Autodesk & Target Corporation to Sponsor IDEA 09
January 4, 2009 | Levent OZLER
The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) announced that Autodesk Inc., a world leader in design innovation technologies, and Target Corporation, the company whose brand essence is great design, have signed on to join BusinessWeek as sponsors of the 2009 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA 09) competition. IDEA is a celebration of the most innovative and exciting product and product concept designs of the year and one of the world's most prestigious design competitions.
"Seeing this level of commitment to design from sponsors of the caliber of Target and Autodesk reaffirms the importance of good design to good business," said Andrew Hartman, IDSA, design director, new business at Philips Design and IDEA 09 jury chair.
The IDEA competition, which was founded in 1980 by IDSA, has been reported on by the competition's media sponsor, BusinessWeek magazine, since 1990. The IDEA program fosters business and public understanding of the impact of industrial design excellence on the quality of life and the economy.
"Autodesk software enables the world's leading designers to capture ideas digitally, allowing industrial design data to be incorporated into a single digital prototype that can be used in every stage of design and production," said Brenda Discher, senior director, marketing, Manufacturing Solutions at Autodesk. "We hope our sponsorship of the IDEA awards will continue to foster superior designs that drive superior business."
In 2005, a sustainability category was added to the awards and environmental impact became a judging criterion to reflect IDSA's goal of promoting eco-responsible design. Both Target and Autodesk are committed to responsible stewardship of the environment.
The 2009 IDEA jury, comprised of 19 world-renowned designers and design thinkers, will meet in May for two-and-a-half days of intense, face-to-face evaluation and debate before choosing this year's winners. Judging criteria for each entry focuses on eight areas of industrial design excellence: design innovation; benefit to the user; benefit to the client/business; benefit to society; ecological responsibility; appropriate aesthetics and appeal; usability testing; rigor and reliability (Design Research category); and internal factors and methods, implementation (Design Strategy category). Following selection of this year's winners, jurors will select the "Best in Show" winner from among those receiving Gold awards.
A "People's Choice" award will also be presented when the winners are honored in a formal ceremony at Loews Miami Beach Hotel in South Beach Miami, Saturday, September 26, the final day of the highly anticipated 2009 IDSA International Conference & Education Symposium, followed by a gala celebration. Winners will be displayed in the conference Design Gallery. All the winners with descriptions, photos and contacts will be featured on IDSA's web site.
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