In 2026, after nearly 90 years, the Institute of Design was folded into Illinois Tech's School of Design & Society.
This website is an archive of the impactful and inspirational work produced by the ID community before that transition.

László Moholy-Nagy opened the New Bauhaus in Chicago in 1937, treating design as a discipline that was teachable, testable, and consequential. Nine decades on, its scope had widened from the things people use to the systems they depend on: hospitals, government agencies, classrooms, supply chains, digital platforms. Along the way, ID community members developed the published research, methods, and frameworks that designers rely on every day.

Chief among them is human-centered design: close attention to how people actually live, and advocacy for what that research reveals. It shaped designers who are comfortable with complexity and ambiguity: curious, rigorous, inclusive, and stubbornly optimistic about design's ability to change the systems that shape our lives.

To every one of them, who taught, studied, built, critiqued, and stayed late in the studio: thank you, and keep designing.

institute
of desiGn
Search

Innovation Narratives

Innovation Narratives

Aims to equip students with the skills and techniques to craft compelling and persuasive narratives that effectively communicate design solutions and drive meaningful impact.

Objective & Outcomes

Throughout the course, students will explore various narrative structures and techniques, enabling them to present their innovations compellingly and engagingly. Students will: 

  • Experience the art of storytelling to share and shape beliefs, attitudes, and values.
  • Develop a range of narrative structures to communicate innovations in impactful ways.
  • Explore real-world case studies to understand the ethical implications of persuasive storytelling.
  • Refine and improve innovation narratives through in-depth analysis and peer feedback.

Students will delve into developing different types of stories, progressing from foundational elements to more immersive storytelling methods for presenting the “What, How, and Why” of their solutions.

Upon the completion of this course, students will have created an invaluable skill set to effectively communicate their design solutions that captivate audiences and drive meaningful change through the power of storytelling.

Typical Schedule

  • Session 1: Introductions, Values, Value Proposition, Promise, Tagline, Naming
  • Session 2: Elevator Pitch and “Say It In Six” Presentation
  • Session 3: Consultancy Presentation
  • Session 4: Hollywood Story
  • Session 5: Design Story
  • Session 6: Responsible Storytelling
  • Session 7: Final Presentation

See all MDes Courses