The Trusted Source for Industrial Design Intelligence
Industrial Designers Society of America is building the industry’s most valuable source of design research, benchmarks, and market insight by helping designers, firms, educators, and business leaders make smarter decisions backed by data.
From workforce trends to emerging opportunities, our research initiatives uncover the realities shaping industrial design today and tomorrow.
Why It Matters
Industrial design is evolving rapidly and the profession needs reliable data, meaningful benchmarks, and actionable insight to move forward.
IDSA’s research initiatives help:
- Elevate the value of industrial design
- Inform business and hiring decisions
- Support inclusive industry growth
- Identify emerging trends and opportunities
- Strengthen the connection between design and business impact
As the trusted hub for industrial design research and industry intelligence, IDSA is creating the foundation for smarter conversations, stronger partnerships, and a more informed design future.
Turning Research Into Industry Impact
IDSA is expanding its research platform to deliver deeper insights, broader access, and greater value to the design community.
Women in Design Dropoff Study
A first-of-its-kind initiative examining why women leave the industrial design profession, where key dropoff points occur, and what organizations can do to create more sustainable career pathways.
The study will culminate in a comprehensive digital report featuring:
- Industry-wide data and analysis
- Career progression insights
- Actionable recommendations for employers and leaders
- Benchmarking and trend reporting
- Sponsored research and advertising opportunities
This initiative also creates new opportunities for strategic partnerships, sponsorship visibility, and thought leadership aligned with equity and workforce advancement in design.
IDSA Personas
To better serve the evolving industrial design community, IDSA is developing a robust audience and member persona framework that maps:
- Demographics and career stages
- Professional goals and challenges
- Industry sectors and specialties
- Event participation and engagement behaviors
- Communication preferences and content interests
These insights will help shape:
- More targeted programming and events
- Stronger member engagement and retention
- Clearer value propositions for prospective members
- Better-aligned sponsorship and advertising opportunities
By understanding both members and non-members more deeply, IDSA can create experiences, content, and partnerships that are more relevant, impactful, and future-focused.
Strategic Foresight Through Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
The Strategic Foresight Research & Development initiative is a multidisciplinary research hub dedicated to exploring the future of design, technology, policy, and innovation. Through a hybrid research methodology, the initiative investigates emerging challenges and opportunities shaping industries, public systems, and society.
Its work spans:
- Frontier and emerging technologies
- Design industry trends and demand forecasting
- Design policy and talent development
- Design capability and impact indicators
- Participatory design and civic innovation
- Technology-driven service innovation
By connecting researchers, designers, policymakers, industry leaders, and communities, the section fosters collaborative knowledge exchange around complex and evolving issues.
IDSA's Research Methodology
Approach
Each initiative begins with the development of a rigorous research framework that defines:
- Research scope and objectives
- Strategic priorities
- Key opportunities and challenges
- International benchmarks and case studies
Through literature reviews and global comparative analysis, the team builds foundational insight that informs actionable research strategies and proposals.
From Insight to Action
During the execution phase, the section applies action research methodologies to validate findings and engage stakeholders directly. Methods include:
- Stakeholder and expert interviews
- Workshops and co-creation sessions
- Surveys and quantitative analysis
- Expert focus groups
- Field research and observation
This process transforms research into practical recommendations, measurable outcomes, and policy-ready insights.
Tools, Frameworks & Impact
Beyond research studies, the section develops practical resources that support innovation and implementation across sectors, including:
- Strategic design guidelines
- Design thinking toolkits
- Innovation frameworks
- Design impact indicators and evaluation models
These resources help organizations apply design strategically to address social, economic, and technological challenges.
Sharing Knowledge & Expanding Impact
Research findings are shared through a wide range of public and professional platforms to maximize accessibility, collaboration, and real-world application.
Dissemination channels include:
- Forums and conferences
- Exhibitions and public programs
- Seminars and workshops
- Research journals and publications
By translating research into actionable knowledge, the Strategic Foresight Research & Development Section helps shape more resilient, innovative, and human-centered futures.