Patrick Whitney is a professor in the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. From 1987 to 2016 he was dean of the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Design, a leading school in design methods and strategy. He has published and lectured throughout the world about making technological innovations more humane, the link between design and business strategy, the behavioral dimensions of health care, and design for the base of the economic pyramid. Support for his research has come from the MacArthur, Gates, and Joyce foundations, the National Endowment for the Arts, BP, Ernst & Young, Lenovo, Motorola, SC Johnson, Steelcase, and Zebra Technologies, among others.

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In 2021 the Hong Kong Design Council awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Award for his foundational work in human-centered design and in strategic design. Business Week has featured him as a Design Visionary for bridging design and business, and strengthening the discipline of design strategy. Forbes named him as one of six members of the E-Gang for his work in the field of human-centered design. Fast Company identified him as a Master of Design, and Global Entrepreneur Magazine named him one of 25 people worldwide doing the most to bring new ideas to business in China.