IDC 2024 Recap: Insights and Inspiration
Last week, Nova headed to Austin, Texas, for the Industrial Designers Society of America’s International Design Conference (IDC). Over three exciting days, we had the chance to connect with industry leaders, attend thought-provoking presentations, and explore the vibrant city. Events like these fuel our passion for design, offering invaluable opportunities to exchange ideas and dive deep into the trends shaping the future of our field. Here are some of the highlights from our experience at IDC 2024.
“Designing for Resilience, Health, and Wellbeing”
Presented by Dr. Paul Barach
Given Nova’s extensive work in the medical device and healthcare space, we are always seeking new insights into how design can improve both patient and provider experiences. Dr. Paul Barach delivered a powerful presentation, shedding light on the urgent need for better design in healthcare. Despite healthcare accounting for 22-25% of the U.S. GDP, there are still an estimated 400,000 deaths each year due to medical errors—a staggering statistic that underscores the inefficiencies in the system.
Dr. Barach explained that healthcare is not just a technical challenge; it’s a socio-technical one. Many companies approach healthcare purely from a technical standpoint, overlooking the critical social factors that contribute to the overall experience. We couldn’t agree more with Dr. Barach’s message: designers have the unique ability to embed themselves within the healthcare system, ultimately creating more efficient, compassionate solutions. At Nova, we believe that to truly design for healthcare, it’s essential to fully immerse ourselves in the space.
“Why Your Disruptive Design Fails: How Users Impact Product Design Success”
Presented by Sara Bodde
At Nova, user research is at the core of everything we do, so we were immediately drawn to this session. Sara Bodde, Senior Human Factors Specialist at Priority Designs, shared a candid and insightful story about one of their product design failures. Despite the best of intentions, the product failed to resonate with its target audience and ended up forgotten.
Sara’s breakdown of where things went wrong was both enlightening and a reminder of the importance of user-centered design. She emphasized how skipping research into the user’s context and environment can lead even the most well-meaning designs astray. Proper research could have revealed critical insights that might have steered the project toward success. This session underscored the real-world impact of thorough user research on product outcomes, reinforcing our own commitment to keeping users at the heart of the design process.
“The Future is Industrial Design: Navigating AI, Sustainability, and Career Dynamics”
Conversation with Ivy Ross and Lindsey Maxwell
One of the most memorable sessions featured a conversation between Ivy Ross, Vice President of Design Hardware at Google, and Lindsey Maxwell, Vice President of Teague, titled "The Future is Industrial Design: Navigating AI, Sustainability, and Career Dynamics." These two trailblazing leaders truly represent the future of our profession, sharing inspiring insights on leadership and innovation. They spoke about their roles as "orchestra conductors," empowering their teams to achieve their best work.
Ivy Ross highlighted that industrial design isn’t just about creating products—it’s about creating emotions and leaving a lasting impact. It brought to mind one of our favorite Maya Angelou quotes: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
A standout moment was Ivy’s reflection on AI and creativity: “To remain relevant, bring AI into your toolbox, but the poetry of designer and pencil is undeniably powerful—don’t stop sketching.” Her words were a reminder to embrace technology while preserving the artistry at the core of design. We left the session feeling inspired and motivated to blend innovation with creativity.
AI in Industrial Design: Impact on Design Practice, Research, and Education
Panel with Jim Arnold, Joe Curtsinger, Lydia Swedberg, and Yong-Gyun Ghim
As anticipated, AI was a hot topic at IDC 2024, with numerous engaging discussions on its influence in the design world. The panelists were passionate about AI’s role in the future of design, but they were clear: design is a knowledge-based profession, not just a vocation. While AI can assist with task-oriented work, it cannot replicate the creative intuition and deep expertise that designers bring to the table.
At Nova, we constantly strive to stay ahead of AI trends, and this conference provided us with a wealth of insights into how AI will shape the future of our industry. We have various partners and collaborations in the AI space that we are working with to improve tools in AI. The discussions left us more inspired than ever about the possibilities of AI and design working together.
IDC 2024 was an unforgettable experience, filled with powerful presentations, meaningful connections, and fresh perspectives on the future of design. From healthcare to AI, we left Austin with new ideas and deeper insights to bring back to our work at Nova. We’re already looking forward to IDC 2025!