Dr. Deana McDonagh

Dr. Deana McDonagh is a professor of industrial design in the School of Art + Design, health innovation professor at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, and director of the (dis)Ability Design Studio at the Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining the University of Illinois, McDonagh was a reader in user-centered design at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. She has also served as a research fellow at Coventry University, adjunct professor at Northwestern University, visiting professor at Arizona State University, and director of research and insight for Herbst Produkt design consultancy.

McDonagh's research focuses on emotional user-product relationships and how empathy can bring designers closer to users' authentic needs, ensuring that both functional and emotional needs are addressed in product design. She has explored the field of empathic design, emphasizing that empathic design responds to the functional and emotional needs of people served by devices, environments, and services. Her concept of Supra-Functionality extends this philosophy, referring to the needs of people that are existing, emerging, and unforeseeable—including emotional, social, cultural, and aspirational needs. McDonagh maintains that if a product, service, or environment only meets functional needs and neglects supra-functional aspects, a disconnect can occur that diminishes the impact of the design outcome.

She founded the (dis)Ability Design Studio at the Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology, which supports interdisciplinary design research centered around the lived experiences of people with disabilities. This initiative reflects McDonagh's commitment to inclusive design and her view that diversity in the design process fosters innovation. She received the Beckman Institute Vision and Spirit Award for exemplifying excellence and interdisciplinary research collaboration. Her research has attracted significant funding, including a National Science Foundation grant for a smart health-monitoring system, a collaboration between Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

McDonagh is a keynote speaker and industry expert on topics such as empathic design research strategy, supra-functionality, and disability and design. She has delivered keynote addresses on "Empathy and Design" and led Masterclass in Empathy Workshops for the Industrial Design Society of America. McDonagh has also presented on empathy and medical device design and facilitated workshops at The National Robotarium, a center for robotics and artificial intelligence. Her speaking engagements span Malaysia, Pakistan, Brazil, Taiwan, China, and locations across the United States and Europe. She serves on the Edison Awards Nominations Review Committee, engaging with technology and innovation across multiple fields.

McDonagh's scholarly contributions include co-authoring chapters in volumes such as "Design of Assistive Technology for Ageing Population" and contributing to publications including "Design Thinking Workshop: Using Experiential Learning, Creativity, and Empathy to Learn the Complexities of Food Insecurity and Sustainability" in the Elsevier volume "Food Sustainability and the Media." As the first full female professor of industrial design on the University of Illinois campus, McDonagh has advanced a more inclusive and human-centered approach to design, advocating for empathy as an essential methodology in creating products and environments that serve diverse populations.