We take joy, beauty, and connectedness seriously
Von leading a class at the College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI
Von’s Teaching Philosophy
Help guide students to find their unique voice and to poetically address the complex needs of individuals, while ensuring they develop the ability to communicate the value of their designs to all stakeholders.
Provide students with a systems perspective for design that ignites their passion for being as well as for doing, and the processes and skills necessary to frame and navigate complex design challenges.
“My hope is that as students journey toward their personal ethical horizon through their career, they remain grounded in their passion and purpose, and can recognize which design decisions and projects are on their path and which would lead them astray.” - Von Robinson
College for Creative Studies, Detroit
Associate Professor of Product Design
Von created and taught Senior and Junior Innovation Studios and the Design Research: Systems Perspective for Designers course.
University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor
Consultant, Design Lead, and facilitator
Von led workshops and mentored students at the School of Public Health's Innovation Studio, Stamps School of Art & Design's MDes Program, Ross Business School, and School of Information's UX Design Clinic.
Parsons School of Design, New York
Adjunct Professor of Design
Von created and taught the Poetics of Design course, introducing an integrative, cross-disciplinary approach to design semantics and communication theory.
Quest: Design & Purpose, Steelcase Grand Rapids
Von created and facilitated a series of talks for the Steelcase Design Studio centered on an exploration of creativity, purpose, and the passionate pursuits of diverse creatives invited as guest speakers.
Student Reviews and Comments
“By far the highlight of my 4 years at CCS! I learned so much from this guy! ...his critical thinking and reasoning behind why a design should exist was eye opening to me as a young designer. He really cared about every single student. He also would give just the right amount of feedback for me to make the decision on my own instead of telling me to do it a certain way.”
“Best professor I ever had! Great course — different than most studios. I wish we’d had more of this empathetic thinking included in the curriculum. Very solid class for emotionally-connected products. Great structure too.”
“Von Robinson is one of the people...they change your life and perspective. His knowledge of art, design, and the research and careful consideration that gets incorporated in a design, is absolutely priceless to this institution. May very well be the highlight of my time at CCS.”
“Thank you for not only being an educator, but for being a mentor as well. Most aspects of my design process have come from your design research class and also from your personal design philosophy. I am eternally grateful for your service to not only myself but to everyone in my class. There are more thoughtful designers in the world because of you.”
“Von is a passionate designer, inspiring educator, and supportive friend. As our design advisor in the Innovation Studio at the School of Public Health, Von influenced me a lot with his extensive experience and insightful mind. Von is also a great listener, he respects others and values diversity.”
“Von gave some of the most thorough and critical critiques of any professor I have encountered. He did not “sugar-coat” his responses, but rather challenged us to explore new directions and ways of thinking we may not have be aware of before!”
“Von blessed us with a sense of reassurance and relief when it seemed the situation was over our heads. Yes, he did this with his extensive knowledge of design skills; but more importantly with a genuine humility and empathy that reminded us to believe in ourselves and in our own abilities as designers.”
“Von was unquestionably the best instructor I have had. He is animated about design, passionate about education, and cares more about his students than any other teacher I have had. He has always been 110% present in class, and equally present outside of class - where he has helped students in other studios, has talked them through existential design issues, and more.”
“Thank you for being a great mentor. I hope you know that you’ve been such a huge influence to me. Everything you taught us about wicked problems, asking the right questions, and clown parades is invaluable. It’s pretty crazy the impact you had on everyone at CCS.”
“A+. An amazing course. It impacts every project that I do and gives everyone a much deeper awareness of their impact. Wish there were more levels of design research with Von. He is seriously gifted with the talent of teaching!”