Polar Opposites: Mediating the Space Between Positions in Design

The Industrial Designers Society of America's (IDSA) 2008 National Conference "Polar Opposites: Mediating the Space Between Positions in Design" will be held September 10 - 13 at the Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix.

The conference promises to be a truly newsworthy event, focusing on the many polar issues critical to all designers as they attempt to design with a goal of effectively changing existing situations into preferred ones, such as mass consumption versus minimizing footprint, quarterly profits driven by investor demands versus evolving needs of consumers, design thinking versus design as execution of products and services, women: the most powerful consumers in the world, but under-represented in the design field, designing to meet the challenges of the Boomer market when we've been designing for consumers aged 15-35, and designing with Asia and for Asia.

Featured speakers will be as fascinating and diverse as Marti Barletta, author of the book Marketing to Women and co-author of Trends with Tom Peters, and Richard Earl, keeper of the historical heritage of his grandfather, Harley J. Earl, who assembled and completed the first automotive design department at General Motors.

Emily Pilloton, founder of Project H Design, will share how her global nonprofit organization supports, inspires, and delivers humanitarian and life-improving product design solutions and Wade Lukianow, VP of Plexus' Boulder Design Center will discuss his team's role in Plexus' implementation of Concept Convergence philosophies, improving customer experience and product outcomes.