As part of IDSA's on-going efforts to connect design to the K-12 education system, we have just successfully concluded the 2012 IDSA Design Learning Challenge. All participants in this year’s challenge did an excellent job. A few students surpassed all expectations, and we wish to acknowledge their achievements as well as thank jury members, facilitators and sponsors.

John Edson, IDSA, the San Francisco-based President of IDSA Patron LUNAR, is primarily responsible for building new programs for clients with the right innovation processes led by the right creative team to make a real difference for clients. His experience includes managing the birth of successful products for Philips, Motorola, InFocus and a number of startups.

In this Q&A, he talks process and shares some insights on the LUNAR way of doing business:

John Edson, IDSA | Lunar

LUNAR Design recently debuted a radio piece discussing the design process of the iconic toothbrush, Oral B. Oral B is a stick with bristles poking out of it. It doesn't even qualify as a simple machine, but the careful thought and design that went into the creation of the modern, angled bristle, fat handled toothbrush shows just how much brainpower goes into something that is designed to simply work well and not be noticed all that much (until it's time to buy the next one).