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NSCAD Design Week

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Hybrid Panel Discussion with Don Norman: The Changing Landscape of Design

EVENT LOCATION:
Bell Auditorium

EVENT DATE & TIME
April 29, 2026 6:00 pm

About the Event

NSCAD University welcomes the legendary researcher, professor, and author Don Norman to a hybrid panel discussion with students and alumni.
 
Together they will explore how design has evolved from aesthetics to systems-thinking: sustainable innovation, human-centered methods, and design education in a tech-driven world. Moderated by Jess Myra. Featuring: Rachel Ladd, “Dekid” Zile Wu, “Juno” Junwen Hu, and “M-A” Michael-Andreas Kuttner.
 
Registration Required.
 
Exploring how design has evolved beyond mere aesthetics to become a powerful catalyst for positive transformation in a rapidly changing world. In this engaging forum, design alumni and current students will examine the dynamic relationship between creative problem-solving, sustainable innovation, and human-centered design approaches as they adapt to emerging technologies.
 
Together, we’ll discuss how these evolving areas are changing both the creative industries and design education.

Meet the supporting panelists:

Rachel Ladd (BDes 2026)

Rachel Ladd focus on environmental stewardship and inclusivity. They are interested in how new technologies (like AI) impact the value proposition of design.

Dekid Zile Wu (MDes 2026)

Dekid (“deh-kid”) Zile Wu focus on how to collaborate with AI tools as a companion. They’re interested in the role design plays in “one person companies” that are enabled by AI.

Michael-Andreas Kuttner (BDes 1993)

Michael-Andreas Kuttner (a.k.a. M-A) focus on digital media for kids and how AI tools can accelerate animation frames. They’re interested in how new technologies change the way designers “communicate” with their stakeholders/audience.

Junwen Hu (MDes 2025)

Junwen Hu (a.k.a. Juno) focus on “sketching in code” with AI and augmented reality tools for wearables in “medtech.” They’re interested in how to reconcile tension between people-first design and tech limits.

Facilitator: Jess Myra (BDes 2008)

Jess Myra focus on helping people to navigate nascency in the product creation process. They’re interested in how originality, not automation, will define future value (i.e. in a world where AI is ubiquitous, the future currency is “original thought”).