System Thinking

The first thing you’ll notice when talking to Philip Thompson is his smile, warmth, and English accent. His passion and high energy for what he does is obvious—he believes in our mission as well as the ingenuity and technology that goes into advancing our products and services.

Personally, I enjoy recruiting for our product design team. When I recruit potential candidates, I’m looking for designers with empathy for the end user. Those who thrive are humble and collaborative, so they can work well with others on the team and across multiple functions, such as engineering and research.

Your father was a jet pilot in the Royal Air Force. What was that like, and how does your upbringing influence you as an adult?

I was very fortunate to visit and live in so many different countries, which helped to awaken a deep love of different cultures, architectural styles, and foods. I also grew up attending air shows and watching incredible machines and operators perform superhuman feats, so in some ways not unlike robotic-assisted surgery.

Why did you pick the US?

I know this sounds cliché, but the US has always been seen as the land of opportunity—the future. When I was a child, we lived in Saskatchewan, Canada and traveled to the US often, visiting most of the states. For me, living in the US wasn’t a question of if, but when.

When did you become interested in design?

I distinctly remember the moment that sparked my passion for design. I was nine years old and in a planetarium watching the film Powers of 10. I watched as the film spanned from macro to micro and back again, and I realized that we are all interconnected—and that either nature or humans design everything. One would think that the film was created by an astronomer or microbiologist, but it was actually done by two designers—Charles and Ray Eames. From then on, I knew I wanted to be a designer.

How and where do you feel you fit into this grand design?

On one hand, it’s daunting to know that you’re just a little cog in a big wheel. On the flip side, it’s empowering because you know you have a responsibility like everyone else.

What is your primary motivation in design?

I believe in perpetual pursuit of simplicity, which, let’s be honest, is constantly changing because new technology comes along and new expectations develop. So that perception of what is good design just keeps getting further away, and you’re always in a state of improvement.

What initially attracted you to Intuitive?

I didn’t know of Intuitive, so I had to do some research, but the “hook” for me was visiting Sunnyvale and doing a system demo. Everyone has that “wow factor” the first time they sit down at a da Vinci. After my interviews, I reflected, asking myself, “What am I doing with my life? What am I making or contributing? Where am I in my career?” The sense of purpose and opportunity was obvious at Intuitive.

When you look at joining a company, you think, “I could go there, but I would just be perpetuating what they’ve already achieved.” The place Intuitive is at in our evolution allows new people to contribute in such a big way. Gary explains that we’re not even at the end of the beginning yet, and I wholeheartedly believe that’s true.

What keeps you here?

The people; it’s the passion and humility of the individuals working on these projects. They’re committed, and they know that what we’re doing isn’t easy, but we’re doing it for the right reasons. We have a collective, shared spirit that allows our teams to work well together.

What makes Intuitive’s culture attractive to you?

It’s authentic, honest, and we recognize our areas of improvement. As a designer, it’s important to be at a company that wants to make a better product. There are lots of companies out there that just want to increase margins or beat the competition, but we truly want to make a better product. We come to work every day challenging ourselves with the mindset that “this is great, but how can we make it better.” 

What is your team’s philosophy on the design of our products?

• Intention – Anything a care provider sees, touches, or hears should be for their benefit. Their needs define how we compose and create an experience. Designing with intention means emphasizing the important details, creating consistent visual cues, and considering how it all works together to create a single, unified experience that is clear and simple.
• Flow - The experiences we create streamline and simplify for our users. At the moment, our products disappear, seamlessly blending into the care being delivered. Designing for flow means simplifying and humanizing the complexities of our technology. By reducing cognitive load and sharing relevant information at just the right time, care providers stay focused on the patient and the task at hand.
• Wonder - Wonder occurs through collaboration. Engineering, research, and design work in harmony to deliver a unique experience that creates an emotional connection between our users and our products. Wonder amplifies the abilities of the care provider. It inspires a sense of self-empowerment; an admiration and awe that comes from innovations that provide something both highly useful and engaging.

If I were a design professional, why would I want to join the Intuitive Design team?

Because it’s an amazing team doing incredible work. Next question.

But, seriously we have teams of incredibly talented people working on challenging and inspiring projects with fantastic senior-level support. And you’re not just working on one product, at one time, in one space. We have a centralized design team that works together and is connected to all parts of the business/ecosystem.

We also have a great design studio that allows for lots of ideation, prototyping, and testing. 

I would say that if you’re looking at a career in product design, and you want to work on some of the most innovative products in the world that truly make a difference, and if you’re collaborative and user centric, explore our design careers at careers.intuitive.com.

What does the future look like for our products?

Since I’m a designer, I’d rather show you than tell you. So here’s a video that might help explain.