Charles Johnson Serves as a Juror at the 2025 iF Design Awards
Carnegie Mellon School of Design alumnus Charles Johnson (BFA ’87) served as a juror for the prestigious iF Design Awards, bringing his extensive expertise to one of the world’s most renowned design competitions. With experience as both an award-winning entrant and a judge, Johnson offered a unique perspective on this year’s event, highlighting emerging trends, key insights, and the importance of thoughtful, real-world design solutions.
Johnson has built a distinguished career at the intersection of human performance, design, technology, and manufacturing. For nearly three decades, he has contributed to the sports, fashion, active lifestyle, and esports industries, holding leadership roles at Adidas, Puma, and Crocs. As the first industrial designer at Adidas’ global headquarters in Germany, he played a pivotal role in converting biomechanics research into performance-enhancing athletic technologies. Today, he is a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center (ETC), where he serves as an Assistant Professor of Leadership Innovation, while also running his consulting firm, DrivenByCharles, focusing on innovation across various industries.
Johnson’s involvement with the iF Design Awards began in 2022 when he participated in the online pre-selection process. His deep familiarity with the competition's rigorous standards, stemming from his experience as a past winner, made him an ideal candidate for the jury. In 2023, he advanced to the Final Jury round in Berlin, where he engaged with hundreds of products alongside an international panel of experts.
“That was the first experience I had interacting with not only the hundreds of products that were submitted but also jurors from around the world selected for their experience and expertise in various fields of design,” said Johnson. “It was a sort of United Nations of design; an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engage with a vast array of design thinkers. It was comforting and at the same time invigorating.”
For the 2025 awards, Johnson returned once again—this time to Hamburg, Germany—where he judged entries in the sports, outdoor, and bicycle product categories.
“I, along with iF jury category members Henry Chang and Bernd Eigenstetter, were particularly impressed with the Rehwald Cargobike for its workmanship, versatile functionality and material selection, the Ready Helmet from woom for its ergonomic quality, ingenious details and playful but not puerile character and the Skarper eBike drive system, a well-resolved upcycle (no pun intended) mobility solution with a wow-factor in performance,” said Johnson.
Johnson emphasized that these exceptional entries—especially those recognized with gold awards—stood out for their simplicity, impact, and ability to set new industry benchmarks.
One of the most compelling aspects of serving as a judge is recognizing patterns and shifts in design. Johnson noted a growing trend in products designed for a mobile lifestyle, particularly solutions that bring the functionality of home into outdoor environments. “This trend is more relevant in Asian markets than in other parts of the world,” said Johnson, underscoring the role of regional influence in shaping product innovation.
His category of focus—sports and outdoor gear—showcased a range of products attempting to balance high-performance functionality with everyday convenience. However, not all succeeded.
“That may sound obvious but we reviewed designs that looked good ‘on paper”’ but when we got to interacting with them, they fell short of expectations,” said Johnson. “A good idea is only one that works well.”
For students and future entrants aspiring to compete in the iF Design Awards, Johnson offered valuable advice.
“Pay attention to the details and to bring something to life that is relevant and one that works well in the real world.”
Johnson credited Carnegie Mellon’s School of Design for equipping students with the broad perspective needed to succeed in design competitions.
“The best designs consider multiple aspects required to make a product successful,” said Johnson. “At CMU, students gain exposure to different disciplines, technologies, and methodologies, which can make the difference between a winner and a loser.”