Airbnb's Playbook for Surviving the Pandemic - E46

How did Airbnb make a pandemic turnaround? Rei continues his conversation with Tim Allen, VP of Design at Instacart, to shed light on strategic design approaches that helped Airbnb adapt its business model amidst COVID-10 travel restrictions. Tim shares insights into collaborative problem-solving with Airbnb's CEO, Brian Chesky, demonstrating the significant role of design as a lifeline for the company's resilience. The discussion includes Airbnb's innovative strategies, such as offering accommodations to healthcare workers and enhancing the host onboarding process, underscoring the transformative power of design in business recovery and growth. The conversation also touches on his current role at Instacart, emphasizing how a creative mindset can harmonize with technical proficiency to drive impactful solutions.

Tim Allen was named one of Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business for 2017. He leads the global Design & Research team at Instacart, centered on belonging and connection. His focus on fueling human potential is key to building products and cultures that inspire people to do their best work. Prior to Instacart, Tim led Airbnb’s global Design team, Microsoft's Experiences & Devices design practice and Amazon's Product Design Studio as Executive Creative Director leading the experience design for Alexa, FireTV, and Kindle products. Tim also shaped the vision for Experience Design at R/GA, whose Nike work established the future of connected experiences for brands. Through innovative work with Adobe, Red Hat, and IBM, Tim holds seven patents related to software design, ranging from chat interface modeling to mobile device synchronization.

Timestamps:

• 0:03 Airbnb's Pandemic Turnaround Led by Design Thinking
• 3:31 Airbnb's Pandemic Pivot: Reinventing Hosting and Guest Experiences
• 7:32 The Flywheel of Compassion in Design
• 9:36 Design's Impact on Innovation and Cultural Shifts in Companies
• 16:44 Three Takeaways

Episode References:

• Tim Allen | LinkedIn
• Rei Inamoto | Instagram
• Rei Inamoto | X
• I&CO | Corporate Site

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