AIGA and IBM have struck a wide-ranging partnership, with IBM serving as the first official AIGA Sponsor for Design Leadership. Over the next year, the plan is for IBM to strengthen its relationship with the organization by engaging IBM leaders to deploy their expertise across AIGA’s network. The partnership will integrate leadership development skills and experience design across AIGA’s activities, including the organization’s 26,000 members.
“We are thrilled to be entering into this multi-faceted partnership with IBM,” says Julie Anixter, AIGA executive director. “Today designers are being called upon for their design and problem-solving skills to help organizations of all kinds imagine their futures. IBM has the ability to help us advance our professional development offering through thought leadership, strategy and training for our chapter leaders.”
Adds Doug Powell, IBM Distinguished Designer: “Our goal is to help AIGA scale its leadership capabilities so that design can make a bigger impact in the world, and help address the complex problems we face today. Together, AIGA and IBM have the power to advance the design profession, and amplify the intrinsic value of design across sectors.”
Among other things, IBM will offer quarterly design leader training summits to AIGA at key locations throughout the country, as well as presenting a Design Leadership content series, “brought to you by IBM,” featuring online editorial and short-form videos and IBM’s new DesignLine talk series. The content will focus on issues of design leadership, IBM’s work with clients, design thinking and future trends.
