In any team, you’ll work with people who have different experiences, mindsets, and backgrounds. Collaboration traditionally allows people to come together to tackle a shared challenge, with stakeholders coming in at various stages of the process and contributing their skills and expertise before passing the work along.

At IDEO U, we believe in creative collaboration—a type of collaboration that addresses complex issues and harnesses the power of diverse perspectives and creativity to develop innovative ideas and solutions. Over the years, we've learned that a creative mindset helps us imagine new possibilities and make unexpected connections, while a diversity of disciplines and backgrounds expands the kinds of ideas that will surface. This is a journey and takes time to develop, and—trust us—that journey never stops. Rather than solely focusing on execution and efficiency, creative collaboration empowers teams to tackle today’s complex challenges by navigating changing conditions, unearthing bold insights, and embracing a new way of working.