In 2007 the W. K. Kellogg Foundation engaged the innovation and design firm, IDEO, to design a compelling vision for the future of early childhood education. The foundation was ready for a new perspective on a well-explored topic. IDEO's design thinking approach engaged the foundation and its stakeholders in new ways that promoted feasible yet innovative solutions.
In this paper we describe the combined use of ethnographic-style research and design thinking in a project addressing a complex, systemic and philanthropic
challenge: public education in the United States. We seek to provide the reader
with a clear and convincing case study demonstrating the value of ethnography
plus design thinking in any business context or social system where many
stakeholders need to be brought together to work toward a system wide solution.
