1st International Design Conference set

DESIGN Center of the Philippines is holding the first International Design on Sept. 22 at The Eye, Green Sun — The Hotel in Makati City. For its maiden edition, this conference puts the spotlight on the intersection of business and design with the overall theme of design thinking, human-centered design, and designdriven culture. The conference carries the slogan “We Design.”

The conference will host the world’s top designers, business leaders, and rising stars in the business and creative sectors to talk about the importance of integrating human behavior into design process, the balance of usability and business constraints, as well as user experience and product function.

During this event, participants will get to hear the frontrunners in the field as they share their own stories from concept to completion, and the stages in between — all harbored with deeper understanding of human needs, brand identity, and business strategy.

Keynote speakers include Merlee Jayme, chairmom & chief creative officer of Dentsu Jayme Syfu, who will present the opening keynote “We Design: The Power of Design Thinking”; Charlie Clark, WGSN trend specialist, who will deliver “Products and Services of Tomorrow: A WGSN Live Presentation”; and Dan Formosa, consultant in design and design research with a Masters and Ph.D. in Ergonomics and Biomechanics, who will highlight the innovative ways to understand people through both qualitative and quantitative methods.

In addition to the keynote sessions, the conference will feature several lightning talks delivered by notable advocates of design thinking including Keiji Ashizawa, founder of Keiji Ashizawa Design; and Gerson Abesamis, co-founder and executive director of Habi Education Lab.

An annual immersive event in commemoration of Design Consciousness Week from Sept. 16 to 22 of every year, the first International Design Conference aims to provide creative professionals, business communities, academe, policy makers, and local government officials, from all over the country who will be attending this one-day thought leadership event — a platform to discuss the greater impact of design in today’s world.

The International Design Conference provides an opportunity to strengthen appreciation for good design and inspire the Philippine design industry and the overall creative economy to drive the innovation quotient of the country.