A Design Summit On the Future Co-Sponsored by IDSA and Microsoft Corporation

Horizon 10

Co-Sponsored by Microsoft and produced by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), this program allowed designers to set an agenda for future research and product experiences. It offered an unprecedented opportunity for the profession to proactively prepare itself to maximize the positive impact it could have to the world at large.

Attendance at the event was only available by invitation, and, as such, there was no registration fee. Scheduled from June 24 to 26, 2004, some of the design profession’s most innovative, forward-thinking members gathered at a the stunning Scimitar Ridge retreat near the San Juan Islands in Washington state.

This was not a conference; the audience was the content of this event. Professionally facilitated, the Summit expected attendees to participate fully, from preparatory readings to a willingness to engage in open, interactive idea development. The participatns were teamed up in small work groups and each team reported to the meeting as a whole. Careful consideration was given to the fact that we had designers from competing companies in attendance which is why we set the horizon for discussion 10 years in the future. We believed this created the appropriate atmosphere for openly sharing thoughts by all. The discussions and results are now public thanks to IDSA.