2025 Conference Workshops
Workshop 1 - Advocating the Department through Data and Analytics: Best Practices
This workshop will assist participants in learning about various data that the college, campus leadership, state, and higher education commissions are tracking and monitoring (academic analytics, faculty salary data, career outcomes data, CIP codes, etc.); how to obtain data; how to interpret data; and how to use data to advocate (or assess) the department and programs. The workshop will share best practices of utilizing data to advocate (or improve) the department’s/programs goals and utilizing data to hire, promote, and provide financial raises/incentives to faculty members. Breakfast included.
NOTE: This is the same workshop that was presented last year during the annual conference, although you are welcome to take it again. Or you can participate in the new Leadership Workshop series, that includes this workshop, plus others offered virtually during the 2025-2026 academic year. If you want to participate in the series, please enroll in the series, available in Events on https://www.itaaonline.org.
All proceeds from this workshop goes directly toward supporting ITAA’s operational expenses; the workshop leaders graciously volunteer their time and expertise.
Cost: $600 p/p
Time: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm, Wednesday, November 19th
Place: Mills 3
Presenters:
Lynn Boorady, Oklahoma State University
Jung Ha-Brookshire, University of Missouri
Workshop 2 - Equipping Fashion Students with Artificial Intelligence Tools: Integrating Perspectives from Educators, Industry Professionals, and Students
The workshop is structured into three key components: a presentation, a panel discussion, and a hands-on session with AI software tools. It provides participants with a unique opportunity to stay at the cutting edge of technological innovation in fashion education through interactive, experiential learning. Attendees will receive guided training and access to free trials of AI-powered tools offered by Trendee and Adobe AI. All ITAA members are welcome to join!
Trendee is an advanced trend forecasting platform that leverages AI to analyze social media data and identify emerging products, styles, and fashion trends. Adobe AI, through its Sensei and Firefly technologies, brings powerful generative and analytical capabilities to the creative process of fashion designs.
By the end of the workshop, participants will gain practical skills in using these AI tools, empowering them to enhance their teaching, streamline their research, and stay ahead in the evolving landscape of fashion and design.
Cost: $30 p/p
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, Wednesday, November 19th
Place: Mills 6
Presenters:
Yini Chen, Ph.D.; Ting Chi, Ph.D. Washington State University
Tunmin (Catherine) Jai, Ph.D. Texas Tech University
Huina Mao, Ph.D., Founder & President at Wissee Inc.
Nicholas Sharma, Senior Industrial Design Evangelist at Adobe/Adjunct Professor at the Art Center College of Design
Workshop 3 – Using Archetypes in Design Sprints to Inspire Product Development
In this fast-paced, hands-on session, you’ll be introduced to the Design Sprint: a collaborative, dynamic, and human-centered approach for design thinking. Originating from Google Ventures, the Design Sprint method champions creative, unfiltered thinking as designers work toward developing solutions for complex problems on tight deadlines. This workshop begins with an overview on how to create archetypes (user profiles that keep designers focused on nuanced and context-specific needs) from interview data. Next, working in small teams, we will complete a series of generative exercises leading to the design challenge – development of a wearable UVC device to disinfect everyday handheld tools used by healthcare professionals. The workshop involves five stages: defining the problem, ideation, aligning on solutions, rapid prototyping, and group critique. Along the way, you’ll learn generative ideation and alignment strategies such as “designing together, apart” and the “NOW-HOW-WOW” matrix. The workshop culminates with a presentation and critique of prototypes developed and discussion of best practices to adapt the Design Sprint methodology to a range of research and teaching scenarios. Led by an expert team of human-centered design researchers, this highly focused and immersive session will bolster the design researcher’s toolkit for user-focused ideation and empathetic approaches to the design process.
Cost: $25 p/p
Time: 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm, Wednesday, November 19th
Place: Mills 3
Workshop Facilitators:
Millie Yates, Toronto Metropolitan University
Kanishka Kumar, Toronto Metropolitan University
Kirsten Schaefer, Wilfrid Laurier University
Megan Strickfaden, University of Alberta
Sandra Tullio-Pow, Toronto Metropolitan University
Cesar Marquez-Chin, University of Toronto
Workshop 4 - Empowering Fashion Merchandising Students with Data Analytics Skills
This workshop presents a USDA-funded project (Grant #2023-7003-38678) designed to help educators develop data analytics and visualization proficiencies using real-world merchandising and consumer datasets to prepare undergraduate students for entry-level positions in the fashion industry. Participants will be introduced to free, classroom-ready teaching modules that guide students through analyzing industry-specific data ― such as sales data and CRM data ― using Excel and Power BI. Participants will gain access to instructional materials, sample datasets, codebooks, and excel templates, along with practical strategies for assessing student learning outcomes. The session includes hands-on practice, Q&A, and guidance on adapting the modules to fit diverse course formats or skill levels.
Cost: $10 p/p
Time: 4:00pm – 6:00 pm, Wednesday, November 19
Place: Mills 6
Presenters:
Li Zhao, University of Missouri
Caroline Kopot, University of Missouri
Catherine Sun, Illinois State University