Category: 2014

by Shannon Beckham

Videos by Shannon Beckham, Colleen Chung, and Sid Gopinath.

During our recent visit to IDEO, Duke alumna and business developer, Misa Misono, proudly introduced us to one of the company’s latest creations: Spark. The memory-sharing app combines Vine’s video concept with Instagram-like filters and a sleek user interface to produce 45-second personal videos.

I immediately downloaded the Spark Camera, excited to test out the app’s features after just learning about IDEO’s innovative design process. With the tap of a finger, I recorded scenes on the go, swiped through the eleven featured filters, and uploaded a song from my phone’s music library. The editing process was simple, accurate, and even color-coded.

Spark has inspired us to creatively document our experiences while in the Silicon Valley. The videos below show the routines and highlights of the lives of DSV students. Studying in class, running on trails in Mountain View, visiting disruptive companies, and grilling burgers with friends — Spark has captured it all.

This is “A Day of DSV.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auyZ9Im9xzk

by Bryan Wang

We got out of the Uber car right under the Bay Bridge at Pier 28, and looked to our surroundings for the IDEO San Francisco office. Where is it? Surely a company as big as IDEO would have a building just as prominent.

“Oh hey look! It’s right here!” Someone shouted.

“Where?”

“Right here!”

Everyone turned around, and saw four tiny letters scattered on the wall of a warehouse-looking building: “I-D-E-O.” Next to the little sign was a metal gate with a red train track leading towards the San Francisco Bay. We skeptically followed the tracks and walked along the alley towards the water, and noticed a single door at the end. This must be the entrance of IDEO.

IDEO’s San Francisco office exterior

I walked in with the others, confused as to why I was entering IDEO’s warehouse. But I was wrong. It was indeed the San Francisco office of IDEO, which was converted from a docking warehouse. The inside of the “warehouse” was stylishly furnished, retaining the original wooden floorings of the warehouse while adding a blend of modern touches. It was pretty hipster, if you will. Oh, and there were watermelon sour patches at the reception desk!

The inside of IDEO’s office

The smart furnishings of the office easily impressed everyone. For those of you who don’t know what IDEO is, it is a product design and market-consulting firm that has offices all around the world. Other companies contract IDEO when they need someone to design a product and bring it to market. For example, IDEO designed the first ever mouse for Apple.

Our group was greeted by Misa, a Duke Fuqua alum who works at IDEO. She pointed to the wall across from the reception desk, which had 3 big words written at the very top: Learning, Fluency, Mastery. These are the keys to success at IDEO. You first start by identifying what skills you want to learn, then practice to get good at it, and finally become a master of it so that you can teach others. I think this is what drives the employees every single day. Working at IDEO is a constant learning process; and to work here, you must have a strong will to learn from your peers. We continued walking, past displays of previous products and walls covered in sticky notes, and reached the patio area where the employees come to chat and relax. The patio opened towards the ocean, and San Francisco Bay was in full view. Misa explained that the employees don’t have their own desks; rather, they rotate frequently based on the projects they’re on. For each project, teams are assembled so that people from different backgrounds (engineers, business managers like Misa, etc) are on the same team to provide different perspectives. The teams work with the company that came to IDEO for help, and design the products based primarily on what customers want and need. This human-centered approach lies at the core of IDEO’s values, and drives its processes everyday.

After the tour of the tightly-knit office, our long day of site visits came to an end (we had visited Students of the World and Rally.org earlier). IDEO was easily my favorite site visit. As a mechanical engineer, IDEO is exactly the kind of company that allows me to apply my skills very effectively. It is a cool place, with a cool philosophy, run by cool people. See you next time, IDEO!

by Caleb Ellis

With our first week of classes officially in the book, it’s safe to say that the quality, depth, and intensity of the dialogue Professor Christensen both expects and fosters has exceeded any and all of our preconceived notions. Within the span of just five classes we’ve covered topics ranging from investment banking and IPO’s to steel and plastic production to radiology and healthcare, honing in on a bevy of companies that interact and coexist within them.

More importantly, we’ve been introduced to theoretical frameworks that prompt us beyond simply reading a case, but challenge us to use conjecture and reasoning to draw conclusions on our own terms. It’s an empowering way to learn, one that demands a personal investment everyone has been willing to give.

Each class represents an evolution in and of itself. Professor Christensen dives right in, cold calling one of us to introduce the article, company, or dilemma at hand. From there, the conversation grows organically, so much so that you can observe the shift in processing of every student. In discussing the role that resources, processes, and priorities play in running a successful enterprise, our conversation grew from classifying these elements in a company to how they incubate innovation between one another. Instead of simply assigning a specific production method or manager as “innovative,” we began to dissect how autonomy can afford individuals the room they need to facilitate innovation, as well as when it does not. While this represents just one example, tackling these cases with such a diverse group of students brings the multifaceted nature of decision-making to the forefront. It requires everyone to identify how they arrived at their conclusion, and perhaps more importantly, how those who disagree arrived at theirs.

Thanks to some finagling (chocolate chip cookies still work wonders), our program coordinators Kimberley and Amy were able to secure us a new classroom off the main quad, right next to Stanford’s ornate mosaic-laden Romanesque church. Though it can’t quite replace the Duke Chapel, it’s a beautiful new backdrop for our commute from Mountain View, and the new classroom offers ample space and visibility, a serious upgrade from our original quarters.

While the rigor of the program has certainly begun to set in, recognizing the dynamism that has emerged from our brief time in Silicon Valley has been thrilling. Our early site visits offer a glimpse of what it will be like to incorporate the skills and passions we are cultivating the program into something tangible, and watching your classmates become enthralled with a company they’d previously never heard about establishes a palpable sense meaning to the program. Despite the work it requires, there is a unanimous desire to make our classes with Professor Christensen count for something more than letter grade. That desire, so colloquially thrown around as the spirit of Silicon Valley, has already begun to sharpen our convictions, ambitions, and confidence, pushing us toward an end product I can hardly wait to see realized.

by Dhrumil Patel

The moment finally arrived.

We moved out of Lyfe Kitchen (definitely a place I would recommend) after celebrating Jenny Scherl’s birthday and walked across the street to 100 Hamilton Avenue.

Our group stood anxiously outside Palantir’s headquarter, also known as the Shire, for our first official site visit. Both terms actually came from the Lord of the Rings (if you didn’t already guess so). Founded in 2004 by Peter Thiel and Alex Karp (current CEO), Palantir builds software that combines technology and data. Their software is used by numerous companies and governments to assist with cyber fraud, law enforcement, disease response, capital markets, healthcare, and other custom solutions.

Upon entering, we were greeted by a receptionist and security. One after another, we displayed our IDs and received a guest lanyard. After we all checked in, we were introduced to our tour guide, Jake Sanches, a business operations and development specialist. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a BA in Philosophy and Neurology. Jake described his role at the company, his prior experience at a more traditional firm, and the history of Palantir (apparently Lord of the Rings wasn’t the only theme present — one floor was dedicated to Game of Thrones).

Thereafter, we explained the DSV program to Jake and what our hopes for the visit were. A lot of us were curious about opportunities for non-engineers and programmers at tech companies. Surprisingly, many of the workers at Palantir were not technical and a multitude of jobs were available for those without technical backgrounds but deep interests in tech, design, and product.

For the first leg of the tour, we were guided to the design hub. The design hub was located adjacent to the main building. The focus of the team in design was to create and continue iterations of design for the different programs Palantir has built. The hub was designed to offer a kitchen full of snacks and drinks, windows everywhere, and creative spaces. Another employee at Palantir gave us a tour of a few of their current projects. The titles, ranging from Raven to Valhalla, helped specific customers use their data to perform tasks such as manage legal documents, geo-tag health care respondents, and analyze where shoppers go. Because most of the work Palantir does is for financial institutions and governments, the work tends to be classified (makes working on projects much cooler anyways).

After viewing the projects, we returned to the Shire (formerly a Google and Facebook office) and ventured to the fourth floor conference room. After sitting down comfortable, Jake explained the culture at Palantir (a bit nerdy — but they aren’t afraid to show it), life at work (tons and tons of perks and people sometimes do stay the night to work), and internship opportunities.  Next, Jake offered us a look into the former Palantir software in action using scenario involving a virus outbreak and the CDC. Using the technology, he was able to accurately uncover the source of the disease (two farms in rural California) after analyzing the data given by the CDC. He also previewed the newer, web-integrated Palantir software.

Finally, another employee at Palantir, Alex, came by for Q&A and to discuss the recruiting process at Palantir (challenging but ultimately rewarding). Afterwards, we each received Palantir water bottles and thanked both Alex and Jake for allowing us to visit the Shire and learn more about the wonders at Palantir.

Overall, the tour was amazing and offered all of us an insight into one of the fastest growing (and secretive) companies in the Valley.

Save the Shire!

by Regan Fiascone

Confident, soft spoken, wise, and tall. Those were my first impressions of our professor, Matt Christensen, when he walked into the room on July 3rd, the first day of class. The nerves of my classmates and I were palpable as the aire of mystery built up around our esteemed professor turned to reality. After commuting as a group on the Caltrain and arriving on Stanford’s campus, it was finally time to begin our class: Building and Sustaining a Successful Enterprise.

To say I was nervous would be putting it lightly. I came in armed with written notes and aggressively highlighted case studies, and I wasn’t the only one (or maybe I was, but I’d like to think everyone else shared my anxiety). The classroom was definitely a cozy fit for the 19 of us, but Professor Christensen took charge and did some heavy lifting to adjust the layout of the room. The long table was pushed against the wall to allow us to form a U-shaped semicircle of chairs.

Matt demonstrates a way to get his nametag noticed

We went around and introduced ourselves. I never knew saying my name, hometown, and interests could be so intimidating. Then, it was time to launch into the discussion. Update: the nervous energy in the room had not yet faded and if anything may have increased as we delved into the topic of the assigned articles.

The nerves didn’t stop my classmates from making insightful comments and posing interesting questions, and I quickly found myself wrapped up in the discussion.  We discussed a concept called the Halo Effect, which often leads to misanalysing the reasons behind a company’s success. We thought through many studies that have been conducted to determine theories behind success and evaluated the bias that could have led to their conclusions. We also discussed the idea of leadership within a company and what it takes to make a good company great: to be what is labeled as a “level 5 leader.” This led to some playful pondering of whether or not we have what it takes to be level 5 leaders.

Our first day of class

I was so impressed at the varying perspectives everyone had and the different insights people had to offer. While I could probably count the number of lectures at school that have fully captured my attention for their entire duration on both hands (or maybe one hand), I had no trouble remaining engaged for this two hour class. At the end of class, we filed out and our chatter filled the hallway as we finally broke our composure and relived the moments that had just happened. I found myself excited to return and ready to be challenged by Professor Christensen and my classmates. Day one: complete.

Walking around campus

by Hayley Bohart

Life Coaching. For me these two words conjure images of sitting in a circle, talking about feelings, and leaving a session even more confused about my future than when it started. When I found out that our first group activity would be a life and career coaching session with Patty Leeper, I was hoping that this experience would be something different.

We arrived at noon on July 2nd at Stanford University and gathered in a shady spot on the beautiful lawns of the campus. The night before we had been asked to fill out questionnaires about our interests and aspirations. With these completed papers in hand and nametags on our shirts, we were introduced to Patty. A petite, yet spunky, woman, she exuded a warmth that made it clear that she was truly there to help us. Within minutes, I knew that this session would be something different than the typical self-help exercises I had been through in the past.

Patty began by explaining how careers and interests do not have to be mutually exclusive; in today’s job market, there are endless combinations of professions that can be found or even created. We also discussed the controversial topic of money and how that fits into our aspirations. Patty started the workshop by asking for a volunteer to share their questionnaire responses with the group. Shannon agreed, and proceeded to share her interests in politics, current events, education, and her desire to work in a challenging environment with people who are smarter than her.  The rest of us were then instructed to toss out ideas of potential careers for Shannon. This brainstorming process turned out to be nothing short of incredible. We mentioned political advising, social media news, political education, and speechwriting. Shannon sat in awe as eighteen other students shared career ideas that seemed to match her diverse interests perfectly. We then generated a list of specific companies for her to explore that fit these careers in order to give Shannon an idea of which contacts to make during our time in the Valley.

Next, we formed groups of four and completed this brainstorming process for each person in the group. This process helped us learn about our classmates, and it also got us to think creatively and objectively and to give each other advice from an outside perspective. I personally had an “aha” moment after I shared my interests in law, analytical thinking, creativity, fitting parts together into a whole, and my preference to work independently. A member of my group immediately shouted, “Crisis Manager! Like Olivia Pope!” This was certainly not a career I had considered before, but it was one that I could actually envision for myself (minus the scandal of Pope’s life)!

Finally, we re-gathered as a group for concluding thoughts and it was evident that I was not the only one who had had an eye-opening experience. All nineteen of us felt a sense of inspiration and clarity that we will carry with us throughout the program. We would like to thank Patty for her guidance, expertise, and wisdom and we look forward to meeting with her again for a second session.

Hello everyone, and welcome to the site for Duke in Silicon Valley 2014!

We will be building on the blog from last year, so you will be able to look back at old posts to see differences and similarities in the program. Between the nineteen students on this trip, we will try to keep this blog regularly updated with what we have been up to. As we visit companies, meet people, and go through our class with Matt Christensen, we will keep posting to this blog. Sometimes it will be a short post with a few pictures. Other times, it will be a lengthy discussion of what we learned.

The site is still a little under construction for this year’s group. We will be updating the “Meet the Students” page this weekend, so you will be able to get to know the group. Also, we are looking into a way to easily share photos with all of you, so keep an eye out for that. The goal for the blog this year is to include pictures and, perhaps, other multimedia elements. The more you can see, the better! Over the next few days, we will post about the first few days of orientation and the first day of class, which was today.

We are all extremely grateful and extremely excited to be on this program together. We have many people to thank for setting this all up, including Kimberly Jenkins, Amy Unell, Matt Christensen, and everyone else involved at Duke (and Yale!) University.  Additionally, we owe a massive amount of thanks to the students who participated in DSV last year and helped shape it into the fantastic program it is today. Those are certainly some big shoes to fill.

We are looking forward to sharing this fantastic experience with you all! Thanks for following along.

-Sid Gopinath