and it was heaven Stanford was the

synthesis of kind of art and engineering

and it was wonderful it was shortly

after that that Steve Jobs came into the

picture for over 30 years they worked

together and were close friends what's

the biggest misconception about him I

think the misconception is around that

he was kind of like you know like

malicious he was like trying to be mean

to people he wasn't he was just trying

to get things done right it was he just

had to learn how to react to that and he

did some lovely things for me in my life

Jobs introduced Kel it to his wife Casey

brands come and Steve Jobs was also

there for Kelly when the unthinkable

happened in 2007 Kelly was diagnosed

with throat cancer and given a 40%

chance of survival

jobs are already suffering from his own

deadly cancer gave him some advice he

came over and said look you know don't

consider any alternative go straight to

Western medicine don't you know don't

try any herbs or anything why do you

think Steve said don't look for

alternative medicine go straight to the

hard stuff I think he had made in his

mind he had made a mistake that he had

had tried to to cure his his pancreatic

cancer in other ways other than I mean

he just said don't mess around you know

when we both had cancer at the same time

was when I got really close to him and I

was at home you know like sitting around

in my skivvies you know you know waiting

for my next dose of something and I

think it was the day after the iPhone

was announced and he had one for me my

phone you know your own iPhones

underbite Steve Jobs right after it

comes out was a lovely feeling so he

decides to hook it up for me so he gets

the on the phone to AT&T and he's gonna

hook up my phone and it's not going well

so this is such good news for me

eventually he pulls the I'm Steve Jobs

card you know he says to the guy I'm

Steve Jobs I'm sure the guy on the other

end says yeah buddy I'm Napoleon I know

like get out of here but but anyway so

he never did really good he's never

hooked up no not that day but he was

closed what did he teach you about

living with cancer

Steve focused more on his kids I think

anything and made me fight more to

survive and so that focus on family you

know was something that he taught me you

care deeply that you watched your

daughter yet she continues to grow and

it's about her was her the life is gonna

be like if I died that's really

motivating it was around that time that

Kelly decided to commit himself to

something even bigger and why he

approached Stanford University and a

wealthy client named has a planner with

the idea of setting up a school

dedicated to human centered design he

thought that was a great idea and he

said he'd help me and I said oh thank

you and then I went back and they did no

idea what he meant no the development

officer at Stanford said when a

billionaire says I'll help you you

should come back right away so it turns

out Hustle funded the whole thing he's

thirty five million dollars yeah he said

how much you need I wish I'd have said

eighty million dollars I he said yes to

whatever I said I think Kelly now runs a

groundbreaking and wildly popular Hasso

Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford

the d.school

okay it is recognized as a first program

of its kind dedicated to teaching design

thinking as a tool for innovation not

just to designers but to students from

all different disciplines I think you

can follow your noses a little bit

around that like where's the big idea

where's the excitement twice as many

Stanford grad students want to take

classes as our seats available with the

lucky five hundred students in the

program augment their master's degree

studies in business law medicine

engineering and the arts by solving

problems collaboratively and creatively

and immersing themselves in the

methodology Kelly's made famous but

there are no degrees it is something

Steve Jobs I talked him out of he said I

don't want somebody's one of your flaky

degrees basically right I hold him

working with me yeah that weren't funny

if they just have your flaky but if they

have a computer science degree or a

business degree and then they've come

and have our way of thinking on top of

that I'm really excited about it today

his cancer is in remission he spent more

time doing the things that he cares

about most including tinkering in his

workshop

this fifteen-year-old daughter so Claire

tell me this what happens here

everything really everything yes so

Claire and I come here to do projects

together our big project is is right

over there presently which is to make a

3d printer it's called a printer bot and

it's a little machine that makes 3d

objects like a printer that puts ink on

a page

this makes something three-dimensional

his love of making things is as much a

part of his DNA as his appreciation for

the car which he calls the most

important object in her lives so why do

you like it what does it mean to you

well you know it's it's about same

vintage as me and that and it just it

just makes everybody smile okay I like

the sound of the motor almost every day

you can find David Kelly driving his 54

Chevy pickup truck between Stanford and

I do inspiring the design thinkers up

tomorrow and quietly shaping the future

my theory is that sometimes life

squeezes out the best of us I've never

heard that but that's really resonates

with me so if I could write the first

line of your epitaph it might be David

Kelley help people find the confidence

in their creativity that would be lovely

and changed the world yep go to 60

minutes over time dot-com for a guided

tour with Charlie Rose sponsored by

Pfizer