In view of their seminal influence both in Denmark and internationally, it is no surprise that Poul Henningsen’s ideas on lighting design were guiding the in-house design department at Louis Poulsen even long after his 1967 death. His legacy was explicitly acknowledged in the PH 80, issued by Poulsen in 1974 as a posthumous tribute to the designer’s 80th birthday, and also in the IT desk lamp, designed by Poulsen’s in-house team led by Bent Gansel Boysen and introduced in 1972.

An advertisement for the IT lamp dating from October 1972 ran as follows:
"So Poul Henningsen’s concept of a work light with an elliptical reflector has become reality. The elliptical form provides the best combination of maximum and evenly distributed light, and also creates a focal point, which can be very useful for demanding work or for the partially sighted."

An additional feature of the IT lamp was the so-called 3-lys (3-light) system, first seen the previous year in the Verner Panton-designed Poulsen light the Panthella, whereby a single specially created bulb provided a choice of brightness settings – in the IT lamp’s case 40, 60 and 100 watts. The IT was available in matte black, matte white or chrome.