Turning a passion for Airtable into a creation of a collaborative operation
The Mission
Enable teambuilders to more effectively and efficiently collaborate.
IDEO NA Teambuilders were using multiple database platforms to staff their 200+ designers onto projects. They needed a centralized database to increase accuracy and efficiency so that they can more effectively collaborate both within their own and across other functional teams.
*Teambuilding was the term used at IDEO for staffing designers onto projects.
Lisa’s Impacts
Explored and identified Airtable as the best platform to centralize all data.
Quickly learned functionalities and capabilities of Airtable.
Conducted research interviews to understand the current state and process.
Moved all data into Airtable and created a working prototype of a collaborative interface within 2 months.
Continuously updated interfaces based on launch of new Airtable features.
Scaled the use of the Airtable database across 8 functional teams, ultimately leading to the full adoption across the 400+ person North America business unit.
Scaling of Airtable
I had never used Airtable before I arrived at IDEO, and it was when I realized that not only did we have multiple systems to do our job, but that our team wasn’t using those systems consistently, when my curiosity led me to 2am binging of Airtable tutorials to quickly understand its full capabilities. Embracing IDEO’s “build to learn” motto, within 2 months, I designed and led the adoption of new systems and processes using the platform.
From Multiple Data Source to a Single Airtable Interface
Lisa has a relentless curiosity and compassion for designing systems that help people work better, leveraging tech-enabled solutions in powerful ways.
- Margaret Kessler, IDEO Partner
After consolitdating all the data into Airtable, I took the grid views (above) of requests and designer profiles to create interfaces (below) where teambuilders can access all of the data in a more visual and collaborative way.
From Siloed Tools to Collaborative Interfaces Across Multiple Teams
Once the datasource was established in Airtable, it was very easy to create tailored but interconnected interfaces for different teams across IDEO North America to meet their unique needs. While Airtable was only being used in select teams before my arrival, since the creation of these interfaces, Airtable was adopted by the 400+ person North America business unit.
She always considers and works with the stakeholders in what she's designing, which is essential to her solutions being effective and "sticking" in an organizational context.
- Brian Lange, Senior Design Director at IDEO
The interface I initially designed for my team of 5 turned into 7 additional interfaces that scaled across the 400+ North America business unit, including 1 interface used by the global team of teambuilders.
From Hidden Processes to a Transparent and Engaging System
Before, the teambuilding process was ambiguous, but since the creation of these interfaces its process became more transparent and created a space for designers to proactively engage by reviewing and commenting on open and potential requests.
I created interfaces for Designers and Business Development teams so they can easily access, and engage with the teambuilding process.
From Manual Efforts to Automated Processes
With 200+ designers and directors to manage and communicate with, automations were key to enable teambuilders to efficiently and effectively staff designers onto projects. This video shows just one of many types of automations that were set to help teambuilders maintain an accurate database to support a productive workflow.
She created automations that significantly improved our productivity.
- Edirin Davis, Business Design Lead at IDEO
I tried to automate as much of the technical aspect of teambuilding using Airtable’s formulas, scripts, and automation features, so that technology was empowering what only humans can do.
Not only did Lisa serve as the voice of a large, North-America wide change in process, but she created a POV character that many colleagues still recognize and reference (over a year later!).
- Meridith Halsey, Design Operations Lead at IDEO
Outcomes
Increased efficiency in the teambuilding process due to a centralized database that no longer required multiple manual updates.
Increased accuracy on teambuilding data due to removing duplicative efforts on data updates.
Increased collaboration across the North America business unit through tailored interfaces.