new member | the society for experiential graphic design (SEGD) (usa)

30.09.2025 Announcements

ICoD is pleased to welcome The Society for Experiential Graphic Design, USA, as our new Professional Member. The Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD) is a global community of designers and industry professionals shaping experiences that connect people to place. Founded in 1973, SEGD now represents more than 2,000 members across 35 chapters in seven international regions. With members spanning disciplines from wayfinding and placemaking to digital media, exhibition, and branded environments, SEGD champions the role of design in improving the human experience in built environments.

ABOUT

Grounded in core values—impact, equity & inclusion, sustainability, collaboration, learning, and professionalism—SEGD champions design’s role in shaping inclusive, accessible, and engaging spaces in cities and communities worldwide. Its work brings together professionals who believe that design is not only a craft, but also a means of fostering belonging, improving accessibility, and enriching public life.

HISTORICAL CONNECTION TO ICoD

SEGD has previously been a Member of the International Council of Design and shares a history of collaboration around design for public good. This ongoing connection underscores SEGD’s role as a strong partner in the global conversation on design professionalism and its contribution to advancing shared values across the international design community.

023 SEGD 50th Anniversary Achievement Awards, SEGD Fellows Bruce Mau and Wendy Evans Joseph

CORE AREAS OF PRACTICE

SEGD’s members work across seven central areas of experiential design:

• Wayfinding — Information systems that guide people through physical environments using maps, signage, symbols, and spatial logic. This is a critical discipline for accessibility and clarity in complex environments.

• Placemaking — Graphic, text, and media interventions that define and enhance shared public spaces, fostering belonging, wellness, and a strong sense of “you are here.”

• Branded Environments — Spaces that express an organization’s identity through design, connecting audiences to brand values, aspirations, and experiences.

• Digital Experiences — Technology-driven installations, interactives, immersive media, AR/VR, and sound/visual environments that elevate connection to place.

• Exhibition Design — Integrated displays of graphics, objects, and media to educate, inform, or inspire in museums, cultural institutions, and destination experiences.

These areas of practice are further supported by three Professional Practice Groups (PPGs): Exhibition & Experience Design, Wayfinding & Placemaking, and Digital/Interactive Media, each advancing knowledge, standards, and dialogue in their specific field.

2025 SEGD Wayfinding+Placemaking Event in Las Vegas with the design student class from University of California Long Beach, photo by SEGD

SIGNATURE PROGRAMMES AND INITIATIVES

SEGD offers a dynamic set of programmes designed to support professional growth, peer exchange, and innovation across experiential design:

• SEGD Conference Experience — the flagship annual gathering of international design leaders, featuring keynotes, workshops, tours, and networking.

• Global Design Awards — celebrating excellence across all experiential design disciplines worldwide.

• Xlab — an annual event exploring the intersection of design, storytelling, and emerging technology.

• Annual Academic Summit — a free, peer-reviewed, web-based gathering of educators and researchers advancing academic discourse and innovation in experiential design.

• Symposiums — sector-specific events, including Wayfinding + Placemaking, Exhibition & Experience Design, and Branded Environments Symposiums, offering in-depth exploration of evolving practices.

• Chapter Events — hosted by 35 local chapters worldwide, these gatherings promote community connection, peer exchange, and ongoing learning.

• Thematic and Collaborative Events — roundtables, workshops, and cross-sector forums responding to timely topics in design.

• Bootcamps — intensive, skills-focused programmes supporting emerging professionals and career transitions.

In addition, SEGD maintains six volunteer-led committees, including the Racial Justice Commission, Accessible Design Task Force, Academic Task Force, Emerging Experience Design Professionals, Membership Committee, Strategy & Revenue Committee, and Sustainability Committee. Together, these initiatives reflect SEGD’s strong commitment to advancing equity, accessibility, sustainability, and innovation in the profession.

2025 SEGD Xlab Offsite Chicago at the Historic DuSable Museum Roundhouse, Chicago, IL, photo by SEGD

LOOKING AHEAD

SEGD’s vision is to elevate experiential design as a transformative force for good—connecting people to place, story, and one another. The organization believes that great design can improve public health, support equity, foster resilience, and strengthen cultural identity.

Looking ahead, SEGD continues to expand its global reach, advance research and standards, promote sustainability and reuse in design, and deepen its support for educators, students, and underrepresented practitioners. Its commitment to building inclusive professional communities and advocating for design’s role in shaping thriving, equitable, and life-enhancing environments is at the heart of its mission.

By joining ICoD, SEGD strengthens its role in the international design community—bringing expertise in experiential and environmental design to global conversations, and reinforcing our shared commitment to advancing design for the public good.

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