ChIDEO Summer Event Series

When I first joined IDEO in 2007, we used to throw one big summer party, which was great — except for those who were traveling for project work or on vacation and couldn't make it. Major #FOMO and feelings of not belonging.

So in 2013, we decided to extend the summer vibes (and our $30k budget) and throw there smaller events at the beginning, middle, and end of summer, giving ChIDEOers and friends and family more of a chance to make it to at least one or, hopefully, all three events, increasing the inclusivity and belonging quotients!

We anchored on unique attributes of the ChIDEO studio (our roof deck), the city (the Chicago River), and IDEO culture (build-y, collaborative, irreverent, and competitive in a good way).

PINTWOOD DERBY

The summer series kicked off with our Pintwood Derby, a toy race car competition inspired by the Boy Scouts' Pinewood Derby but with adult drinks and a build vibe turned up to 11. Race teams came together weeks before to pick themes and build their cars in the Shop. Teams dressed in costumes, we ate race-track friendly food like hot dogs and hamburgers, and gave race winners bespoke awards.

CHIDEO REGATTA

The middle of the summer was marked by the ChIDEO Regatta, a mid-afternoon event. We rented a small fleet of electric boats, which we supplied with regatta-worthy coolers of drinks and snacks, and sent costumed teams of 10-12 ChIDEOers on a Chicago River scavenger hunt and down the Chicago River. At the end of the regatta, we held a happy hour at a restaurant overlooking the river and gave out awards for best costumes and flags (we LOVED giving out awards!).

ROOF DECK MOVIE NIGHTS

At the end of the summer, friends and family were invited to our signature Roof Deck Movie Night, complete with a giant screen, popcorn machine, family-friendly, movie-themed activities like a watermelon-eating contest (Dirty Dancing) or digging for dinosaur bones (Jurassic Park). There was a photo booth to snap cute pics and food and drinks that rounded out the themes.

It took about the same time and money for our Workplace Experience team to concept and throw three smaller summer events as one big mega event since two out of three were held on our roof deck (no rental fees!).

What exponentially increased was the employee response: the new rituals felt more accessible, inclusive, and more "us." Even IDEOers who traveled a lot were able to make it to at least one summer event, which helped eliminate FOMO and enhance belonging.

Post-events, the posters, cars, and awards we created were displayed proudly in our studio and were used to tell stories about our creative, collaborative culture during client and student tours.

Stories of our project work may have won over our visitors' minds, but I saw again and again, that the stories of our culture, tangibly encapsulated in these event souvenirs, won over their hearts.