Register now for a free virtual panel discussion on Exploring Design + Ethics taking place at 3 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2021. While a discussion about design might seem technical in nature, it is also about empowering people.

“I am privileged and am more likely to overcome adversity simply because I learned a method to solve problems,” explains John B. Johnson in his article, “Design Thinking is a Privileged Way of Thinking.” Johnson has been working to make design thinking more accessible ever since working with a nonprofit in Madagascar. The Exploring Design + Ethics series — hosted by UCI and the creative agency a small studio, where Johnson is an identity architect — is part of that effort.

The first installment of the series focused on innovation and social progress, while the second examined inclusivity. Here, Johnson will be “touching on the disparity of art education in poor communities, the disparity of minority groups in creative leadership, and how design thinking should be looked at as a tool that is accessible to all.”

A featured panelist during this discussion will be Anne Marie Piper, an associate professor in UCI’s Department of Informatics. “I’m excited to share how several research groups in Informatics are rethinking the way we go about design engagements to be more ethical,” says Piper. “Our work questions who is considered a designer and how we might shift power dynamics such that communities take ownership over the process and products of design.”

The following industry leaders will be joining Piper and Johnson in the discussion:

• Leonardo De La Rocha, director of Intuit Design System at Intuit;
• David Hildebrand, head of design for payments, identity & integrity at Lyft;
• Tricia Choi, director of design systems at Twitch;
• Michael Dimaano, senior product designer at Ford Motor Co.; and
• William Ntim, senior UX designer at Home Depot.

“Making these events free and having designers from some of the largest organizations speak is making design thinking more accessible,” says Johnson.

So register today to make sure you don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to learn new perspectives on how to approach problem solving and design effective solutions.

— Shani Murray