May 2016 /// IBM Design Studio /// Austin, Texas

Shark Tank + IBM Watson = Cognitive Build

Hosted at the IBM Design Studio in Austin, Texas, this finale event was the culmination of a global cognitive competition where 275,000 IBMers developed and shared their ideas.

With the final 50 teams advancing to the Finals, teams worked with business mentors to finalize their concepts, honed their pitches before mock-judges, and worked into the night to perfect and package their cognitive idea. The following morning, each team presented their concepts, with 8 finalist teams being selected for the main event. These 8 teams presented on the main stage in front of a critical panel of IBM leadership, including CEO Ginni Rometty, who wowed the crowd by not only pledging to fund the winner but to fund all 50 teams in the finals!

Re-designing the Design Studio for this event was a challenge in taking an office space and re-purposing it for a live, theater event. Striking tables and chairs, the main stage included an angular wood back wall, with clean branding and a small, circular stage, putting our competitors and their concepts on full display.

To infuse the 'builders spirit' throughout the space, we constructed custom visual installations in multiple rooms, including Post-It art murals, string art typography, and hand-drawn, dry-erase illustrations. Guests were also treated to add their visual impact on the Builders Wall, where each team drew in text and graphics representing their team and their ideas, which were tacked up for everyone to share. Continuing the ethos of the builder, we took signage into a series of lofty yet accessible quotes, alongside clean wayfinding for our global attendees to be able to navigate the office space efficiently.

It was amazing to design an experience for such a multitudinous audience who all shared a singular passion: To make the world a better place.