Design Management Institute

Congratulations to the 2026 dmi:Design Value Award Winners!
In a ceremony honoring the profound impact of Design and Design & Innovation Management on the future of business and society, DMI recognized exemplary teams for delivering significant Design Value. This diverse and distinguished group of winners was celebrated at the 2026 dmi:Design Leadership Conference and dmi:Design Value Awards Ceremony last night in Boston.

FIRST PLACE AWARD WINNERS

Solving for X
KeyBank Experience and Design (KeyXD)

AutoEver: One UX
Hyundai AutoEver

SECOND PLACE AWARD WINNERS

Bringing the Lab to the Field
Loft Design & Pendar Technologies

HealthEdToGo
University of Minnesota

Redefining Hydration
Loft Design & FluidLogic®

THIRD PLACE AWARD WINNERS

USA Facts
Artefact & USAFacts

HONORABLE MENTION

Seas of Change™
Steampunk, Inc.

Read More about the 2026 Winners at https://www.dmi.org/2026DVAWinners

Upcoming dmi:Webcast "Advancements in AI Tools and Their Impact on UX" - https://mailchi.mp/dmi/webcastsharrat2

Join the dmi:Webcast September 30th for a clear, jargon-free look at the latest AI advances, what today’s tools can really do, and how they’re changing UX, Design & Innovation - https://mailchi.mp/dmi/webcastsharrat1

The Structural Six: and The Changing Role of the Design & Innovation Manager

Drawn from 30 years inside large, complex organizations and distilled into a framework of six recurring structural dynamics that shape whether a senior design or innovation role compounds its influence or quietly loses leverage over time. Jose will provide a brief overview of the framework, then the panel will discuss these and their experiences; and also discuss the changing role of the Design & Innovation Manager in the Age of AI.

With José Manuel dos Santos, Jill Lawrence, Chris Jones, Sean Hughes, Justin Coble, Carole Bilson

Join us in Boston for the dmi:Design Leadership Conference + dmi:Design Value Award Ceremony, where forward-thinking Design & Innovation leaders will gather to share pioneering ideas, build lasting relationships, drive meaningful change, and celebrate Design Value initiatives that are creating positive and sustainable impact.

www.dmi.org/DLC26

DMI:WEBCAST “Reaffirming the legacy of Sweet Auburn as a viable commercial and cultural neighborhood"

with Tom Hardy, Professor of Design Management, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and LeJuano Varnell, Executive Director of Sweet Auburn Works, Sweet Auburn Works (SAW)

The purpose of this SCAD Academia and SAW Business collaborative project presentation is to share 4 years of SPARK Innovation Lab research and formulation of elevated brand design methods, innovative solutions and viable business plans for Black entrepreneurs. Currently a National Historic District, Sweet Auburn is a historic Black neighborhood in Atlanta: Once the largest concentration of successful Black businesses in U.S. It is also the birthplace and resting place of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the origin of U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Ironically, Sweet Auburn fell victim to abandonment and lack of investment in the late 20th Century following desegregation. Decades of disinvestment overshadow the vibrant history, culture and influence of the neighborhood. It has been designated one of The Most Endangered Historic Places in America. This presentation illustrates the effort underway to help reaffirm the legacy of Sweet Auburn as a viable commercial and cultural neighborhood.

Register Free: www.dmi.org/webcasts

Go beyond the obvious to uncover the systems, perspectives, & human insights that designers use to solve complex problems & create change that lasts. - https://mailchi.mp/dmi/dlc268-8571165

JUST 2 WEEKS to the dmi:DLC26 Registration Deadline! - https://mailchi.mp/dmi/dlc2611

dmi:Newsletter for August - https://mailchi.mp/dmi/newsaug26

The Design Leadership conversations on AI you can’t afford to miss - https://mailchi.mp/dmi/dlc268

Design’s Unique Value in the Age of AI

As generative AI reshapes knowledge work across every function, design faces a defining question: what is its unique value when machines can produce artifacts on demand? In this presentation Chris Jones argues that design’s enduring contribution is not artifact creation but knowledge creation—the structured understanding of customer needs, business context, and design craft that guides and validates what we build.

Join us in Boston for the dmi:Design Leadership Conference + dmi:Design Value Award Ceremony, where forward-thinking Design & Innovation leaders will gather to share pioneering ideas, build lasting relationships, drive meaningful change, and celebrate Design Value initiatives that are creating positive and sustainable impact.

www.dmi.org/DLC26