The Future of Design

WHEN Wednesday, September 5, 7-9 pm Cash bar reception to follow at Central Bar, 109 E. 9th Street WHERE Cooper Union's Wollman Auditorium, 51 Astor Place, New York, NY 10003 (additional $5 fee when paying at the door) PRICE $25 ($20 for ) more info

Course Details

Design is no longer an afterthought, something businesses slap on finished products to make them look pretty as they send them out the door. Design has infiltrated the production process, informing decisions large and small. Design can drive business strategy.

DIY design is pushing from the other direction. Consumers are active content creators, generating and publishing the stories, soundtracks, images, and videos of their lives. Design is happening on the ground.

This lively panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities of these expanding markets. Using examples from their own work, the panelists will discuss the challenges their firms are facing, and the new tools, techniques, and resources they are using to meet them.

Topics include:

--How businesses are looking to design as a way to spark revenue, and how designers can get involved
--Knowing, understanding, and designing for emerging markets
--Research as a tool for idea creation, not just results confirmation
--The role of the in-house designer vs. the consultant
--What designers need to do and know to stay ahead of the game
--Advice for young designers

Discussion will be followed by questions from the audience.

Panelists will include:

--Etienne Fang, strategic director in the Cultural Insights Studio at Cheskin; former strategic lead at Studio Red and designer at Rockwell Group

--Rie Norregaard, creative director at Frog Design; former creative director at Organic and director of communication design at Smart Design

--Elizabeth Pastor, co-founder of the NextDesign Leadership Institute and co-founder of Humantific; former co-founder Scient Innovation Acceleration Labs

--Leslie Wellott, Insight group, Imagination; formerly of branding and design agencies nickandpaul and Desgrippes Gobe

--Chee Pearlman (moderator), director of Chee Company; former editor-in-chief of I.D.

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