Learning to dive deep + tackle thorny problems through design

On Oct. 24, the Morningside Academy for Design (MAD) welcomed 180+ guests for a day of events celebrating pioneering designer Patrick Whitney's industry-changing work, organized with Murmur Ring. The day began with an interactive design workshop, crescendoed in the Boston-Cambridge premiere of acclaimed design documentarian Gary Hustwit's What Are People For: Design Philosophy by Patrick Whitney, and closed with a conversational panel and reception.

Together, the workshop, screening, and conversation built a shared foundation for dialogue and collaboration, inaugurating MAD's role as a convening space for systems design at MIT.

Below, experience the event through participant stories and photography by Kelly Davidson Studio.

The systems design workshop.

The hands-on workshop, led by Evan Chan and André Nogueira, explored how design can address today's most complex challenges.

Chan and Nogueira introduced the Whole View model, a systems design approach for reframing problems, surfacing the perspectives of diverse stakeholders, and finding new pathways forward in situations where expertise is abundant but fragmented.

When reflecting on a lesson learned, participant Eva H. shared, "There are a lot more stakeholders out there than we initially see - naming stakeholders in terms of their needs rather than their identity was eye opening."

Fitting with MAD's celebration of interdisciplinary design, the session was designed for cross-sector leaders grappling with problems too complex for any one discipline to solve alone.

"Working with the case study and small cohort, I learned the importance of diving deep - looking at each and every aspect with new eyes. It's easy to settle for a what a quick glance teaches, but what can I learn if I take the time to more deeply consider the parts.

For example, the case study mentioned that the couple were challenged in finding power to charge their phones. While there were many other challenges they faced, our small cohort agreed that the phone issue may be their biggest challenge as the phone connects them to the 'world'."

- Alan C., workshop participant

The screening + panel.

What Are People For is part of a larger multimedia project celebrating the life and work of Patrick Whitney, a pioneering figure in applying design to complex systemic challenges. Whitney's influence on the field has been profound, even as much of his work happened out of the spotlight.

This project, produced by Murmur Ring with Ashley Lukasik and André Nogueira, offered a rare opportunity to engage directly with his ideas.

The film itself is expressive and moving; one attendee shared that their favorite part of the day was "getting teary-eyed just before the movie ended."

Following the screening, the filmmakers and Patrick came together for a panel discussing design's expanding role in addressing complexity.

"It was wonderful to be able to watch the screening and then dig deeper into the context behind it with the panelists and their personal connection to the screening.

Design is uniquely situated to address the biggest, thorniest problems of today, as it can discover the answers overlooked by more systematized approaches."

- Marc D., attendee

As another attendee shared, the event was a reminder that "all professions need good design."