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.

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Jon Friedman

Corporate Vice President of Design and Research for Microsoft 365

Jon Friedman is the Corporate Vice President of Design and Research for Microsoft 365. Over the past two decades, he has helped shape Microsoft’s product design, launching new experiences and reimagining tools used by hundreds of millions of people around the world.

In recent years, Jon has been at the forefront of Microsoft’s AI transformation, leading the design and research of Microsoft 365 Copilot. His team is focused on redefining how people work, bringing the power of generative AI into the flow of everyday tasks to help users create, communicate, and collaborate more effectively.

With roots in industrial design and a deep passion for interaction and systems design, Jon is known for his clear product vision, hands-on leadership, and commitment to building thoughtful, human-centered experiences. His work and perspective on the future of AI and design have been featured in publications such as Fast Company, The Verge, The Wall Street Journal, and more.

Outside of work, Jon enjoys life with his wife, Miriam, and their three kids.

Shapeshift Session

Emerging Roles in the Age of AI | Friday, May 30

About the Summit

Shapeshift Summit

Program

Immersion