Q&A: 2018 IDSA Medical Design Conference

Dr. Bryce Rutter, founder and CEO of Metaphase Design Group, is chairing the 2018 Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) Medical Design Conference taking place in Boston on March 28-29. In the following Q&A, Dr. Rutter shares details of this medical conference event developed for industrial designers and engineers. Gain insight into expectations, who should attend, topics that will be presented, and more.
 
Q: What is your involvement with IDSA and what is your role at the 2018 IDSA Medical Design Conference?
A: I’ve been an active IDSA member since 1980 and, over the past several years, an IDSA Ambassador—a program the supports the industrial design profession with a primary focus on research, thought leadership, and advocacy.
 
I am the chair for the 2018 IDSA Medical Design Conference. I’ll be facilitating and helping the presenters get their message across to the audience. From putting the presenters at ease to guiding questions and summarizing the event in my opening and closing remarks. I look forward to tying the session back to the broader conference theme to help attendees place the knowledge in context.
 
Q: This year, the IDSA Medical Design Conference will take place in Boston. Why is this location significant to the medical industry?
A: The conference will be held at the Boston Marriott Copley Place downtown, and there are pre-conference workshops at the Boston Children’s Hospital.
 
Boston was a good choice because the city offers a high concentration of world-class healthcare companies, educational institutions, and medical facilities that provide access to potent local speakers. Additionally, the HFES International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare will be taking place in the days leading up to the IDSA Conference. Historically, there has been crossover between industrial design and human factors professionals who attend both conferences, making Boston a collective and synergistic location.
 
Q: Can you please provide more details about the pre-conference workshops that are planned.
A: After looking over the successes from the past few years, many design professionals expressed that the hands-on workshops were a key driver for attending. The pre-workshops allow the design professionals to bring more representatives from their companies. As a result of this, we will maintain a strong mix between design and clinical professionals to provide pre-conference workshops. This year, the in-situ workshops will showcase research techniques for studying complex medical environments.
 
On March 28, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Sean Hagen with Black Hagen will lead the “Contextual Inquiry in the Clinical Environment” workshop. Then, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Jonathan Dalton and Trent Kahute from Thrive will lead the workshop entitled, “Unlocking New Value Through Healthcare Experience Mapping.”
 
Q: The theme this year for the IDSA Medical Design Conference is “Experience.” Can you share more about the significance of this theme?
A: Yes, Experience will explore the potency of researching and designing healthcare products and environments that weld human performance, business, and the dignity of users. Experience will also dive into mind shares from thought leaders on the impact of IoT, robotics, and robotic surgery on industrial design.
 
Q: How many speakers will be presenting during the conference?
A: We have 15 speakers who will present in a 20-minute TED Talk-style format, which has proven to be effective in maintaining a fast-paced conference that provides the maximum amount of content within the day allotted.
 
Speakers will cover everything from future trends that impact medical design to best practices, tools, and techniques for the research and design of effective medical products and environments to how design can help tackle the opioid crisis in the United States.
 
Q: Are you looking forward to hearing about a particular topic?
A: I’m looking forward to all of the speeches. Collectively, they cut across all areas of the latest design thinking and technologies that are reshaping the intersection between the delivery of healthcare, research, human factors engineering, and industrial design. It is a terrific opportunity to be exposed to thought leaders who directly impact our profession and the efficacy of healthcare delivery.
 
Q: Who should attend the IDSA Medical Design Conference?
A: Everyone from corporate and consulting designers to medical design students and educators should attend. Attendees will have access to unrivaled content and networking opportunities.  
 
Q: How can people register to attend the conference?
A: People interested in attending the IDSA Medical Design Conference can register online now or on-site at the event. There are different prices for IDSA members and non-members, as well as a Professional, Young Professionals, and Student pricing rates. All of the registration information can be found on the IDSA website.
 
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add that attendees should be aware of?
A: This is a tremendous opportunity over a 48-hour time span to get the net net on state-of-the-art technologies, best practices, and how our profession is evolving over the next several years.
 
Follow the conference on social media using #IDSAMedical.
 

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Dr. Bryce Rutter is a leading expert in research, human factors engineering, and industrial design, as well as a specialist in hand intensive product and packaging design. His work ranges from robotic surgical systems, powered and manual instrument design, and drug delivery systems to disposables, mobile and wearable devices, and IFUs (instructions for use) and usability research programs. As the founder and CEO of Metaphase Design Group, he defines new product categories, rejuvenates sleepy brands, and develops design innovations for influential global brands and high-profile start-ups alike. Dr. Rutter frequently speaks at national and international product and packaging design programs on innovation and how human factors shapes and informs design. He has received more than 120 international design excellence awards and has been awarded more than 100 patents.