How does OpenIDEO work?

After a challenge is posted at OpenIDEO.com, the three development phases – inspiration, concepting, and evaluation – are put into motion. Community members can contribute in a variety of different ways, from inspirational observations and photos, sketches of ideas, to business models and snippets of code. Sometimes this can be in the form of a comment; other times, it’s building off a previous person’s work.

People participating in OpenIDEO can provide feedback every step of the way. Between each development phase, IDEO helps shape the journey through framing the challenge, prototyping, and encouraging the conversation.

At the end, the strongest concepts are chosen. All concepts generated are shareable, remix-able, and reusable in a similar way to 'creative commons'. The hope is that some of these concepts will become reality outside of OpenIDEO.com.

We've created a simple video to explain how OpenIDEO works...

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Who can participate?

OpenIDEO welcomes all creative thinkers. To participate in a challenge, we first ask you to sign up – but don’t worry, we’ll never share any of the personal information you give us, unless you explicitly agreed to being contacted by a challenge sponsor when you signed up for a challenge.

How much time and effort does it take to be a part of a challenge?

OpenIDEO participants can contribute on a variety of levels, ranging from applauding inspirations to contributing complex concepts. Being a part of a challenge requires anywhere from a few minutes to many hours. It’s totally up to you!

How do you decide on the challenges?

We’re always looking for new challenges for OpenIDEO.com. We’re looking to work with organizations that would like to address problems for the social good. Please get in touch if you have an idea: challenges@openideo.com

What is a Design Quotient, and why does it matter?

The Design Quotient (DQ) is a measure of your contributions to OpenIDEO. It corresponds to how active you are in the inspiration, concepting, and evaluation phases of a challenge. It also measures your collaboration, increasing every time you comment or build on other people’s inspirations and concepts. When you take part in a challenge, you build up your DQ by accruing points.

A DQ can help to publicly identify your design expertise and strengths. Maybe you’re excellent at providing inspiration that shapes the conversation, or you’re great at building off of others’ ideas. Share it with your friends, colleagues, teachers, and even potential employers to give them some insight into what you’re best at.

How are concepts selected?

Everyone contributing to OpenIDEO helps select the best concepts. In the early phases, you can increase a concept’s or inspiration’s exposure by applauding it. Later on, when we move into the evaluation phase, you get the chance to rate concepts according to specific criteria.

What happens to the top concepts?

All concepts generated are shareable, remix-able and reusable because the Contributor grants a non-exclusive license to the Challenge Host. Beyond that, organizations we partner with on challenges may choose to implement the top ideas.

Who owns the concepts?

The Contributor(s) own the concept(s) generated on OpenIDEO which they non-exclusively license to the Challenge Host for possible publication.

What is IDEO’s involvement in the challenges?

Think of us as facilitators: we’re here to help make the process work as well as possible. Sometimes we’ll help tidy things up in between challenge phases, re-framing ideas so they're clearer and help you focus on what’s most important. It’s your job to constitute what makes a good design.

What if I want to know about more challenges ?

Simply enter your email here and we’ll make sure you’re up to date on all of the challenges in the OpenIDEO queue. We promise not to share your contact information with anyone.

Is this a competition or a collaboration?

It’s a collaboration. While one or more top concept may be identified at the end of each challenge, OpenIDEO participants rely on others’ inspirations and feedback throughout the challenge. There is no “winner” selected – only a concept that will likely be the result of a long process of iteration and collaboration.

Why is IDEO doing this?

We believe passionately that innovation requires collaboration and that technology can facilitate teamwork across great distances. We couldn’t find a platform that accommodated all of our core needs (which included being able to split up the innovation process into phases and to build on the ideas of others), so we created our own. Now, we’re sharing it.

Do I have to be a designer to participate?

Absolutely not. We welcome all creative individuals.

What are Field Notes?

Field Notes is a page where moderators will post stuff that’s inspiring us. We’d also love to feature anything that’s inspiring you. Please email submissions to fieldnotes@openideo.com. We know that taking a breather to be inspired is key for all of us, so we hope that you’ll take your breather here!

Who is the typical OpenIDEO user?

A creative type who's optimistic. Beyond that, we hope that there is no such thing as an average user. OpenIDEO reaches across disciplines, perspectives, contexts, borders, and time zones. Diverse participants will make this platform a place where everyone comes together to think, work, and build toward a collective good.

Who can post challenges?

OpenIDEO is looking for challenges from around the world. Individuals or organizations can sponsor a design challenge, as long as it’s for social good. Depending on the engagement level required by IDEO, we may ask for a contribution to help cover the costs of the challenge. Do you have a challenge idea? Let us know.

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Does OpenIDEO share my user information?

No. We will never share your information, unless you explicitly agreed to being contacted by a challenge sponsor when you signed up for a challenge. (For example, this may happen if the sponsor needs to contact the challenge winners.)

I want to suggest a new feature or tell you about something that’s broken.

Thank you! Please email us

How can I report abuse?

You may flag any content that you feel is abusive or going against OpenIDEO's community rules.

How do I deactivate my account?

We hope that you enjoyed being part of the community while you were here. Please contact us at support@openideo.com, and we’ll pull the plug.

My question is not listed above.

Please submit questions (with answers, if you'd like) to hello@openideo.com.