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Odin (glucose monitoring device)

O

Interviewee

41 Practice Person

Team Advantages

Team Disadvantages

0, 2

Project Outcome

Control

Industry

Medical

Location

Chicago

Team Risk Tolerance

Low

Team Dynamics

TeamDynamics_FunandProductive

Company

Odin (glucose monitoring device)


Everything is user inspired here, don't let anybody tell you otherwise. All of our great successes have been that. [2954],[2940],[2953],[2955]
One of the things that's been fulfilling about that project is it took a body of knowledge that we have, having working in the category for many years and actually ... we were able to hit the ground running with a grounding in the area to even start out because we have so much background in it. [2941]
The other thing is that I actually think that there were some clever design things that came out of this. I think one of the things that was nice about that is taking somebody who has not worked in the category to look at it and say, "Well, if I were designing a phone I would do it like this," so the cross fertilization I think was in a way ... like, "It doesn't make sense to do the task this way, in everything else you would do it that way," and it's like, "Oh, yeah!" So I think that was actually about cross fertilization. [2956],[2942]
I think there was good internal team dynamics and I think that there was some sort of very good people in the client end that we gelled with. It was also very fulfilling because we did work for them many years ago, which was very good work, and the organization was not set to do things well and then they came back to us. So that was very fulfilling for them to come back and say, "Hey, we have all these new structures in place and now we're more marketing oriented and engineering oriented as an organization. We saw this work you did years ago and it was really good, whatever happened to it?" That was nice too. [2943]
Well, we did good, I don't know if it was trust in honest, but it was like, "Wow, these people actually did good work." [2944]
I think very, very much a team driven ... like people did not make decisions that people ever disagreed with. It really was coming to agreement as a team. [2946],[2959],[2957],[2945],[2958]
Well, I think it was fun because it's three experienced people and it was less vagueness involved. It's fairly specific what we're doing. The client is really nice. I think there was something in the first half where it felt like we weren't really talking a lot amongst ourselves, but we were basically just producing for market research. We had a few ideas and then it was thrown into market research. Then again into market research. We spent a lot of time on producing the stimulus material for the researcher rather than thinking about the stuff itself. [2297]
That's how the client thinks. They're very risk averse, so they have to get all this validation. Even if it doesn't really do much, it just makes them feel a little bit safer. [2303],[2298],[2304]
Actually very low. Every step of the way they were doing validation things on it. So they're very risk averse, but we have fed into their process of mitigating the risk and it's always ... What we say is like we're always right. We find that all the time. We're not trying to be so risky on things really. [2948]
Actually very low. Every step of the way they were doing validation things on it. So they're very risk averse, but we have fed into their process of mitigating the risk and it's always ... What we say is like we're always right. We find that all the time. We're not trying to be so risky on things really. The problem is they're low risk takers, and so for them it's like they recognize a good thing when they see it, and they're excited by it, but they need a lot of validation to tell them whether they should go forward with it. [2961],[2960]
The problem is they're low risk takers, and so for them it's like they recognize a good thing when they see it, and they're excited by it, but they need a lot of validation to tell them whether they should go forward with it. [2947]
We certainly didn't run out of the room and say, "Fuck you." If you want to go test this worldwide we were more than happy to help with the materials to do it, because we understand the world that they come from. [2949]
Yeah, but the surgeon is the user in that case, so he's equivalent to the person loading the dishwasher. [2962]
think that we have a lot of credibility with them. I think we've been proven right, like stuff that we've said has been shown to get validated during our process. I don't think, I know. I feel like we've adjusted our process for their ... They've seen us be flexible in what we do. We haven't been rigid, they're a little bit more rigid, and I think that there's just like mutual respect for people's competences on both ends also. I think that we've just been very good about having empathy for them and their culture, and what they need to move forward. So I think we've done a good job of that. [2952]
I feel like we've adjusted our process for their ... They've seen us be flexible in what we do. We haven't been rigid, they're a little bit more rigid, and I think that there's just like mutual respect for people's competences on both ends also. I think that we've just been very good about having empathy for them and their culture, and what they need to move forward. So I think we've done a good job of that. [2964],[2963]
I think that there's just like mutual respect for people's competences on both ends also. I think that we've just been very good about having empathy for them and their culture, and what they need to move forward. So I think we've done a good job of that. [2965]
I think that we have a lot of credibility with them. I think we've been proven right, like stuff that we've said has been shown to get validated during our process. I don't think, I know. I feel like we've adjusted our process for their ... They've seen us be flexible in what we do. We haven't been rigid, they're a little bit more rigid, and I think that there's just like mutual respect for people's competences on both ends also. I think that we've just been very good about having empathy for them and their culture, and what they need to move forward. So I think we've done a good job of that. [2950],[2951]
For this product it's not a me too product, so that's gonna be very unique. [2299]
Yeah. It's a totally new thing but they still want to make sure they do it right. [2300]
I think not super defined, but also not super vague. It was kind of medium. [2301]
I can't even remember it really. I think the briefs are never really very clear what we get these days. It gives us the opportunity to explore a lot and then decide on, okay, now we're gonna do this. It's our job to create the brief almost. [2302]
he first round was just very quick. I had just to design something almost as a placeholder. For the second round I came up with some kind of a logic or reasoning. The bigger idea? The bigger idea, which I can't tell you. [2305]
Very good. We're just peers and we talk amongst each other. It's very easy. PROJECT ID [2306]
So, we're working on that currently, and it's one of the most satisfying projects that I think I've ever worked on. We have a team, and it's kind of interesting, because we have one person on the team who's leading it, who is very talented, has not led a lot of projects, but very smart, very talented, very open to a lot of different ideas. [2050]
We've got an interaction designer on it who used to work at [IDO 004322] a long time ago, but went away for a while and then came back. This was her first project back at [IDO 004327] so we kind of didn't know. People didn't know her, so there was that going on. And then there's an industrial designer who internally we've been trying to find a good role for him, because he used to work in Munich, and the project he's worked on, he hasn't been very successful at them. So there was kind of a mentoring and trying to bring him and figure out where he can do great work. [2051]
And of course, we went back and talked to a lot of people with diabetes. We have a lot of experience with people with diabetes, so we didn't do a ton of observations, and we developed the product. It's tested better than anything they've had. Very happy team, very happy client. This is really the first project we've done with them since three years ago, and there's like three or four things on the plate now that they're asking us to do beyond what we've done. PROJECT ID [2078]
Very happy team, very happy client. This is really the first project we've done with them since three years ago, and there's like three or four things on the plate now that they're asking us to do beyond what we've done. [2077]
We have a lot of experience with people with diabetes, so we didn't do a ton of observations, and we developed the product. It's tested better than anything they've had. Very happy team, very happy client. This is really the first project we've done with them since three years ago, and there's like three or four things on the plate now that they're asking us to do beyond what we've done. [2052]
Part of it is how we started the process, by kind of recognizing there's a lot of people who don't know each other and probably do have some ideas about things, and let's get them excited about the process so they don't feel so threatened. [2079],[2080]
So, just a great experience, and I think part of it is the client situation, how they started and how they engaged us. Part of it is how we started the process, by kind of recognizing there's a lot of people who don't know each other and probably do have some ideas about things, and let's get them excited about the process so they don't feel so threatened. [2054],[2053]
Because you know, that happens with a lot of clients, where they have internal capabilities, and their people internally are asking, "Why aren't we just using us? Why is it that they're going to the outside?" So we were able to bring that in, and they're just thrilled with what we're doing. [2081],[2082],[2083],[2055]
I mean, we're pushing hard to hold to our assumptions, but we're working with them so they understand why this is important and so that they're working hard to try to do that, try to realize the goal. [2088],[2087],[2086]
Right, and I think the other reason it's becoming successful too is we're being very ... we're working very closely with their engineers, with their software people and all that, so that we can make sure that our design intent is implemented. [2084],[2085]
Right, and I think the other reason it's becoming successful too is we're being very ... we're working very closely with their engineers, with their software people and all that, so that we can make sure that our design intent is implemented. We're working with them to make sure that here's what we assumed on the screen and how much room you need for this and that. We're not saying, "Oh, if you can't do that, it's okay." I mean, we're pushing hard to hold to our assumptions, but we're working with them so they understand why this is important and so that they're working hard to try to do that, try to realize the goal. [2056]
We're working with them to make sure that here's what we assumed on the screen and how much room you need for this and that. We're not saying, "Oh, if you can't do that, it's okay." I mean, we're pushing hard to hold to our assumptions, but we're working with them so they understand why this is important and so that they're working hard to try to do that, try to realize the goal. [2057]
And we have really high management support in this project too over at the client [2058]
And we have really high management support in this project too over at the client. [2089]
Yeah, and it's the most important project in the company right now, which makes a difference. [2090],[2059]
Now, some of the follow-on projects, they're looking a lot further, a lot higher risk. But this is kind of a bread and butter product for them, so they can't go too far astray. Although it is a very different paradigm. You know what? I would say they have a high risk tolerance even on this project. [2060],[2091]
Yeah, it was rough, but ... Actually, we did push back on it in a couple of areas, but they had other projects going on that were covering some of those other things, some of the ideas we came up with, so we passed those ideas along and they maybe got passed along to the other teams. I don't know. [2061]
Time was occasionally, but it was only because we were trying to coordinate with some quantitative testing they were doing. We were trying to piggyback onto it, so there were some deadlines there that we needed to meet that were pretty much hard deadlines. [2062]
Time was occasionally, but it was only because we were trying to coordinate with some quantitative testing they were doing. We were trying to piggyback onto it, so there were some deadlines there that we needed to meet that were pretty much hard deadlines. PROJECT ID [2092]
this is something that somebody's going to have in their purse or their pocket, and we're trying to make people test more often, try and make them more comfortable with their disease, rather than embarrassed [2094]
Yeah, I mean, also the inspiration was looking at some very specific consumer products around the market and taking cues from that rather than taking cues from other blood glucose meters. [2093]
Well, our primary contact is very good, but in a lot of ways, he was just horribly overtaxed. He was just doing way too much stuff. And then they hired somebody to help him, and that helped some. So, follow-up was sometimes an issue. I mean, he tried as hard as he could though. [2095]
Well, our primary contact is very good, but in a lot of ways, he was just horribly overtaxed. He was just doing way too much stuff. And then they hired somebody to help him, and that helped some. So, follow-up was sometimes an issue. I mean, he tried as hard as he could though. He was our biggest fan, our biggest advocate. So, we love him to death. [2064],[2063]
The guy who was leading the overall project, who over time has really become our main contact, is really smart, very pragmatic. I mean, he's not too worried about what they've done in the past or what the other competitors are doing, he just wants to make sure we do the right thing. He also understands what the realities of working within a corporation, whose support he needs to get and all that. And it's not overtly political, but he understands what the realities are to get this thing into production. [2065]
you know, politics is about human relationships. Sometimes there can be bad politics where people have bad intentions, but in this case, he's dealing with the realities of all these different folks. [2096]
But the other person that we've dealt with, the third decision maker was their marketing guy who was very resistant to our methods at the beginning. [2098],[2097],[2066]
very resistant to our methods at the beginning. [2099],[2100]
Yeah, particularly our research methods, 'cause he comes from a very quantitative, very how big is your sample ... He'd much rather ... he felt much more comfortable doing a web survey, very low fidelity, with a lot of people, than doing a very deep survey with a few people, which is really what we do. [2102],[2105],[2101],[2068],[2103],[2107],[2067],[2104],[2106]
I think over time he kind of understood the value in what we were doing, and partly it's because of the relationship that we developed, but it's also partly because our results jived with what he was seeing out in the quantitative. We work very closely with the folks who are doing the quantitative work so that we help them design their questions so it really got it, the meat of what we were trying to learn, rather than us telling the marketing guy who was telling the quant folks, who was interpreting that and then asking the questions. So we worked very closely with those folks. [2069]
and we supported him in the way that he needed to be supported. [2108]
Mm-hmm (affirmative). But I think he was teachable. He learned a lot and we worked with him and understood what he felt he needed, and we supported him in the way that he needed to be supported. [2110],[2070],[2111],[2109]
"Look, we have a lot of experience with where quantitative work has been done, but it hasn't represented the product particularly well, especially as we're going through development." Quantitative work is great to figure out if, is this soap package better or is this soap package better. But trying to get inspiration of a new design direction, not as good. [2112]
We told them that. We told them specifically, we said, "Look, we have a lot of experience with where quantitative work has been done, but it hasn't represented the product particularly well, especially as we're going through development." Quantitative work is great to figure out if, is this soap package better or is this soap package better. But trying to get inspiration of a new design direction, not as good. [2071]
So, to validate something that they don't have something good to compare against, we feel that we need to be part of that process so the right questions get asked in the right way. [2072],[2073]
Reference Tags
[2954] Forceful conflict about ideas,[2940] Law of the instrument,[2953] Overconfidence bias,[2955] Status quo bias,[2941] Great example - Individual & Team outcomes for future efforts,[2956] Communicating ideas across domains,[2942] Communicating ideas across domains,[2943] Great example - Individual & Team outcomes for future efforts,[2944] Trust,[2946] Organizing effectively,[2959] Trust,[2957] Win-win conflict about ideas,[2945] Win-win conflict about ideas,[2958] Win-win conflict about relationships,[2297] Organizing effectively,[2303] Alignment,[2298] Risk compensation,[2304] Risk compensation,[2948] Overconfidence bias,[2961] Conservatism,[2960] Risk compensation,[2947] Risk compensation,[2949] Empathetic disposition,[2962] Empathetic disposition,[2952] Communicating ideas across domains,[2964] Communicating ideas across domains,[2963] Organizing effectively,[2965] Empathetic disposition,[2950] Empathetic disposition,[2951] Trust,[2299] Appeal to novelty,[2300] Lack of real innovation mandate,[2301] Promote autonomy & sense of ownership,[2302] Promote autonomy & sense of ownership,[2305] Solitude disposition when stuck,[2306] Communicating ideas across domains,[2050] Great example - Productive innovation norms,[2051] Organizational encouragement,[2078] Effort justification,[2077] Organizational encouragement,[2052] Great example - Individual & Team outcomes for future efforts,[2079] Communicating ideas across domains,[2080] Methodologically creative,[2054] Communicating ideas across domains,[2053] Organizing effectively,[2081] Communicating ideas across domains,[2082] Organizational encouragement,[2083] Organizing effectively,[2055] Organizing effectively,[2088] Believes one has high agency,[2087] Resilience,[2086] Win-win conflict about ideas,[2084] Communicating ideas across domains,[2085] Organizing effectively,[2056] Organizing effectively,[2057] Win-win conflict about ideas,[2058] Organizational encouragement,[2089] Organizational encouragement,[2090] Effort justification,[2059] Organizational encouragement,[2060] Endowment effect,[2091] Risk compensation,[2061] Win-win conflict about ideas,[2062] Alignment,[2092] Planning fallacy,[2094] Empathetic disposition,[2093] Anecdotal fallacy,[2095] Internal changes/challenges,[2064] Empathetic disposition,[2063] Internal changes/challenges,[2065] Organizational encouragement,[2096] Internal changes/challenges,[2098] Alignment,[2097] Internal changes/challenges,[2066] Premature idea evaluation,[2099] Conservatism,[2100] Pessimism bias,[2102] Alignment,[2105] Anchoring,[2101] Conservatism,[2068] Inexperience,[2103] Methodologically creative,[2107] Pessimism bias,[2067] Premature idea evaluation,[2104] Reactive devaluation,[2106] Status quo bias,[2069] Communicating ideas across domains,[2108] Effort justification,[2110] Believes one has a hopeful path,[2070] Communicating ideas across domains,[2111] Empathetic disposition,[2109] Win-win conflict about ideas,[2112] Cultural differences,[2071] Law of the instrument,[2072] Better Than Average,[2073] Inexperience

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