Project Platypus: An experiment in multi-disciplinary design

Posted by Chris Flanagan on August 3, 2006

Thanks to BIF-2 storyteller Ivy Ross for spending some time with us last month. Ivy is executive vice president for product design and development with Gap Inc.’s Old Navy chain. She shared a great story about her time at Mattel and the development of 'Project Platypus.'

In 2001, when she was head of design and development for the Girls’ Division of Mattel, Ivy was smitten with the platypus. Charged with developing a new hit toy for pre-teen girls, she was looking for a way to fire up her employees’ creativity. The platypus, a unique creature that combines aspects of different species, struck her as a symbol of the ideal project team.

So was born Project Platypus, an experiment in multi-disciplinary design that eventually made a big impact on Mattel’s corporate culture. Choosing employees with diverse talents from various fields, Ross took them away from their regular jobs and moved them into a studio where, for the next 12 weeks, they engaged in an intensive and unusual brainstorming process.

The first two weeks were devoted to an array of eclectic activities designed to break down corporate hierarchies and inspire creative thinking.

Over time, Ross brought in an improv-comedy artist to talk to the group about free association of ideas; a Jungian analyst to talk about creativity; a psychologist to talk about child’s play; an expert in collaborative living systems; and a researcher in music and brain-wave activity.

The ‘mental grazing’ produced big time results. By the end of the 12 weeks the team had produced the Ello Creation System, a building set for girls hailed in the toy industry as ingenious. Mattel employees began clamoring to participate in subsequent iterations of Project Platypus, which also produced new brands that Mattel went on to manufacture, contributing millions to the company’s bottom line.

I just love this idea of mental grazing. To Ivy's credit, this is not some whimsical journey of discovery. But well-informed insights that help drive innovation don't come lightly to any organization and Project Platypus made a difference.

Don't miss Ivy Ross at our upcoming BIF-2 Summit in October where she'll be sharing more great stories. Event details can be found here.

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