ID Today
ID Today
For 85 years (and counting) ID has invested primarily in students, and therefore, in the future of design—in the practical, gratifying value of collegial work for the public good.
From our roots in industrialization as The New Bauhaus and our founder László Moholy-Nagy’s focus on experimentation, to pioneering systems design and human-centered design, time and again, we have propelled design into new frontiers.
Today, ID helps learners and leaders navigate our latest industrial revolution—an unprecedented commingling of the digital, physical, and biological. As artificial intelligence and automation accelerate human experiences, the varied dimensions of contemporary design require multidisciplinary, multigenerational thinking and a radical approach to collaboration.
ID’s collaborative culture is very real, and our award-winning work proves that the best design derives from a community of shared ideas and expertise. At ID, design is by everyone, for everyone—and always looking forward.
As we stand at the precipice of the fifth industrial revolution, we ask ourselves where we—and design—must go next.
Latham fellow Jarrett Fuller shared an account of our most recent chapter in the second season of ID’s podcast, With Intent. His podcast conversations with ID faculty have since become a book, Where Must Design Go Next?
Read Jarrett Fuller’s essay, “What is Design?” and explore his conversations ID faculty below.
Where Must Design Go Next?
How do you design design? What is the future of design practice? How do you set up academic institutions to thrive under rapid change? What can we learn from design history to point toward a better future? Jarrett Fuller in conversation with Dean Anijo Mathew.
How Can Design Make the Biggest Impact?
Over the last decade, there’s been an increasing awareness that design can and should not be exclusively employed to maximize profit. The tools of the designer can aid in making the world better from a more equitable society to environmental considerations. Design for social good is a growing area of design practice but this also does not mean we leave business behind. What is the role of more traditional design practices within a socially conscious design field? Jarrett Fuller in conversation with ID faculty John Payne and Weslynne Ashton.
Why Is Design Always Talking About Complexity?
What does it mean to be a designer when the thing you are designing isn’t always a clear, physical object? How does a designer find their place — and their purpose — within a system where what the asks are not always clear? How does the role of the designer change when design’s role moves from the object to the system? Jarrett Fuller in conversation with ID faculty Maura Shea and Kim Erwin.
What If Human-Centered Design Isn’t Enough?
How is human-centered design different than just design? And perhaps more importantly, is human-centered design really the goal we should be focused on? Does it overlook non-human design, for example, or ignore environmental issues? How can we think about design that is, perhaps, ecology-centered or as one of my guests today refers to it, humanity-centered design? Jarrett Fuller in conversation with ID faculty Ruth Schmidt and Carlos Teixeira.
How Do You Teach Design for Tomorrow?
What does it mean to teach design today? What do today’s design students need to know to practice design? What does the future of design look like? What is the value of design education and its role in the industry? Jarrett Fuller in conversation with ID faculty Zach Pino and Matt Mayfield.
How Does Someone Become a Designer?
Foundation courses in art and design schools are perhaps one of the most enduring legacies of the Bauhaus. These courses would focus on materials and processes that one’s design education could be built upon. When László Moholy-Nagy started The New Bauhaus in Chicago, he reinstated these courses as core for all students. But what is the purpose of Foundation? Why has this model endured? What should foundation classes look like today to train future designers? Jarrett Fuller in conversation with ID faculty Marty Thaler and Tomoko Ichikawa.