Gaming and Design are no doubt deeply related areas but too often, gaming companies don’t truly follow the precepts of design-thinking. Though the idea of design-thinking has been around for the better part of 5-decades, few companies have ingested the idea and made it paramount in the organization. And that includes gaming companies, ironically.
Redmond, WA-based GAEMS is a notable exception. The company came about as a result of a problem-statement that emanated from the personal experiences of founders Dean Mercier and John Smith. “We love the way we game but how do we take that experience along with us when we are mobile?” they asked. Though naysayers discussed the constraints of a hard-ware based solution to their problem, they pushed ahead and have designed a series of portable gaming cases replete with high-quality monitors and customizable exteriors that have proven incredibly popular with gamers, celebrities, and even the most unlikely people- professionals who travel with their own gaming consoles.
The interesting part of the GAEMS story is not simply the “end product’ but the fact that design-thinking infuses everything the company does- from designing the latches on the cases to the experiences they render to eager gamers.
I got a sneak peek into their upcoming line of products and I realized that the company is a design-hub that is levered on the notion that great experiences and great design are not just for the few aficionados in the community but for anyone who wants them. And all of this, without breaking the bank.
Design-thinking buoys all aspects of the company. This even includes the “Operations” side of the business which is usually far-removed from design-thinking.
Kudos to the company and its founders, executives, and employees for building the company in such a smart way.
