Unlike the disputed origins of the first AirPods, the AirPods Pro is the product of more harmonious information sharing between different parts of the company, according to a former Apple HR executive.
Chris Deaver spent four years at Apple as a senior HR business partner and “cultural and people lead”, during which time he developed the AirPods and AirPods Pro. He now says the two devices were developed in very different ways, from intense secrecy to a more open exchange of information, at least within Apple.
Chris Deaver said Apple’s culture of secrecy has a dark side, including hoarding critical information, advancing personal agendas and infighting. Chris Deaver apparently agreed with Apple’s pursuit of secrecy, and therefore the goal of “surprise and delight customers,” but said that meant the team was isolated. The teams would work separately for a few months, then had to get together at the end of the project, each adjusting their efforts and working together.
Chris Deaver also discovered while working at Apple that there was already such a think tank inside the company as part of the iOS camera team. The Camera Think Tank (CBT) has a “weekly cross-employee transparency” meeting where the entire team is focused on sharing the challenges they face. Chris Deaver and colleagues built on this to create a similar think tank within the AirPods development team.
What emerged like this was a think tank with regular meetings, openness, and connections that led to the AirPods Pro, an incredibly great noise-canceling product. This is proof of innovation and the power of sharing, proof that sharing can take place in secrecy.