Ideo
A field guide for the curious
Ideoeyesopen.com is about casting a wide net to find inspirational experiences in the unlikeliest of places—the things we do and see everyday. It is the digital compadre to the IDEO Eyes Open series of experiential guidebooks, now available through Chronicle Books.
Ideo
IDEO believes that forward-thinking design and innovation comes from a combination of insight and inspiration, and that the greatest ideas mean very little if you can’t experience them firsthand. EyesOpen guides and tours are ongoing projects that aim to draw inspiration from culture and communities and the experiences they create, while the EyesOpen website seeks to explore emergent ideas by tying them to concrete experience. For more about IDEO, the process we use, and the clients we work with, please visit IDEO.COM

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Eyes Open guides shift the attention of the traveler and everyday observer away from sightseeing toward looking—really looking—at their surroundings. This series is an intimate exploration (starting with London and New York) that celebrates finding inspiration at every turn. These guide books step away from the proverbial sense of "place" toward experience, reminding us all to keep our eyes open in the world to gain a better sense of how we fit in.

The books are available online at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

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IDEO frequently leads clients on in the field explorations as part of projects or as independent events. Clients from corporate (Pepsi and Procter and Gamble) to community based (The New School and The Community Builders) have gone in the field with IDEO to draw inspiration from the world at large. Eyes Open Events and tours are custom designed for the needs of the client or group and can be tailor made for a certain city or specific topic. Events have been organized for 1 day for 100 people, or 3 or 4 people for 3 or 4 hours. For more information please contact .



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Inspiration comes in many forms. Experiences are one of our favorites. We spend a lot of time reflecting upon the interesting things we experience out in the world and are often asked to share our methods. This site is a forum for doing just that—sharing fresh experiences that are happening now, in the moment—as well as an opportunity to learn from others. It is a cross between cool hunting and cool thinking. And you are invited to join in on the fun. An eclectic combination of IDEO hosts, guest hosts, and creative and curious folks like yourselves provide the content. That's when the fun begins.
Next Month's Topic & Assignment:

Routines

Routines
We all have routines, some that we’re aware of and others that elude recognition. Regardless of their type, routines help us maintain a rhythm, or a structure, in our day. Because routines are, in a sense, omnipresent, we rarely focus on them, much like other everyday elements that shape our lives—a good pen, a favorite purse, a preferred tea. Routines become fascinating when you start to recognize other people’s patterns, or you recognize when yours has been disrupted. The latter is usually followed by a strange feeling that something might be missing, but you can't really put your finger on it, like a favorite song that’s suddenly missing a chord.

So, if we think about it, how might our experiences define our routines and impact our day-to-day rituals? What are the routines that change our daily mindset (cocktail bar or local gym) or change our lives (same experiences could apply)? How might one routine lead to another? How important is time and place in the following of a routine? How easily do we recognize when we’ve broken a routine, and how does it make us feel? Send in your submission with images and short text. And remember to consider, how did a particular act become something regular? Was it necessity, enjoyment, another person’s influence? Have fun thinking about the un-thought of!