Origins and the Worldwide InDesign User Group

Adobe released InDesign in August 1999 as the successor to PageMaker. Within two years, early adopters began forming local groups to share techniques and explore the possibilities of Adobe’s new publishing software. One of the first organized gatherings took place in New York in November 2001, just before the release of InDesign 2.0.

Recognizing the growing enthusiasm, Adobe created the Worldwide InDesign User Group under the leadership of Wendy Katz. The umbrella organization helped local chapters coordinate, share presentations, and exchange expertise. By 2012, nearly 100 chapters in 36 countries were part of the network, serving more than 50,000 members. Though the umbrella group eventually dissolved, the local chapters it inspired continued independently, carrying forward the same collaborative spirit. As Morgaine Auton of Typefi later observed, “While most InDesign User Groups have faded over time, the community of InDesign users and developers that were fostered by the IDUGs remains incredibly strong.”

Adobe InDesign was released to the public in August 1999, but it took over two years for InDesign users to join together. That finally happened in New York in November 2001, shortly before the release of the landmark version 2.0. This first InDesign user group brought together early adopters, recent converts, and the merely curious. When news spread of what designers saw and heard, attendance grew.

Founding and Rebuilding the Los Angeles Chapter

The Los Angeles InDesign User Group—known by its familiar acronym, LAIDUG—was founded in October 2005 by John Lopez, Andrew Keith Strauss, and DeShawn Burton. The first meeting was held at Ogilvy & Mather in Culver City, where Mike Riley presented an overview of InDesign CS2. The group held four meetings over the next two years, the last of which took place in 2007, after which the organization went dormant.

In August 2010, Alan Bell joined as co-manager and, together with DeShawn Burton, undertook the task of rebuilding the organization from the ground up. That December, LAIDUG became a California unincorporated nonprofit association. Regular in-person meetings were reestablished on the third Thursday of every other month, a schedule that continued without interruption until January 2020.

Meetings were held throughout Los Angeles County, ranging from Encino and Northridge in the San Fernando Valley to East Los Angeles and South Central, ensuring accessibility across the region’s diverse creative community. Between 2011 and 2019, the group also organized field-trip meetings at several notable venues, including Bridge Publications, Designory, History for Hire, HPR Graphics, the International Printing Museum, the Los Angeles Times, Ogilvy & Mather, and the Roland Corporation. These sessions offered members a firsthand look at professional production environments and helped connect design theory with real-world practice.

Growth, Recognition, and the Move Online

In October 2015, LAIDUG celebrated its 10th anniversary in Hollywood with featured speaker David Blatner, co-founder of CreativePro Network and co-host of InDesignSecrets. The event drew commendations from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, California State Senator Holly Mitchell, and U.S. Representative Karen Bass, recognizing the group’s contributions to professional education and the creative community.

LAIDUG achieved tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2018, further solidifying its institutional foundation and enabling it to pursue sponsorships and educational partnerships. During these years, the group became known for its consistent programming, collegial atmosphere, and unusually broad mix of attendees ranging from students to seasoned design professionals.

In early 2020, DeShawn Burton moved to Kansas City, and Alvin Takamori became co-chair. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended in-person gatherings. The last regular in-person meeting had taken place in January, and the March meeting was canceled as the city shut down. Although meetings were no longer in person, the group adopted a new monthly virtual format, expanding from its long-standing bimonthly schedule but keeping to its tradition of meeting on the third Thursday of the month.

The change brought a surge of new participants from across the United States and beyond. With the shift to virtual programming came a new landscape of presenters and attendees—limited only by access to the Internet. Since then, presenters have come from at least ten countries across four continents, including England, Scotland, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Poland, Singapore, Australia, and Canada, transforming what was once a regional forum into a truly international exchange of ideas.

A Global Identity and Continuing Mission

A new global board was established in 2024 to reflect the organization’s expanding reach. Board members included Alan Bell, Alan Gilbertson, Eva Bee, Rebecca Hillquist, Anne-Marie Concepción, Jeffery Marcus, and Nigel French, reflecting geographic diversity from across the United States and extending to England.

In October 2025, on the occasion of the group’s 20th anniversary, David Blatner joined the board, and CreativePro Network became a major sponsor alongside Adobe Systems. At that time, the organization formally adopted a new name—The InDesign User Group—signaling its evolution from a regional chapter into a professional community with national and international participation.

Today, The InDesign User Group continues to hold monthly virtual meetings, occasionally supplemented by hybrid or in-person events. Supported by Adobe Systems and CreativePro Network, the group remains committed to connecting, educating, and inspiring InDesign users worldwide—carrying forward more than two decades of community, craft, and shared expertise.

Past Field Trips

Bridge Publications
Designory
History for Hire
HPR Graphics
International Printing Museum
Los Angeles Times
Ogilvy & Mather
Roland Corporation