Defining Excellence: A Look Inside the IDEA Jury Process and the Impact of Design Awards

Richard Whitehall joined members of the 2023 IDEA Jury for a panel discussion on the intersection of sustainability, accessibility, and social impact. These thought leaders delved into the evaluations and how the top IDEA winners are addressing social issues and moving the conversation of circular design forward.

They discussed entry trends, what the jury wants to see more of, and how crucial it is to incorporate sustainable practices and materials into the design process, ensuring products are not only aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally friendly. They also addressed the vital aspect of accessibility, discussing how inclusive design can empower individuals with diverse abilities and create products that everyone uses, regardless of their physical or cognitive limitations.

This panel aimed to inspire designers and innovators to embrace a holistic approach that includes sustainable and accessible design principles, ultimately fostering a more equitable and environmentally conscious society.

Working Small to Think Big

Julianna Miller took attendees behind the scenes of two very different projects at Smart Design, to show them how our process is often scrappy and messy as we embrace small sprints that allow us the freedom to pivot or refocus. Our recent work with Poursteady, makers of a robotic pour-over machine, was a series of interconnected sprints between design, engineering, and strategy to ideate and develop their next generation of products. At a very different scale is our work with Gatorade on the Smart Gx Bottle, a product eco-system that evolved out of many iterations and test sprints with pro sports teams and elite sports academies.

Behind these stories is a similar sprint-based mentality that illustrates the team’s dynamic and iterative approach to idea generation leading to unique and thoughtful product innovations.