The Re-focus Group
Jenn Schiffman and Defne Civelekoglu discussed how gravitytank is shifting the paradigm of traditional focus groups to the shaping of concepts at this year’s IDSA Midwest Design Dialogue Conference in April. They advocate for working collaboratively with clients and research participants to build and shape ideas that enable richer, more authentic conversations.
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Chicago Ideas Week: The 2012 Kickoff
We are bringing the very best of Chicago’s thought leaders into our workshop space to share knowledge, expertise, and learning that will help shape what Chicago Ideas Week will focus on this year.
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Bringing Food Innovation to Life
I went to culinary school, cooked in a five star hotel and worked as a consulting research chef. Now at gravitytank, I am part of the Industrial Design team. Strange fit you might say? At first glance perhaps, but developing a new food product and designing its packaging are more similar than they seem. Written by Kyleigh Wawak
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A Space for Innovation
We get a lot of questions about our 19,000+ square feet of shared space. We’ve built the space to not only make our teams feel welcome, but to invite our clients to be part of the action.
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A Taxi Driver Allegory
Like many busy researchers, I spend a fair amount of time either going to or coming from the airport. And, because I live in a part of Chicago where taxis don’t roam frequently, I have my regular “guy” who picks me up. I’ll call him Ted to protect his identity. Written by Martha Cotton
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Workshopping: the collaborative table
Yesterday I participated in my first full-day gravitytank workshop here at the office. I was struck by how distinctively different the experience was from what I’ve been part of in the past after 11 years inside design firms and agencies. Written by Erin Huizenga
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Playing with Process: Group Discussions
As innovators, we often turn inward and reflect on ways to innovate our own internal process in response to our own pain points. Innovating on how we innovate – how meta! Written by Jenn Schiffman
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In Celebration of Technology that Serves Humanity
I feel fortunate to have been a student of Steve’s career and his prolific development of technology for the rest of us. Written by Chris Conley
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You don’t bring me flowers anymore - thinking about consumer loyalty
Our brains respond to reward systems, but to get loyalty that’s deeper and emotional, go for consumer flow
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Who Put Chocolate In My Peanut Butter
Martha Cotton, partner at gravitytank leading research and Dave Sonders, lead strategist, talk about using a tool from marketing to improve design.
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You can't deny the lo-fi
Until a thing becomes tangible, multiple people can have radically divergent interpretations of the same conversation, ideas, and experiences.
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The pre-position proposition
Great ideas often get lost between point A and point B. Could pulling a marketing technique forward into the innovation process help?
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Segmentation: beyond the math
When done well, segmentations live and breathe in an organization on their own and are key in identifying target consumers, defining a market space, and guiding product differentiation decisions. As an innovation firm, we help clients make sense of the segmentations they’ve commissioned.
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From static to adaptive
Justin Rheinfrank joins Shelley Evenson and Hugh Dubberly to summarize his late father’s thoughts on Adaptive Design in an article for Interactions Magazine.
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Four benefits of design thinking
gravitytank co-founder Chris Conley presents at “Why Design Now?”, a conference held by the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and sponsored by GE on how design is playing a broader role in solving global challenges. Chris presents four ideas about design activity that leads all disciplines to better problem solving.
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The Gemba Walk
Where does business really get done? Where does the proverbial magic happen? If your gut reaction is that it happens in the office, it’s time to take the Gemba Walk.
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A cut above
The TUL stainless steel scissors designed by gravitytank for OfficeMax have impressed Real Simple magazine, which pronounced the “sleek mod profile” the Best Ambidextrous.
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You can’t EEEMP your way to new business growth
Our modern work life is consumed by the activities of management, not growth. Work activity aimed at growth must include a lot more engagement with the world outside, prototyping & testing of new ideas.
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Apps — a real growth phenomena
Apps are changing the mobile & computing landscapes while they are changing people’s lives. This three-minute video summarizes gt’s proprietary study on the Apps phenomena.
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Apps get real
Apps have fast become essential tools for modern living, fostering a sea change in the mobile phone and computing industries.
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Obstacle courses
“Observing behavior” and “being tangible” are two essential principles that guide gravitytank’s practice. One way we bring these to life is through “obstacle courses” during our collaborative workshops.
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