On March 30, 2019, the IDSA Atlanta chapter hosted the first ever Southern Design Summit. The summit was a celebration of the varied disciplines that make up industrial design and a lively discussion of emerging tools and trends in our industry. With participation by over 100 design professional practitioners and design student attendees from all across the southeast United States, the event marked a special opportunity for our IDSA community in the South District to come together for networking, fellowship and knowledge exchange.
The day kicked off with a presentation from Veronica Young-Cooksey, who gave us a glimpse into the ripple effects good UX design can make on customer experience and operational efficiency for Delta Airlines. Next up was a presentation and lively panel discussion moderated by Eddie Licitra, IDSA which dug deep into McKinsey Design’s recent study on the Business Value of Design and what metrics we can use to track design success. Panelists represented a wide spectrum of design disciplines and included: Michelle Berryman, FIDSA, Devin Moore, Heather Shankwiler, and Andy Vitale.
After a mid-day portfolio review, the “Tools of the Trade” section of the summit began. This special track of content focused on highlighting new tools and methodologies being used within the design process to deliver results and move our industry forward. Rachel Minnicks of Home Depot gave attendees a quick course on the importance of storytelling in design and broke down the components of what makes a good story. Formation Design Group followed with an exciting VR Demo, showing how VR can speed up iteration and better communicate designs to clients.
The ending keynote for the summit was Austen Angell, FIDSA, who gave an inspiring talk on the future of design and the impact of technology. The day came to a close with impressive presentations from the South District Student Merit Award school finalists.
SMA Finalist presentations were given by:
- Kristin Andreassen – Georgia Tech
- Noah Young – Savannah College of Art and Design
- Michael Bridgers – Auburn University
- Gregory Borbon – Virginia Tech
- Luke Giduz – Appalachian State
- Peter Rozakis – North Carolina State
- Poppy Crawsaw – James Madison University
Image credits: IDSA ATL
WHERE
Georgia Tech College of Design
245 4th Street Northwest
Atlanta, GA 30332
SPEAKERS
Keynote – Veronica Young-Cooksey (Delta Airlines)
The Business Value of Design – Eddie Licitra, IDSA (McKinsey Design)
Panel Discussion – The Business Value of Design & Analytical Leadership – Andy Vitale (Suntrust), Michelle Berryman, FIDSA (Capgemini), Heather Shankwiler (Healthcare IT-Global Tech Company), Devin Moore (Big Bang), Moderated by: Eddie Licitra, IDSA (McKinsey Design)
Tools of the Trade – Part 1 – Rachel Minnicks (Home Depot)
Tools of the Trade – Part 2 – Incorporating VR/MR Into the Design Process (Formation Design)
Keynote – Austen Angell, FIDSA (Design Edge)