Institute of Design at IIT

04/18/2026

Born on this day in 1926 (100 years ago!) ID alum Burt Meyer designed Lite-Brite, Mouse Trap, and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots—toys that have delighted millions ever since. His philosophy: "You have to have a childlike imagination." An outlook that knows no age or generation, and is why a toy he created six decades ago is still relevant today in the hit series “Stranger Things.” Meyer's work showed how design creates experiences, not just objects—a principle that remains central to how we approach human-centered design at ID today. Happy Birthday Burt!

04/14/2026

Join us this Monday, April 20 at Institute of Design at IIT, as Luca Gonnelli, CEO & Creative Director of data visualization studio Algo.tv and Illo, headlines the eighth annual Lucas J. Daniel Series in Sustainable Systems, by focusing on communicating about sustainability with generative systems.

Luca believes that motion design infused with emerging technology has the power to transform complex datasets into impactful experiences that can move audiences to actions on the pressing issues of our time.

He will share his expertise on using technology and motion design to communicate sustainability-related data with clarity.

This Lucas J. Daniel Lecture in Sustainable Systems is co-presented by the Institute of Design at IIT and AIGA Chicago. Ticket proceeds will fund fellowships for ID students.

For tickets, go here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/luca-gonnelli-lucas-j-daniel-series-in-sustainable-systems-tickets-1985374708197?aff=oddtdtcreator

03/26/2026

What if the systems shaping our world were built on care instead of control?

As we close out Women’s History Month, we’re reflecting on what it means to not just include women in existing systems, but to reimagine those systems entirely. Matriarchal Design Futures invites us to unlearn what we’ve been taught about power, leadership, and progress to design from a place of interdependence, reciprocity, and collective well-being.

The systems we rely on were not designed for this moment. Learn how the Matriarchal Design Futures framework by Heather Snyder Quinn and Ayako Takase (explored in a workshop at ID’s Design As Activism Symposium 2024) can challenge us to rethink how decisions are made, who they serve, and what becomes possible when we design for the many, not just a few. Click below to read more.

At the Design As Activism symposium, a workshop about Matriarchal Design Futures explored an alternative to traditional design thinking.

03/08/2026

In 1962, Carole Segal co-founded the iconic retail brand Crate and Barrel in Chicago, ultimately earning recognition from the Smithsonian as one of America's greatest entrepreneurs.

The video here is a recording of ID student Anushree Joshi creating a live Sketch Note of Carole in conversation with her friend, Eric Larson, at our event on February 19. She shared her remarkable journey from small-town Indiana to design pioneer, and some enduring advice for emerging design leaders.

A trailblazing entrepreneur who refused to let gender define her limits, a member of our advisory board, and a major benefactor of Chicago communities, we couldn’t be more proud to celebrate Carole Segal for International Women's Day.

All applicants to the Graduate School at the Institute of Design are automatically considered for the Gordon & Carole Segal Fellowship. There’s still time to apply and join our fantastic community of design leaders this fall.

To sign up for notifications of Institute of Design events like this one, please visit: https://id.iit.edu/join-our-mailing-list/

02/11/2026

Ready to meet Crate & Barrel's other half?

Carole Segal is a design pioneer who transformed how Americans think about home—starting with Crate & Barrel's founding in 1962. From displaying merchandise on shipping crates to selecting Helvetica as the brand's typeface, Carole made design decisions that shaped an industry.

In advance of Women's History Month, join us Thursday, February 19, for a rarely available conversation with Carole, open only to ticketholders. Expect stories from Mies to Julia Child, insights on building design-driven businesses, and lessons on design-driven leadership as she chats with her friend Eric Larson.

This is your chance to learn from someone who's lived design's evolution—from objects to systems, from craft to strategy. Carole's career mirrors what we teach at ID: design isn't just about making things look good. It's about shaping how people experience the world.

Event Details:
📍 Institute of Design, Chicago (in-person only)
🎟️ Limited tickets: $20 (proceeds support ID students)
⏰ Thursday, February 19, 6:00 PM

This intimate event will sell out. Get tickets now by clicking the link in bio.

02/06/2026

Most organizations don't fail to see disruption coming. They fail to recognize which signals matter—until it's too late.

In the first edition of ID Monthly (landing Monday), Tony Bynum explores how design-driven leaders build organizational dexterity: the ability to deliver results today while carving out new opportunities for tomorrow.

Does the signal need to get any louder? Subscribe now.
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01/28/2026

Which design leader will come to ID next?

Announcement coming tomorrow to our email list!

Subscribe to our newsletters now to get first access to limited tickets for upcoming events, exclusive content from our faculty, promo codes, design news, and more. Past ID speakers pictured here include (L-R): Danzico , John Maeda , Ruha Benjamin, Alcorn, Pitroda, Powell, Bardlavens, Sheryl Cababa

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H/T to for the great programming we've produced together, some of which is pictured here.

01/26/2026

Can you see beyond the challenges that surround you?

To prepare for tomorrow, you have to see more than today.

When László Moholy-Nagy founded The New Bauhaus in 1937—today's Institute of Design—he didn't see Chicago's rapid industrial transformation as a challenge to overcome. He saw futures to shape and build.

At ID, we believe design transforms challenges into opportunities. The Moholy Fellowship, made possible by The Moholy-Nagy Foundation , helps students build the bridge to the tomorrow they want.

Apply now and you'll automatically be considered for the Moholy Fellowship and our other funded fellowships. Learn more in link in bio

01/21/2026

We as designers have the ability to extend power to others. I think about co-design as extending the decision-making power of design beyond the client - bringing others into the process in order to 1) make the design itself better and 2) redistribute some of the power." - (MDes 2005), Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, . Thanks to ID alum Sara Cantor and the many others who joined us at the Design as Activism Symposium to explore strategies and methods for implementing values-driven design. The event would not have been possible without the generosity of the and the leadership of ID alum (PhD 2022). For more info, go to link in bio , , , , ,

01/10/2026

**The ID Quarterly drops next week.**

Our latest issue explores how designers are navigating the forces shaping our field—from AI transformation to evolving roles in healthcare.

Subscribe to our newsletter and you'll receive:
→ The ID Quarterly delivered to your inbox
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→ Exclusive discount codes,
→ Stories from our community of designers, researchers, and systems thinkers

Whether you're working to gain strategic influence, design for impact, or build new ways of seeing complex problems, the ID Quarterly connects you with news and insights from the Institute of Design community, direct to your inbox.

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01/01/2026

Dear ID Community,

We at the Institute of Design are filled with much optimism for the new year ahead. That’s because we see so much possibility in “the new.”

But optimism and possibilities are not enough.

The journey to "the new” is complete only when optimism and possibility are combined with action.

Now more than ever, we mustn’t just sit back and watch as things unfold. We must step in to create the future we wish to see for ourselves.

Only through action can “the new” emerge, going from an idea in our heads to an implementation in the real world.

“The new” might be an innovation that combines AI, robotics, and XR. "The new” can be a redesign of the systems that underpin our lives—healthcare, education, food, data, and more. Or “the new” can simply be a reimagined personal journey.

So, let this new year be the year where we each get to shape our version of “the new.”

Cheers to a new year of optimism, possibility, and action.

Anijo Mathew
Dean
Institute of Design

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