The design sector has evolved dynamically over the past decade. Yet, almost all of the speakers and delegates participating in the inaugural IDA (International Design Alliance) Congress, which took place in Taipei from 24 to 26 October 2011, agreed that the despite rapid changes, the sector can’t sustain the status quo trajectory.
Issues such as climate change, socio-economics, geopolitics, technology and many other factors have contributed to the evolution in the sector but no other factor has become more prevalent than the increased need for introducing more humanism in design thinking, processes and products.
The aim of the 2011 IDA Congress was to bring together the unified voice of designers from various disciplines and from around the world in a themed framework to advance the vision and mission of the IDA by engaging with government leaders (commerce, trade, culture, etc.), INGOs, businesses, science and technology, education and the social sciences.
The IDA’s primary objectives for the Congress were:
- to promote the value of design-based collaboration between designers and non-design stakeholders;
- to provide an engaging and educational experience for the memberships of the IDA partners and to promote interaction among the memberships;
- to position the IDA as the global voice of design and an enabler of innovation.
