IDEO helps companies innovate. We design products, services, environments, and digital experiences for organizations seeking new ways to provide value for their customers. IDEO creates visible and tangible strategies for innovation and executes all aspects of design and development, from conception through production. IDEO is looking for an enthusiastic Desktop Support Technician who has a taste for variety, creativity, and chaos. Our work environment appeals to self-directed, flexible team players that have great interpersonal skills, learn quickly, work smart, and play hard. We currently have an opportunity for an entry level Desktop Support Technician with 1+ years of direct user support experience in a mixed computing environment. This position will be based in our Boston office with some travel to New York required. This person will be a member of a world class, customer service focused IT organization and will effectively investigate and resolve software and hardware problems for IDEO’s internal Boston (Cambridge) and New York user community. Customer service is the top priority with responsibilities that include answering, evaluating and prioritizing incoming requests for assistance from users experiencing problems with hardware, software, networking, and other computer related technologies. We support both Mac and PC platforms. This individual will also be responsible for keeping call data up to date in a call tracking system (HEAT), installing computer equipment and software, working with users to recommend appropriate hardware and software upgrades and providing training on the proper use of systems. A true “customer service” attitude is required along with excellent verbal/written communication skills, and strong time management/organizational skills. The ability to troubleshoot in a complex technical environment and to work with limited supervision is critical. The ability to manage expectations in a deadline driven culture where a feeling of urgency is the norm. To apply, please refer to the posting: http://www.ideo.com/careers/info.asp?x=349&url=https://ideo.ats.hrsmart.com/cgi-bin/a/highlightjob.cgi?jobid=191
posted to MeFi Jobs by daisyace at 12:12 PM on July 15, 2008

I would like to find a link for a short video clip of a video game that meets certain criteria. It will go into a presentation to elementary school teachers, as a quick backdrop to a point about interactive games that will be used in school, and that will be fun while challenging kids to think and learn. (It won't itself BE that game; it just has to plausibly look the part.) It needs to have some connection to an outer space theme.
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 8:00 AM on June 2, 2008 (9 comments)

Is there software or a website that supports working with nice-looking, chunky, color-coded blocks to build a plan? Kind of like Microsoft Project for aesthetically attuned kindergarteners?
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 11:04 AM on May 21, 2008 (3 comments)

What date acquired and cost basis should I put for two items reported on a 1099-B, when there are several unknowns?
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 1:48 PM on April 10, 2008 (8 comments)

What can I do about my treasured, repair-resistant wristwatch?
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 3:06 PM on December 2, 2007 (12 comments)

IDEO helps companies innovate. We design products, services, environments, and digital experiences for organizations seeking new ways to provide value for their customers. IDEO creates visible and tangible strategies for innovation and executes all aspects of design and development, from conception through production. Our work environment appeals to self-directed, flexible team players that have great interpersonal skills, learn quickly, work smart, and play hard. We currently have an opportunity for a senior information systems professional with outstanding experience in leading organizations in the definition, selection, building or acquisition, implementation, and improvements in business systems within a highly dynamic and creative professional services organization. This position requires extremely strong collaboration skills, good judgment, tact, teamwork, insightful and analytical thinking skills, and ability to build a personal network based on communication, high performance and trust. On the technical side, the position requires broad and deep awareness of the current state of both enterprise and consumer software technologies from traditional vendors, from emerging competitors (e.g., SaaS), and from the open source community. In particular, web-based collaborative solutions are of great interest. This position will report to our Chief Technology Strategist and will work closely with our IT team, Operations/Finance team, Leadership team, Knowledge Sharing team, and the Design Community. It will be based in our Palo Alto office, but have global responsibilities. Beginning this year, IDEO is building new, highly collaborative, business tools and services, both for IDEO and for its clients. The Director will lead and manage the process of developing these tools and guiding their successful utilization. We are seeking a highly motivated leader with 10+ years of relevant experience. Ability to work in a flat, creative organization with collaborative teams is essential. Experience managing a diverse set of people on an ad-hoc basis and multiple simultaneous projects is critical. Exceptional time management and organizational skills are a must. Requirements also include excellent verbal/written communication and presentation skills, experience working with software vendors and developers, and a passion for building future technology-based business solutions within social/organizational systems that enhance the work environment in many dimensions. Qualified candidates should have experience working with diverse global teams in a similar environment, be familiar with all major productivity applications, open source software, collaborative platforms and applications, development environments, networking, mobile and other computing technologies. He/She should have a track record of implementing major new systems in organizations and in getting products and services to market successfully. Leadership skills, a highly proactive approach, and obsessive focus on getting things done at the highest level of quality and timeliness are critical. Interested? Apply online at: http://www.ideo.com/careers/ No phone calls, please.
posted to MeFi Jobs by daisyace at 10:04 AM on November 13, 2007

I’ve heard that people with allergies become acclimated to their own cats, but I’ve also heard that cats produce more allergens than kittens, and that allergens build up in the home over time. On balance, will allergic skin reactions to our kitten get better, worse, or stay the same?
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 4:55 PM on August 8, 2007 (15 comments)

We're thinking of adopting a particular kitten who we visited today. She's living with her littermates in a good home environment, but they didn't seem too interested in being handled. Is it realistic to expect that a kitten in this situation would approach us, or at least enjoy being handled when we approach her? Or do they tend not to until they're away from their littermates?
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 5:21 PM on July 28, 2007 (14 comments)

We are conducting research for a client, investigating people's needs related to videos and other cell phone-based media. We work at IDEO, a highly respected development consultancy, which you can learn more about at www.ideo.com. If you qualify for the study, we will visit you for 1.5 hours, sometime between 4/23 and 5/2. The visits will be in the greater Boston area, and will be held wherever you usually do the activities that qualify you for the study – probably your home or workplace. We’ll interview you and ask you to show us what you do with video and/or cell phone-based media. For this participation, we will pay you $125. If you might like to participate, please e-mail participant@ideo.com with replies to the questions below (or, if you’d prefer, you can call Stacey at 617-844-2446). 1. We’re looking for people who use videos, or other media on their cell phones, in interesting ways. Here are some examples (but it’s fine if your interesting use isn’t listed): • You often use your cell phone to make and share videos, pictures, and/or other media. • You’re a parent who often uses cell phone photos or videos to check on your kids. • You’ve recently used different video calling than is available in the U.S. – e.g., cell-phone-based video conference calls, cell-phone dial-in to remote video cameras, etc. • You often use video to stay in touch. E.g., you’re married but live away from your spouse, you’re on the road constantly, or you’re a teen who video-calls with friends. (If you’re under 18, please contact us together with a parent.) • You often post your videos to your blog or other websites, send them to people you know, and watch videos that you get from the web. • You often take and provide video in your line of work. E.g., you take videos of real estate, you’re a video-dating matchmaker, or you have a movie-making job. • You have a video studio, or you often make movies and digitally edit them. What do you do with video and/or cell phones that makes you a good candidate? Please explain in detail. 2. Phone number(s) where we can reach you? When you respond, Stacey may ask you some more qualifying questions, and will determine whether to arrange a visit with you. Feel free to mention you saw the listing here. (Please note, I'm not a recruiter. I'm the IDEO employee who is conducting the study.) Thanks very much!
posted to MeFi Jobs by daisyace at 10:19 AM on April 14, 2007

Can you help me find or invent a non-standard recipe based on a tumala (a layered, baked, rice casserole that gets crunchy and golden on the outside)?
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 10:53 AM on March 10, 2007 (14 comments)

In the office we’ll be moving to soon, we’ll have about 50 desks, and almost that many workers to be assigned to them. How can we optimize who’s assigned to each desk so that as many workers as possible are as pleased as possible with their desk assignment?
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 2:47 PM on February 21, 2007 (19 comments)

Within the last year, I read about a particular problem with a model or line of tea presses. Now, I can't find which model or line was the problem one, and I'm afraid I'll end up buying that one.
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 4:42 PM on December 4, 2006 (5 comments)

We're about to have our house exterior repainted, and it will need sanding and grinding. Should we use a regular painter, or do we need a lead abatement specialist?
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 1:38 PM on September 29, 2006 (6 comments)

When I wake up, I lie in bed and think. Gradually, I get more awake until I'm ready to get up. But, if I think about the dreams I just had, I get overpoweringly sleepy again. Why is it that thinking about anything else helps me to continue gently waking up, but thinking about dreams puts me immediately and irresistibly back to sleep?
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 9:57 AM on September 2, 2006 (11 comments)

If a biopsied spot turns out to be melanoma, what's likely to happen and what's not? Is there only a remote chance of needing chemo, radiation, or other terrifying stuff, or more than a remote chance? (Percentages, anyone?) I have some related questions, too.
posted to Ask Metafilter by daisyace at 1:44 PM on August 25, 2006 (20 comments)