Tony Bynum

Tony Bynum is an Associate Professor of Practice and Director of the ID Academy at the Institute of Design (Illinois Tech). He specializes in Strategic Design Thinking, blending business strategy with human-centered design principles. His roles include academic leadership, corporate consultancy, and executive education.

Education:

• Bachelor’s in Business Administration, University of Wisconsin
• MBA, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management
• Master of Design Methods (MDM), Institute of Design
• Graduate studies in Organizational Psychology, Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Research & Practice:

Focuses on applying design thinking to organizational growth, user-centric strategies, and complex problem-solving. Collaborates with Fortune 500 firms like Amazon, BMW, and Sonos to drive purposeful innovation. Prior roles include founding Northwestern Mutual’s Design Thinking Center of Excellence and leading LYMNL_, a growth consultancy.

Affiliations:

• Teaching history at Rutgers, CEDIM School of Design, and Lake Forest College
• Executive Academy and Action Labs initiatives at the Institute of Design

Consultancy & Leadership:

Guides organizations through strategic design frameworks to address rapid industry changes. Serves as a bridge between academic design thinking and corporate implementation.