It was created to inspire, support and demonstrate to industry how design could be the key factor in change and lead to economic success.
William H. Walsh was the founder of KDW and Chief Executive of Córas Tráchtála Teoranta (CTT) or Irish Export Board.
Workshops were staffed with teams of creatives; artists designers, craftspeople, apprentices, graduates and students, including technicians and chemists to assist with research and development.
The management team also consisted of a creative and active board that included artists Louis le Brocquy, Pat Scott and Sir Basil Goulding.
KDW opened a shop in Ghiradelli Square in San Francisco and participated in in-store promotions in Altman's in New York, Heal's in London and Neiman Marcus in Dallas.
Many of those who partook in programmes ran by KDW went on to establish their own creative enterprises or teach in design departments at second and third level in Ireland.
Edited by Professor Alex Milton, ID2015 Programme Director;[6] Karen Hennessy, CEO of ID2015 [7] and DCCoI and Rachel Donnelly, ID2015 Content Editor, the publication takes a broad view of the design sector in Ireland, reflecting on key moments in its past, engaging with its vibrant present, and speculating about its optimistic future.
The publication also presents a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the impact of the year's activities, alongside statistics representing the economic footprint of the design sector in Ireland.