Ida Benedetto

Speaking, Writing & Research

Section I

Essays

Section II

Research

Line illustration of a conch shell, emblem of the Patterns of Transformation research
Patterns of Transformation
  • Patterns of Transformation — research into the design of transformative social experiences, drawn from well-done sex parties, funerals, and wilderness trips. Widely read within and beyond the experience design community.
Section III

Talks

Ida Benedetto speaking at the Businessweek Design Conference
Businessweek Design Conference
Ida Benedetto speaking at the Cusp Design Conference
Cusp Design Conference
  • Control to Culture Festival "Designing Experiences that Make Us Feel Alive" A talk for corporate and HR leaders on creating experiences that make people feel alive, including a discussion on getting risky ideas approved, finding fresh ideas, and lessons in failure.
  • UNFINISHED Festival "Trust and Faith" An intimate conversation between Ida and the Rev. Dr. Patrick Malloy on the pandemic, recovering from betrayal, and finding trust.
  • Immersive Design Summit Opening Keynote "Spiritual Trespassing" An opening keynote on experience design that writes down to the metal, including a guided exercise where the whole audience connected with their power animals.
  • Cusp Design Conference "Superability" Drawing a throughline from childhood struggles with learning disabilities to adult design superability.
  • Harvard Graduate School of Design "InfluencexDesign: Individuals" Harvard's Graduate School of Design exploration of influence and impacting individuals.
  • Businessweek Annual Design Conference "Zombie or Not?" How has the last half century of successful design made us numb, and what does it take to know if you're a zombie or not?