In this episode of Design As, host Lee Moreau explores a key tension in AI development: moving fast vs slowing down.

This roundtable conversation with Ruth Schmidt, Albert Shum, David McGaw, and Ruth Kikin-Gil examines the role of design in responsible AI and what happens when innovation outpaces our ability to reflect on its impact.

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In this trailer, host Lee Moreau previews the upcoming season of Design As, which was recorded at ID’s Shapeshift Summit in May. The summit brought together leaders from the creative, technology, and business communities to discuss the implications of AI on design and human culture.

This preview offers a glimpse of their new season as it continues the conversations that started at Shapeshift— conversations that don’t oversimplify AI, but explore the many complicated ways it intersects with design.

Institute of Design at Illinois Tech

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In this episode from ID's Shapeshift conference, Terry Williams-Willcock, Chief Customer Officer at RUSH Digital, and Chelsea Pratt, Design Lead & Strategist at Thoughtfull, discuss ways that intentionally designed AI can address challenges to democracy.

Key Topics

• Why "AI won't save democracy, but design might."
• The democratic crisis of trust: why people aren't disengaging from voting because they don't care, but because they don't know who or what information sources to trust.
• Designing for the margins to benefit everyone: how focusing on visually impaired voters revealed universal barriers to accessing political information and participating in democracy.
• Their work on Chime: using various AI tools to transform complex policy content into engaging, multi-perspective audio experiences.
• Why human values must drive AI design principles and move beyond commercial incentives toward transparency, accessibility, and shared truth as the foundation for democratic participation.

ID’s Shapeshift Summit: Shaping Our Future with AI

ID Events

Institute of Design at Illinois Tech

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In this episode from ID's Shapeshift conference, Anamitra Deb, Senior Vice President of Programs and Policy at Omidyar Network, makes the case for "hardwiring humanity" into our digital future. Drawing from his grandmother's remarkable use of technology at age 100, from health monitoring to Netflix streaming, he illustrates how innovation succeeds when embedded in structures of human care and compassion.

• Why shared agency and societal governance are essential countervails to concentrated tech power
• How expanding who sits at the decision-making table, from kids and teens to workers and faith leaders - creates better technology outcomes
• The case for "rules of the road" in digital technology, comparing current Wild West conditions to safety standards in automotive and pharmaceutical industries
• Stories where partners have had success in developing better approaches, from youth-led advocacy to fashion models winning IP rights over AI-generated likenesses
• The three-to-five-year window of opportunity to shape AI's development toward inclusive, equitable outcomes
• How designers can be central to creating technology defaults that work for the most vulnerable users

ID’s Shapeshift Summit: Shaping Our Future with AI

ID Events

Institute of Design at Illinois Tech

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In this episode from ID's Shapeshift conference, Ryan Powell shares how Waymo uses design to tackle one of the world's most pressing challenges: the 1.35 million annual traffic fatalities and 50 million injuries from vehicle crashes.

• The challenge of building trust between passengers and autonomous vehicles in the absence of human drivers
• The evolution from Phoenix's suburban environment to San Francisco's dense urban challenges, requiring "legible motion" and LED signals to communicate with pedestrians and other road users
• Working with cities as stakeholders to integrate autonomous vehicles into existing transportation systems, including first-and-last-mile solutions for public transit
• Growing evidence that autonomous vehicles are making roads safer, particularly for vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists
• The importance of maintaining human-centered design principles when developing AI applications, focusing on human needs rather than technological capabilities

ID’s Shapeshift Summit: Shaping Our Future with AI

ID Events

Institute of Design at Illinois Tech

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In this episode, Patrick Whitney shares his path from reluctantly accepting Jay Doblin's invitation to teach a single course to discovering his passion for helping students grow. He reflects on the challenges of teaching design, particularly to eager freshmen students, and how that experience shaped his understanding of design education.

• The fundamental tension between business's focus on financial prediction and design's human-centered approach
• Why traditional business metrics fail to capture design's true value
• How design value is measured in human moments: laughter, social interaction, and improved daily experiences
• Patrick's prediction of a crisis in prediction-based business model and the shift from "economy of scale" to "economy of choice" in modern business
• Why businesses must demonstrate value rather than simply predict it
• How designers can generate richer arrays of strategic options

ID Honors Design Visionary Patrick Whitney

ID Events

Institute of Design at Illinois Tech

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Hosts Thamer Abanami and Albert Shum explore the revolutionary Clear RX prescription packaging system, created by designer Deborah Adler. What began as a personal experience with her grandparents' medication mix-up evolved into a groundbreaking design that transformed how medications are dispensed in America. The episode reveals how thoughtful design thinking, strategic partnerships, and persistence can create meaningful impact in healthcare.

Through an engaging conversation with Deborah Adler herself, this episode uncovers how a designer's entrepreneurial spirit, combined with deep observational insights and strategic collaboration, can overcome complex regulatory challenges to bring innovative solutions to market.

The Genesis of Clear RX

• Deborah's pivot from a thesis on curly hair products to prescription bottle design following her grandmother's medication mix-up
• The concept of "Gemba" (Japanese for "the real place") and its importance in identifying real-world problems
• Initial prototype development using dollhouse materials and tubing

Design Evolution & Features

• D-shaped bottle design evolution to accommodate child safety caps
• Collaboration with industrial designer Klaus Rosberg
• Key design elements:
  • Upside-down orientation for better grip and accessibility
  • Enhanced label space for improved readability
  • Color-coding system for family member identification
  • Information design and layout highlighting crucial label information
  • High-contrast text for better visibility

Strategic Implementation

• Navigation of regulatory challenges through FDA consultation
• Partnership with Target as a strategic choice for market entry
• Rapid development and implementation within one year
• Balance between innovation and practical constraints

Beyond Clear RX

• Development of Adler RX system for managing multiple medication regimens
• Continued innovation in healthcare design through collaborations with CVS and Johnson & Johnson
• Impact on both pharmacy and design communities

Design Principles & Lessons

• Importance of working within constraints rather than fighting them
• Value of direct observation in identifying design opportunities
• Role of strategic partnerships in bringing innovations to market
• Balance between creativity and practical implementation
• Significance of understanding regulatory landscapes in healthcare design

Clear Rx Medication Systsem Visual Overview

Adler Design

Institute of Design at Illinois Tech

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In this episode, hosts Thamer Abanami and Albert Shum explore the groundbreaking design of the OXO Good Grips Peeler, an everyday tool that transformed how people interact with kitchen products. Featuring an exclusive interview with Davin Stowell, the founder of Smart Design and the visionary behind the peeler, the episode unpacks the story of how one small tool became a design revolution. Created with a focus on accessibility and universal usability, the peeler emerged from Sam Farber’s inspiration to help his wife, Betsy, manage kitchen tasks despite her arthritis. This intention not only sparked the iconic Good Grips Peeler but also launched OXO as a household name synonymous with thoughtful, inclusive design.

The conversation delves into the essence of what makes the OXO Good Grips Peeler an enduring example of good design—its intuitive handle, ergonomic form, and careful balance of signaling and functionality. This episode highlights the peeler’s journey from concept to market, showing how Stowell’s commitment to observation, prototyping, and user-centered design practices set a new standard. Listeners will come away with a richer understanding of how design principles and values can create products that improve lives and build stronger market connections.

• OXO Good Grips Design Origins and beginnings of Inclusive Design- Discover how Sam Farber’s insight into his wife’s struggle with kitchen tools inspired a radical redesign focused on accessibility. Learn how this user-first approach laid the foundation for OXO’s success.
• Interview with Davin Stowell- Davin Stowell shares behind-the-scenes insights into the development process, from partnering with the Arthritis Foundation to testing prototypes with users. He discusses how OXO’s commitment to user centered design and inclusive design has impacted the industry.
• Form and Function in Balance- The episode explores how the OXO peeler’s tactile handle and intuitive blade orientation create an inviting, easy-to-use tool. Albert and Thamer highlight the peeler’s distinctive “fins” on the handle as an example of both a functional and branding element.
• Testing and Prototyping- Stowell emphasizes the value of iterative prototyping and user testing, sharing anecdotes about testing materials, blade alignment, and even listening for the perfect peeling sound to ensure the final product met OXO’s high standards.
• Legacy and Impact- Reflect on how the OXO Good Grips Peeler set a benchmark for good design that is inclusive, becoming an iconic example in product design history. The episode questions how these design principles remain relevant and are applied today.

Smart Design- Discussion with Tucker Fort, Smart Design Partner on How Smart Design is Inclusive Design

Fast Company- Davin Stowell shares his thoughts on The Untold Story of the Vegetable Peeler That Changed the World

OXO Website- The company shares the history Behind the Design: OXO's Iconic Good Grips Handles

Institute of Design at Illinois Tech

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Subscribe to With Intent for more explorations into how design shapes our world, whether we call it design or not.