This panel discussion focused on the ever-evolving landscape of design academia and how we prepare future designers for the complexities of the 21st century and what can be changed.
By:
Saloni Bedi
September 30, 2024
Date: October 24th, 2024
This discussion dived deep into the current state of design education and what’s required to create design education for the 21st century, to equip designers with the skills and perspectives to design more efficient, sustainable, accessible, and responsible product ecosystems.
Our panelists, with their vast experience in design academia and industry, will reflect on the challenges, innovations, and transformations they’ve witnessed in the field, and provide insight into where design education is headed next.
How is the new landscape of AI tools transforming the space of design academia?
AI tools are here to stay, so how are AI tools reshaping design academia, and what opportunities or challenges do they present in terms of creativity, collaboration, and innovation for research and design education? As we witness the birth of a new partnership between designers and AI, how are we preparing the future designers for this new landscape?
Here is a recording of the panel discussion:
The discussion highlighted the importance of balancing AI advancements with human-centered design principles. Panelists addressed student concerns about job displacement in the age of AI, emphasizing the need for ethical considerations in AI-augmented design processes. They also underscored the significance of understanding fundamental design principles before leveraging AI tools.
Panelists:
Sheng-Hung Lee
Sheng-Hung Lee is a designer, PhD researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) AgeLab and Ideation Lab, and Board Director at Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). In a seamless back-and-forth between design research and industry (IDEO, Continuum), he is inspired by multiple domains of knowledge and perspectives, and serves as Adjunct Associate Professor at Shih Chien University, Taiwan. You can reach out to him via his email (shdesign@mit.edu) or website (https://www.shenghunglee.com/)
Diane Pfeiffer
Diane Pfeiffer is a designer, fabricator, and artist currently teaching in the Industrial Design program at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. She received her BS from Antioch College, and her MS Arch in Industrial Design from Virginia Tech. In 2004 she participated in a year-long design research program at the Bauhaus in Germany, the work from which was shown at the Beijing Biennale. She's taught industrial design and digital design and fabrication courses at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, the Oregon College of Art and Craft, and the University of Oregon, among others.
Helen Armstrong
Helen Armstrong is a researcher and author at the forefront of digital rights, human-machine collaboration, and inclusivity in design. She holds an MFA in Graphic Design from The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and an MA in English Literature from The University of Mississippi. Through collaborative research, she has engaged with many for-profit and nonprofit entities such as IBM, Redhat, REI, Advance Auto Parts, SAS Analytics, Sealed Air, and the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences.
In her research and design work, Saloni believes that products aren't discarded because they have no value; rather, they're replaced because they fail to keep up with people and their needs. This realization has led her to focus on developing products and experiences that evolve with the user while remaining empathetic to how they can improve lives.As an industrial designer, Saloni is passionate about bringing together design, engineering, and business to tackle some of the most pressing challenges around us. She has worked in a variety of fields, including social innovation, healthcare, sustainable product development, and consumer products.
Prior to Loft, Saloni got her master’s degree at MIT where she saw how the design process can be a key component to bring state-of-the-art solutions can to life. Her work at MIT ranged from conducting user research in zero gravity to make space more inclusive at the Media Lab, developing accessible pregnancy tests for people with vision impairments, and measuring the body's hydration levels at the Gray lab, IMES.
Previous
Next
Education
AI
.png)
