Session: Axis & Allies: The Impact of Design Thinking on World War II

Speaker: Ben Judy

Track: Strategy

Day: Friday, June 1st, 2012

Time: 11:00am

Length: 1 hour

The Axis and Allies had vastly different approaches to design during the second World War. The German war machine operated with equipment built around such values as precision, technical accuracy, and complex innovation. By contrast, Allied equipment was often simpler, more durable, and "scrappier."

The trade-offs are fascinating: Durability vs. accuracy. Reliability vs. uniqueness. Speed of delivery vs. quality control. Usability vs. power. There is much a modern-day designer (in any field) can learn from armies of the past and the industries and cultures behind them.