Presented by the Center for Integrated Design

5:30pm: Pizza, AHG courtyard (weather permitting) or open area of AHG

6:00-7:00pm: Lecture, AHG 1.310

***If you are unable to join in-person, please register via Zoom***

The design industry’s relationship to the field of business has long been established and continues to become further entangled each year. But designers aren’t just satisfied with only disrupting the business sector—they’re keen to disrupt the social sector too. Unfortunately, the weaknesses baked into the discipline of design (that have been present from the start) are readily exposed when designers enter complex social issues and treat them like any other human-centered innovation challenge. The lack of a moral framework, let alone a set of ethical guidelines, put designers at great risk of doing more harm than good.

About George Aye

Co-Founder and Director of Innovation, Greater Good Studio

Pronouns: he/him/his

George co-founded Greater Good Studio with the belief that design can lead to positive behavior change. Previously, he spent seven years at global innovation firm IDEO before being hired as the first human-centered designer at the Chicago Transit Authority. Since founding Greater Good, he has worked across multiple social issues including autism, criminal justice, education, public health and health care. He has facilitated discussions with small executive leadership teams and workshops with 150+ participants to help uncover hidden opportunities for innovation. George is an adjunct full professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Pissed-off about: The rise of anti-scientific agendas in politics

Optimistic about: The fact that every major societal change used to be thought of as impossible

Inspired by: “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of optimism.” – Winston Churchill