"If you don't stretch, you won't find the edges." This advice by Sara Little Turnbull, recipient of this year's Icograda Achievement Award, represented the bold spirit of the 2006 Design Week conference held last week in Seattle. The conference theme "Defining Design on a Changing Planet" focused on the fundamental role design can play in improving global socio-environmental issues.

This new awareness, present in this and other recent events and publications, represents a watershed moment in design history. Although design has often been regarded as a frivolous or elitist activity, it is now considered a critical tool in solving world problems as well as improving economic outlooks. Faced with this new reality, the Design Week conference organizers asked, "Why are we here?"

Design Week consisted of lectures by accomplished speakers from around the world, panel discussions, student seminars, studio tours, exhibits, and opportunities for socializing. A day-long "Over the Fence" seminar focused on design's role in achieving the United Nations' Millenium Development Goals, with sessions dedicated to eradicating extreme poverty & hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, combating HIV/AIDS & other diseases, and ensuring environmental sustainability. An accompanying student exhibition showcased posters created during the week which focused on these issues.

Conference speakers included Don Ryun Chang (Korea); Pat Hansen (USA); Jacques Lange, Icograda President (South Africa); Darrel Rhea (USA); Mervyn Kurlansky (Denmark); Sanja Rocco (Croatia); Saki Mafundikwa (Zimbabwe); Omar Vulpinari (Italy); Linda Fu (Australia); Christopher Liechty, AIGA XCD President (USA); Sara Little Turnbull (USA); Henry Steiner (Hong Kong); Esen Karol (Turkey); Ravi Naidoo (South Africa); Adelia Borges (Brazil); and Stanley Hainsworth (USA).