Jim Arnold, IDSA

Professional Practice Professor and OPDD Program Chair, Utah State University Jim earned his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University in industrial design. After graduation, he worked as a staff and senior industrial designer with companies in the outdoor and health care industries. He created and managed the design activity for numerous successful products from concept to production. This direct involvement in the design process contributed to high sales growth and industry leadership. After working full time in industry, he earned a graduate degree from Arizona State University in industrial design and human factors to deepen his knowledge. Over the years since graduate school, he has worked as a designer and design research consultant with various companies and has been teaching full-time as an industrial design professor at several schools: The Ohio State University, Art Institute of Portland, Oregon College of Art and Craft, and University of Oregon. He has advised Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) student chapters and held leadership positions in professional IDSA chapters throughout his career. Coordinating Student Merit Award events, building design student leadership, running chapter events, communicating with other schools, and coordinating efforts with IDSA to further the goals and mission of IDSA are distinguishing characteristics of Jim’s service and leadership. Jim has been the lead faculty and primary administrator in design programs at three different schools including Utah State University (USU) where he now lives and works in the Outdoor Product Design and Development (OPDD) program. OPDD is a new and unique 7-year-old undergraduate product design program that trains students to function as designers, developers, and product line managers at companies in the outdoor recreational product space. OPDD includes hard goods, soft goods, and apparel design in its curriculum. The curriculum is based on a traditional industrial design curriculum. Jim has helped develop this popular program and its students are successfully obtaining a variety of product design, apparel design, and industrial design positions in Utah and across the USA. Moving to USU and the OPDD program has been a dream position for him because of his passionate focus on industrial design, outdoor products, and teaching excellence.

Professional Practice Professor and OPDD Program Chair, Utah State University

Jim earned his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University in industrial design. After graduation, he worked as a staff and senior industrial designer with companies in the outdoor and health care industries. He created and managed the design activity for numerous successful products from concept to production. This direct involvement in the design process contributed to high sales growth and industry leadership.

After working full time in industry, he earned a graduate degree from Arizona State University in industrial design and human factors to deepen his knowledge. Over the years since graduate school, he has worked as a designer and design research consultant with various companies and has been teaching full-time as an industrial design professor at several schools: The Ohio State University, Art Institute of Portland, Oregon College of Art and Craft, and University of Oregon. He has advised Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) student chapters and held leadership positions in professional IDSA chapters throughout his career. Coordinating Student Merit Award events, building design student leadership, running chapter events, communicating with other schools, and coordinating efforts with IDSA to further the goals and mission of IDSA are distinguishing characteristics of Jim’s service and leadership. Jim has been the lead faculty and primary administrator in design programs at three different schools including Utah State University (USU) where he now lives and works in the Outdoor Product Design and Development (OPDD) program.

OPDD is a new and unique 7-year-old undergraduate product design program that trains students to function as designers, developers, and product line managers at companies in the outdoor recreational product space. OPDD includes hard goods, soft goods, and apparel design in its curriculum. The curriculum is based on a traditional industrial design curriculum. Jim has helped develop this popular program and its students are successfully obtaining a variety of product design, apparel design, and industrial design positions in Utah and across the USA. Moving to USU and the OPDD program has been a dream position for him because of his passionate focus on industrial design, outdoor products, and teaching excellence.

Activities for Jim

Academic Juror | 2024

Education Council | West District | 2024, 2025

Statement of Candidacy

As IDSA West Representative on the Education Council, I am committed to advancing the interests and excellence of industrial design education within our region. My vision for this role encompasses three key pillars:

Effective Communication and Advocacy:
1. I will ensure excellent and timely communication between IDSA and industrial design education programs in the IDSA West region. This includes maintaining open channels of dialogue to understand the unique needs and challenges faced by educators, students, and industry professionals.
2. I will be a highly effective voice for those I represent in the IDSA West, advocating for policies and initiatives that support the growth and development of design education. This includes collaborating with educational institutions and industry partners to promote the value of design education.
Access to IDSA Benefits:
1. I am dedicated to ensuring that all industrial design education programs in our region have equitable access to the benefits offered by IDSA. This includes facilitating networking opportunities, promoting participation in design competitions, advocating for industry standards, sharing relevant publications, and offering support for advocacy efforts.
2. I will actively promote connections between educational institutions and industry, supporting students and educators in their ongoing search for valuable exposure to real-world challenges and opportunities for mentorship.
Empowering Success through Education:
1. My overarching goal is to empower educators, students, and design professionals to achieve success in their careers. I will actively engage with educators to share best practices, innovative teaching methods, and strategies for curriculum development.
2. I will promote the value of IDSA involvement as a key to success in the industrial design field. By encouraging active participation in IDSA activities, I aim to help individuals build networks, develop their skills, and stay informed about industry trends. My qualifications for the IDSA West Representative role on the Education Council are grounded in my extensive experience and deep commitment to industrial design education:
3. I possess a comprehensive understanding of the needs and challenges faced by educators, students, and professionals in the field of industrial design, allowing me to effectively represent their interests.
4. With over two decades of continuous membership in IDSA since 1997, I have witnessed and contributed to the growth and maturation of IDSA’s involvement in design education.
5. I have a proven track record of promoting student involvement in IDSA since 2005, holding various leadership positions within IDSA chapters and serving as a student advisor in 3 difference industrial design programs.
6. My career as an industrial designer and educator spans multiple institutions and even countries, providing a broad perspective on how success can be achieved and an understanding of potential roadblocks.
7. I have established connections with numerous industrial design educators and visited programs throughout the Western United States, nationally, and internationally, allowing me to tap into a wealth of knowledge and resources to benefit IDSA West.