TORONTO—Design thinking was the buzzword at this year’s DesignThinkers event. RGD Ontario’s annual conference wrapped up yesterday at the Toronto Convention Centre. Workshops and studio crawls on today and tomorrow round out a week’s worth of activities surrounding the conference.

With more than 25 speakers and 1,000-plus attendees, the two-day conference was abuzz with talk of industry trends, the economic climate and what’s ahead – in addition to some good old fashioning networking.

The mood seemed cautiously optimistic as designers brave the economic uncertainty of the coming year. In addition to an emphasis on sustainability, many presenters discussed design’s role in the world at large, its social and environmental impact and how strategic design thinking can effect change.

In a Q&A yesterday afternoon with a panel of speakers from the event, sustainability expert Marc Alt had some advice for students: “There is absolutely no shortage of problems right now. Design students are [entering design] at a really critical point. They need to help get us out of some the mess we are in now.”

For more advice, tips and trends from DesignThinkers 2008, read the upcoming Jan/Feb ’09 issue of Design Edge Canada. Contact: www.designthinkers.com