ID Students Envision Civic Possibilities in Chicago Immersion

The Institute of Design’s SDL (formerly MDM) immersion program transforms how students understand and approach complex global challenges. These intensive week-long experiences take students out of the classroom and through a series of field experiences where they can apply design methods to imagine new possibilities for a range of disciplines.

The fall 2024 immersion in Chicago used design methods to explore civic possibilities in the Windy City. Politecnico di Milano students joined their ID colleagues for an experiential program that explored Chicago’s dynamic civic, cultural, and industrial landscape.

The program began at Guild Row workspace, where students heard from Caleb Gardner, founding partner of 18 Coffees and the digital strategy leader for Barack Obama’s political advocacy group. From there, the itinerary unfolded across the city—visits to Gensler architecture firm, meetings with City of Chicago officials, explorations at the Chicago History Museum, and conversations with the People’s Action Institute, a community organizing group with deep Chicago roots dating to the 1960s.

Highlighting the city’s role as an international commerce hub, students toured the new downtown offices of the multinational Ferrero Group, including their innovation center and strategic R&D lab.

Working with “seeds of a good Anthropocene” as their framework, student teams explored mobility, healthcare, housing, economic development, and education through future-oriented design methods.

Students used the Futures Wheels tool to build concepts from a center trend or driver, based on sequential potential actions. They started with real-life concepts they wanted to continue into the future, then amplified or scaled them. The Three Horizons tool allowed students to envision disruptions that would minimize negative actions or consequences.

Through these international collaborations, students move beyond traditional academic boundaries to practice authentic leadership. Working within multicultural teams, they learn to guide complex conversations, facilitate creative processes, and guide teams through complex design challenges.

In an era of accelerating change and interconnected challenges, these programs equip the next generation of designers with both the mindset and skills to create meaningful change.