Rave Review for Change By Design in New York Times

The Sunday New York Times had a rave review for Tim Brown’s new book on design thinking, Change By Design.  I best start by saying that I am not an objective critic of Tim or the company where he is CEO, IDEO.  I did an 18 month ethnography of IDEO in 1990s, I have been an IDEO Fellow for about 15 years (which is something they sometimes pay me for but usually not, it is sort of like being an honorary first cousin), and I am friend and admirer of Tim’s along with IDEO’s founder and now Chairman, the rather magical David Kelley (a word I would apply to no one else I know personally).  I also wrote a blurb for the book because, as the Times review indicates, it shows so many of the best qualities of IDEO’s culture and Tim’s modesty, skill, and courage – and his deep and sensible understanding of what it means to be a “design thinker. “

The review, called “Redefining a Profession,” concludes that Tim has successfully avoided one of the biggest risks in a book like this one – coming across as too much of a commercial for the firm he leads.  Tim accomplishes this by simply being himself, and indeed, when I read the galleys, that was my comment…”This is 100% Tim Brow.,”  In any conversation you have with Tim, he will do things that many CEOs do not, he will give others lots of credit, he will tell wonderful stories, talk honestly about what works and what doesn’t, and about the limits of the methods used by his company, not just the strengths.  Indeed, for me, as much as I am a big believer in the power of design thinking, after hanging around the Stanford d school for five years or so, although I believe we teach our students well, I am often disturbed because “design thinking” is treated as the answer to every problem and also as more like a religion than a set of practices for sparking creativity.  Tim and his many colleagues at IDEO have had the courage to apply design thinking to almost any problem – from designing better websites, to changing how programmers work together, designing a couple thousand products, revamping operations, and changing customers experiences.   In doing so they have simultaneously pushed the limits of design thinking beyond what others thought possible (hence the title “Redefining a  Profession”) while always acknowledging the limits of the approach.

I also want to make sure to mention that Tom Kelley – who has played may key roles in the firm and is perhaps the best speaker I have ever seen on any topic – has also written two early books that are about and inspired by IDEO: The Art of Innovation and The Ten Faces of Innovation, both are also wonderful books, but they are much different than Tim’s as they reflect Tom’s personality and experiences.  So if you have read these two books, there is still plenty to glean from Change By Design.  Although Tim Brown, Tom Kelley, and David Kelley all are similar in that (reflecting the IDEO culture) all are people who can actually listen, have the courage to try weird stuff and learn no matter the outcome, treat others with respect and dignity, are deeply curious about everything, and believe that work isn’t just about making as much money as possible.  All three talk and act  like if you aren’t having fun and doing work that matters to you and others, something is wrong, no matter how much money you are making. 

In short, I can’t be unbiased about Change By Design, but The New York Times has a reputation for pulling no punches, so I am glad to see that they loved the book.  I have had the privilege of hanging out with a lot of people from IDEO over the past 15 years or so, and it has made my life much richer.  So I am pleased to see that more objective observers than me see the value of their work and wisdom as well. 

Comments

[Jeff]

Based on your recommendation and review I purchased this through my local bookstore. The manager hadn't heard of the book, but was happy to order it. I've started it and I'm happy with what I've read. When I finish I will report back.