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Warm-up day
Oct 23
Conference Day 1
Oct 24
Conference day 2
Oct 25
Overview
Detail view

9:00-9:30

Check-in & Breakfast

12:30-13:30

Lunch Break

16:30-18:30

Mingling

18:30-21:30

Evening Meetup

18:30-19:15

NETWORKING:

Networking Session - Anamaria Dorgo (Butter)

20:00-21:30

Meetup:

Meetup & Nerd Pub Quiz - Meetup & Pub Quiz (With Luke Murphy (zeroheight))

21:30-

See you tomorrow!

Warm up the engines and get your fill of energy through a series of activities designed to set your creativity free, think about the future, and make new friends before the conference!

9:00 - 9:30

Check-in & Breakfast

9:30 - 12:30

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Stop Motion Workshop

dina Amin

Tinker Studio

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Stop Motion Workshop

Use scrap bits and pieces from old electronics and transform them into a scrappy little creature that magically comes to life using Stop Motion Animation. In this workshop you’ll learn how to make a magical stop motion loop with just your phone!

Keywords:

STOP-MOTION ANIMATION

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9:30 - 12:30

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Beyond human-centered design – a manifesto

Mark Guarraia, Henrik Lübker & Lotte Nystrup Lund

Novo Nordisk | Design Denmark | Futurista

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Beyond human-centered design – a manifesto

Shape the future of design through collaborative creativity. Led by industry experts and facilitators Lotte Nystrup Lund, Mark Guarraia and Henrik Lübker, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of 10 guiding principles.

Keywords:

FUTURE OF MORE-THAN-HUMAN BASED DESIGN

CREATIVITY

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12:30 - 13:30

Lunch Break

13:30 - 16:30

Planetary Dreaming: Designing the Future

Ida Engholm

The Royal Danish Academy

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Planetary Dreaming: Designing the Future

The workshop combines approaches from design thinking with perspectives from indigenous thinking and focuses on how we can develop new approaches for working with uncertainty and hosting more meaningful and courageous conversations about our common future, about planetary and interplanetary well-being. The questions explored in the workshop are: What constitutes wisdom for the future? How might wisdom involve balancing learning from the past while being open to the future? How is wisdom linked to imagination, action, and decision-making? What is the role of design and designers?

Keywords:

DESIGN THINKING

SUSTAINABILITY

FUTURE

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13:30 - 15:00

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What will happen in the future of design?

Open Roundtable
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What will happen in the future of design?

The Open Roundtable is a precious opportunity for dialogue and discussion around the future of design; what will design look like in the future? What trends are going to take over and what trends are going to die? What skills do designers need to have? The Open Roundtable is made of the historic speakers of the previous editions of Design Matters – one speaker per edition. You can choose whether to be part of the discussion together with the speaker or simply to listen to the conversation.

Keywords:

FUTURE OF DESIGN

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

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15:00 - 16:30

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Live Podcast

Live Podcast

Design Tracks

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Live Podcast

Listen to Sam and Layshi as they record the second season of Design Tracks with new guests!This season will focus on sustainability and futures.

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16:30 - 18:30

Mingling

Food and Drinks will be served from 17:00 on

18:30 - 21:30

Evening Meetup

Open to Full Experience and Conference Experience ticket holders.
See the schedule below

18:30 - 19:15

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Networking Session

Anamaria Dorgo

Butter

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Networking Session

Make new friends and expand your international network! Anamaria will help you connect with new people in a series of interactive and fun activities.

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19:15 - 20:00

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Design Debate Club

Luke Murphy (zeroheight)
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Design Debate Club

Picture this event as a traditional school-style debate. There will be three debaters on each side, with adjudicator Luke Murphy to shepherd the whole event. Three of the debaters will be on the 'for' side, arguing in favour of the topic, and three will be 'against', arguing against the topic. Taking turns, the debaters will present their thoughts and research to demonstrate their points and engage in rebuttals. The audience will vote on who 'won' the argument, and come up with questions to ask the panel of debaters.

Keywords:

NETWORKING

FUN

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19:00 - 21:00

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Therapy for Designers

Simone Attanasio (Canva (Ecosystem))
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Therapy for Designers

This is a place to get together, connect and learn growth mindset and leadership capabilities. Therapy for Designers are sessions, run by their creator Simone, where designers openly discuss fears, challenges and valuable lessons to establish an environment that encourages vulnerability and personal growth. This sessions provide designers with the opportunity to address these obstacles and share insights while benefiting from the shared experiences and support of their peers.

Keywords:

DESIGNER EXPERIENCES

DESIGNER TIPS

NETWORKING

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20:00 - 21:30

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Meetup & Nerd Pub Quiz

Meetup & Pub Quiz

With Luke Murphy (zeroheight)

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Meetup & Nerd Pub Quiz

Prepare yourself for a great opportunity to network and get into the conference mood! Meet the people and speakers who will attend the conference and have a drink…or two! As partners of Design Matters, zeroheight are also hosting a Nerd Pub Quiz to end all pub quizzes. Expect everything from design to video games to music to anime. No topic is safe from their fiendishly pedantic host, Luke Murphy.

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21:30 -

See you tomorrow!

Overview
Detail view
Overview
Detail view

8:30-9:00

CHECK-IN & BREAKFAST

9:00-9:15

WELCOME:

Welcome to Design Matters 24 - Sam Horner (Google Play)

9:15-9:30

INTRO:

Introduction to the Conference Themes - Sophie Tahran (The New Yorker (Condé Nast))

9:30-10:00

TALK:

Design Didn't Save the World: Now What? - Chappell Ellison (Launch by NTT Data)

10:00-10:30

TALK:

Building an AI-driven UX research repository - Ben Shih (Lokalise)

10:30-11:00

TALK:

Coming Soon

11:00-11:30

COFFEE BREAK

11:30-13:00

Choose your Nerd Track

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

11:30-11:50

TALK 1:

Eat, Save, Love: Engaging Heroes in the Fight Against Food Waste - Christina Collura (Too Good To Go)

11:50-12:10

TALK 2:

Making by Breaking - dina Amin (Tinker Studio)

12:10-12:30

TALK 3:

How to detect climate bs - Laura Krarup Frandsen (Independent)

12:30-13:00

TALK 4:

Todoist Refresh: A Behind-The-Scenes Look - Stijn Zoontjens (ex Doist, ex Google Maps)

TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

IN-PERSON WORKSHOP :


The Futures Healthcare Fair: The artifacts of the futures -

Laerdal Medical (Laerdal Medical )

ONLINE WORKSHOP :


Coming Soon

13:00-14:00

LUNCH BREAK

14:00-15:30

Choose your Nerd Track

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

14:00-14:20

TALK 1:

Crafted Art Projects: Exploring the Purpose of Artistic Expression - Anton Sokolov (1/2 8 | JetBrains)

14:20-14:40

TALK 2:

Crafting Clarity: the power of visual storytelling - Paula Madrid (BIG)

14:40-15:00

TALK 3:

From Human Design to Planet Design - Ida Engholm (The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design)

15:00-15:20

TALK 4:

Behold! The Power of Mascots - Ryo Sampei (Spectrum Tokyo)

TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

IN-PERSON WORKSHOP :


From Pixel Pushing to Impact: How to be a catalyst for change as a Designer -

Nadiim Nafei (TrackMan)

ONLINE WORKSHOP :


Coming Soon

15:30-16:00

COFFEE BREAK

16:00-16:30

TALK:

Coming Soon

16:30-17:00

TALK:

Social Sustainability in Tech - Nikhita Ghugari & Payal Chakraborty (Xeno Co-lab | Darjeeling Design Co)

17:00-17:30

TALK:

Chasing AI - Simone Attanasio (Canva (Ecosystem))

17:30-19:00

FOOD & DRINKS

19:00-19:30

NIGHT TALK:

Luke Murphy (zeroheight)

19:30-20:00

NIGHT TALK:

Edith Pritchett (Cartoonist)

20:00-20:30

NIGHT TALK:

The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Design - Pablo Stanley (Musho & Lummi)

20:30-21:30

LIVE MUSIC:

DJ MOF!YAH (Music Artist)

21:30-21:45

See you tomorrow!

8:30 - 9:00

CHECK-IN & BREAKFAST

9:00 - 9:15

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Welcome to Design Matters 24

Sam Horner

Google Play

9:15 - 9:30

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Introduction to the Conference Themes

Sophie Tahran

The New Yorker (Condé Nast)

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Introduction to the Conference Themes

Sophie will present the themes of Design Matters 24 and give an intro talk opening the event. As representative of the Committee that contributed to decide the themes of the conference, she will offer her take on the hottest topics in design of 2024.

Keywords :

THEMES

DESIGN TRENDS

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9:30 - 10:00

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Design Didn't Save the World: Now What?

Chappell Ellison

Launch by NTT Data

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Design Didn't Save the World: Now What?

Flashback to 2008: Steve Jobs had just debuted the iPhone. A U.S. presidential candidate won the election by running on the word, “Hope.” Online media reached a new zenith of investment and promised platforms to new, inspiring voices. It was this optimism that filled the air as design was given its chance to influence culture like never before. Designers filled TED talks and main stages and brought forward a rallying cry: “Design will save the world.” The phrase was, for many years inescapable, as design asserted itself to buy a seat at the table. Nearly twenty-five years have passed, and design didn’t live up to its TED Talk promises. This talk is an examination and indictment of how our optimism, naivete, and hubris on main stages defined the last 25 years of design. What lessons can we pass on to the next generation of designers to empower them to shape the next decade for the better? And can design truly save the world?

Keywords :

HISTORY OF DESIGN

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10:00 - 10:30

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Building an AI-driven UX research repository

Ben Shih

Lokalise

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Building an AI-driven UX research repository

Building a knowledge base that effectively stores and organizes user insights is a dream for many UX teams. However, it’s challenging, especially for companies with limited resources. In this talk, I will share how we at Lokalise leverage AI to automatically analyze user interviews, tag insights, and establish a fully automated UX research repository. This allows all UX stakeholders to easily contribute to and access user insights within minutes.

Keywords :

AI

UX

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10:30 - 11:00

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Coming Soon

11:00 - 11:30

COFFEE BREAK

11:30 - 13:00

Choose your Nerd Track

Listen to talks or participate in a workshop

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

11:30 - 11:50

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Eat, Save, Love: Engaging Heroes in the Fight Against Food Waste

Christina Collura

Too Good To Go

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Eat, Save, Love: Engaging Heroes in the Fight Against Food Waste

In this talk, you'll explore with Christina the way Too Good To Go engages consumers, focusing on how they empower their “heroes” to make a difference. You'll learn how thoughtful engagement design can help consumers overcome the feeling of powerlessness and foster a sense of agency in the fight against climate change.

Keywords:

DESIGNER TIPS

TRENDS

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11:50 - 12:10

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Making by Breaking

dina Amin

Tinker Studio

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Making by Breaking

In this talk dina will share how tinkering and taking things apart was the beginning of her career as a stop motion artist and a maker. She will share how it all started, what she has learnt so far and the biggest mistakes she has made.

Keywords:

STOP-MOTION ART

CREATIVITY

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12:10 - 12:30

How to detect climate bs

Laura Krarup Frandsen

Independent

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How to detect climate bs

In this talk, fashion designer and climate activist Laura will take you on a journey where you’ll learn how to detect bs when it comes to sustainability in design; you’ll learn how to figure out when it’s green washing instead of actual sustainable design practices. You’ll leave knowing how to navigate the sustainability space, with new or better-defined vocabulary to create real change for the future of design.

Keywords:

SUSTAINABILITY

 

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12:30 - 13:00

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Todoist Refresh: A Behind-The-Scenes Look

Stijn Zoontjens

ex Doist, ex Google Maps

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Todoist Refresh: A Behind-The-Scenes Look

Todoist is a popular task manager trusted by over 5 million people worldwide. In early 2024, Todoist’s design team started “Todoist Refresh,” a project to rethink what Todoist should look and feel like in the modern productivity space. In this talk, Stijn Zoontjens, senior product designer at Todoist, will give a behind-the-scenes look at this project. How do you differentiate yourself in a crowded market where great product design has become a commodity? How do you let your brand shine through in your product? How can you use Northstar designs to influence leadership decisions? And how do you roll out a major design update while millions of users rely on your product daily?

Keywords:

PRODUCT DESIGN

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TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

11:30-12:30

12:30

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The Futures Healthcare Fair: The artifacts of the futures

Troels Villumsen, Andrea Østmo da Costa, Veronica Bluguermann & My Enetjärn

Laerdal Medical

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The Futures Healthcare Fair: The artifacts of the futures

What signals of change do you see for the future? Are you optimistic, pessimistic, or neither- why? Join for a creative and hands-on session and become both inventor and merchant of the artefacts of the futures of healthcare. You will become familiar with the Futures Bazaar methodology as a Forecasting and Ideation tool, where everyday items are transformed into futuristic objects that aim to provoke thought, amuse, and inspire. Just as you might travel to different places to have new experiences and see how others live, creating a Futures Fair is a way to explore each other’s imaginations. This collective effort is the first step to co-create alternative future scenarios. You’ll explore the potential impacts of these futures on healthcare, identifying innovative opportunities and challenges they present. Come and experience this activity of futures thinking, and explore the futures of healthcare! Special Requirements: • Access to ChatGPT from your mobile device or laptop. • One object you don’t need anymore. It should be something that does not take up much space in your backpack or purse. Be mindful that this object will be hacked or destroyed during the workshop.

Keywords:

FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

CREATIVITY

CRAFTING

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IN-PERSON ONLY

info

Only in-person ticket holders can attend this workshop

11:30-12:30

12:30

Coming Soon

ONLINE ONLY

info

Only livestream ticket holders can attend this workshop

13:00 - 14:00

LUNCH BREAK

14:00 - 15:30

Choose your Nerd Track

Listen to talks or participate in a workshop

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

14:00 - 14:20

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Crafted Art Projects: Exploring the Purpose of Artistic Expression

Anton Sokolov

1/2 8 | JetBrains

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Crafted Art Projects: Exploring the Purpose of Artistic Expression

In today’s ever-changing world, AI brings both opportunities and challenges for visual artists. In this talk, Anton will delve into the heart of our craft. Through his own art project, halfof8.com, he’ll share how creativity drives him and how it can impact us all. You’ll start by understanding the essence of his project and then peek behind the scenes to see how it’s made. Anton will also discuss how this project has personally influenced him, without making grand claims. His goal isn’t just to share his journey, but also to spark that same creative spark in each of you.

Keywords:

AI

CREATIVITY

VISUAL DESIGN

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14:20 - 14:40

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Crafting Clarity: the power of visual storytelling

Paula Madrid

BIG

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Crafting Clarity: the power of visual storytelling

In this talk, Paula will tell about her journey from architecture to graphic design, explaining how she discovered the power of conveying complex ideas without words. Through examples, she’ll illustrate the role of storytelling in architecture and share insights on simplifying intricate concepts into digestible diagrams. Finally, she’ll share her experience designing a user-friendly language for an architectural guide to space.

Keywords:

STORYTELLING

ARCHITECTURE

DESIGN COMMUNICATION

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14:40 - 15:00

From Human Design to Planet Design

Ida Engholm

The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design

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From Human Design to Planet Design

In her talk, Professor Ida Engholm will argue that instead of focusing on how design can serve humanity, we should critically question what fundamental values and world views our design is based on. So far, our design has been centred on human users and our needs, but today, the scale of the environmental crisis compels us to put the planet first. Learn how to go from human-centred to planet-centred design.

Keywords:

PLANET-CENTRED DESIGN

SUSTAINABILITY

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15:00 - 15:20

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Behold! The Power of Mascots

Ryo Sampei

Spectrum Tokyo

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Behold! The Power of Mascots

Ryo has always been obsessed with mascot characters. It’s like almost whatever he makes needed eyes, hands, and a feet. As a Japanese designer and a otaku (nerd), mascots and characters were always there, and it was natural for him to make good use of it when it came to designing for services and brands. In his talk, he will share his experience in designing mascots for his past projects, and how to make good use of mascots for digital service and brands. He will deep dive into his roots in the Japanese culture, the different processes in the making, and also define what makes a good mascot character.

Keywords:

JAPANESE DESIGN

MASCOT DESIGN

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TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

14:00-15:30

15:30

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From Pixel Pushing to Impact: How to be a catalyst for change as a Designer

Nadiim Nafei

TrackMan

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From Pixel Pushing to Impact: How to be a catalyst for change as a Designer

People in the field of design often have to put aside their own opinions in pursuit of understanding the underlying motivations of users to find key insights that drive product development. But if designers are such good sense-makers, then why are they so often treated as little more than “pixel pushers”? Many designers tell stories of how they experience challenges in getting buy-in from stakeholders, getting face-to-face time with managers, or influencing decision makers – let alone getting a seat at the table! It doesn’t have to be this way – it shouldn’t be this way! In this workshop you’ll explore methodologies to break free from the mold of “make pretty” to influence product strategy by harnessing your user-centered sense-making skills as a designer. Acquire the mindset and tools to communicate the value of your ideas and your work to transform them into measurable value and impact, and elevate your role in decision-making. Together with Nadiim, you’ll learn to reshape the narrative and empower design to drive meaningful change.

Keywords:

DESIGN IMPACT

ROLE OF A DESIGNER

DESIGN COMMUNICATION

DESIGNER TIPS

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IN-PERSON ONLY

info

Only in-person ticket holders can attend this workshop

14:00-15:20

15:20

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Coming Soon

ONLINE ONLY

info

Only livestream ticket holders can attend this workshop

15:30 - 16:00

COFFEE BREAK

16:00 - 16:30

Coming Soon

16:30 - 17:00

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Social Sustainability in Tech

Nikhita Ghugari & Payal Chakraborty

Xeno Co-lab | Darjeeling Design Co

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Social Sustainability in Tech

It’s safe to say that the challenges presented by emerging technologies are forcing everyone to reimagine the way we work across all industries. The rallying call for a more ethical practice to build innovative tech solutions requires a systemic approach that radically changes the way tech companies work – across people, product and process, and align it to business KPIs. Through their talk, Swar & Nikhita will summarise the challenges that we face as humanity and the unintended consequences of emerging tech on consumers and society. They will share a framework around Social Sustainability in Tech (SST) & a toolkit to practice it that they have recently released in an open source report. The framework lays out 3 key principles for designers and industry leaders to align the practices of companies in a way that can result in a more socially & ethically responsible practice for tech. They will encourage everyone to take the first step in thinking intentionally about the ethical use of our skill sets and technology and how we can make the space safer for the consumers.

Keywords :

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

SOCIAL & ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY

TECHNOLOGICAL IMPACT

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17:00 - 17:30

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Chasing AI

Simone Attanasio

Canva (Ecosystem)

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Chasing AI

In this rapidly evolving AI era, the pursuit of innovation often leads to a frantic chase for the latest trends. Yet, many find themselves without a clear strategy or the necessary tools to truly understand and play the AI game. Drawing from his 20-year journey in the industry, Simone will reflect on the evolution of design trends and share practical insights on how to navigate the complexities of the AI landscape while staying true to your core values as a designer.

Keywords :

AI

DESIGN EVOLUTION

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17:30 - 19:00

FOOD & DRINKS

19:00 - 19:30

Fail Better

Luke Murphy

zeroheight

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Fail Better

Luke’s life is a masterclass in failure, spanning tech startups, art projects, theatre companies, and even marriages. If there’s a way to fail, Luke has found it, tried it, and probably failed at it. Join Luke for a session where they will attempt to put a positive spin on his greatest flops. You might not leave inspired to embrace failure, but you’ll definitely enjoy a little schadenfreude. After all, nothing says “light evening entertainment” like someone else’s relentless string of screw-ups.

Keywords :

EMBRACING FAILURE

HUMOUR

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19:30 - 20:00

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Finding humour in the mundane

Edith Pritchett

Cartoonist

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Finding humour in the mundane

Edith will talk about making autobiographical work and finding humour in the mundane. Also how being honest about the more embarrassing parts of your life can often generate responses that make you realise we’re all more similar than we think. The talk will cover many of her internal conflicts that she’s shamelessly mined to generate content. Struggles such as: ‘I hate that fleece my partner wears,’ ‘will my feet scare the pedicurist?’ and ‘I got tricked on instagram into spending £50 on shampoo’ and many more of life’s big topics.

Keywords :

CARTOON

HUMOUR

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20:00 - 20:30

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The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Design

Pablo Stanley

Musho & Lummi

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The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Design

Join Pablo as he explores the impact of the Dunning-Kruger Effect on his journey as a designer and entrepreneur. Discover how initial ingenuity can spark adventurous innovation in the dynamic world of design and AI!

Keywords :

INNOVATION

HUMOUR

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20:30 - 21:30

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DJ MOF!YAH

Music Artist

21:30 - 21:45

See you tomorrow!

Overview
Detail view
Overview
Detail view

8:30-9:00

CHECK-IN & BREAKFAST

9:00-9:10

INTRO:

Welcome Back! - Sam Horner (Google Play)

9:10-9:30

TALK:

Coming Soon

9:30-10:00

TALK:

Becoming a Toolmaker - Ramsés Cabello (Sketch)

10:00-10:30

TALK:

Designing for Earth, on Mars - Alicia Shao (The LEGO Group)

10:30-11:00

TALK:

Designing for a Global Community - Niche Chathong (Musixmatch)

11:00-11:30

COFFEE BREAK

11:30-13:00

Choose Your Nerd Track

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

11:30-11:50

TALK 1:

From Mexico to the World - Mariana Pedroza (Bueno)

11:50-12:10

TALK 2:

Design for Impact - Erin Weigel (Independent)

12:10-12:30

TALK 3:

The art of asynchronous design: Mastering communication at Automattic - Cris Busquets (Automattic)

12:30-13:00

TALK 4:

Typography in Design Systems - Bianca Berning (Spotify)

TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

IN-PERSON WORKSHOP :


The Second Life of Forgotten Ideas -

Adilice Sanches & Annie Lange (Pleo | Cognism)

ONLINE WORKSHOP :


Coming Soon

13:00-14:00

LUNCH BREAK

14:00-15:30

Choose Your Nerd Track

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

14:00-14:20

TALK 1:

Accessibility meets AI - Aske Stampe (Be My Eyes)

14:20-14:40

TALK 2:

Life experiences are the fuel for creating truly meaningful and impactful art - Aurélia Durand (Independent)

14:40-15:00

TALK 3:

Buckle Up, Designer!: How to Design for New Frontiers - Basak Haznedaroglu (Blockstream)

15:00-15:20

TALK 4:

Eyes on the Road: Designing Safe Automotive Interfaces - Casper Kessels (Snapp Automotive)

TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

IN-PERSON WORKSHOP :


Sharing Knowledge through Storytelling -

Ellen Berglund & Haya Termanini (Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects)

ONLINE WORKSHOP :


Coming Soon

15:30-16:00

COFFEE BREAK

16:00-16:30

TALK:

Building a Culture of Craft - Alastair Simpson (Dropbox)

16:30-17:00

TALK:

The Long View - Vicki Tan (Pinterest)

17:00-17:30

TALK:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design - Batsirai Madzonga

17:30-18:00

TALK:

Open Round Table - Reginé Gilbert (New York University Tandon School of Engineering)

18:00-

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

8:30 - 9:00

CHECK-IN & BREAKFAST

9:00 - 9:10

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Sam Horner

Google Play

9:10 - 9:30

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Coming Soon

9:30 - 10:00

Becoming a Toolmaker

Ramsés Cabello

Sketch

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Becoming a Toolmaker

What’s the role of design tools in the design industry? As a toolmaker and as a designer using tools – what’s Sketch’s approach to deliver a tool that meets designers where they are? As a toolmaker, Ramsés will share his values and strategy when bringing in features and experiences into Sketh. As a designer, he’ll express what matters to him when using tools as a medium to express and communicate his work. Join Ramsés for a session where you’ll discover his journey – from using a design tool to designing the future of a collaborative design platform.

Keywords :

TOOLS

PRODUCT DESIGN

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10:00 - 10:30

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Designing for Earth, on Mars

Alicia Shao

The LEGO Group

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Designing for Earth, on Mars

What can a course about life for Mars teach us about shaping the future of Earth? In this talk, Alicia will explore how the process of designing for an entirely new world can offer valuable lessons for addressing challenges on our own planet. She'll examine how different design approaches are used to envision new possibilities, delve into the relationship between time perception and the future, and explore the political dimensions of design and future. You'll challenge your perceptions and reflect on the broader implications of designing for the future and the significant responsibilities that designers hold in shaping it.

Keywords :

FUTURES

PLANET

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10:30 - 11:00

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Designing for a Global Community

Niche Chathong

Musixmatch

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Designing for a Global Community

Join Niche as she explores the benefits of designing in diverse cultural contexts. She’ll dive into the evolution of the design industry and discuss how designers can stay competitive by embracing continuous learning. Her journey has been transformative in helping her design the consumer product in Musixmatch.com and Musixmatch Academy – an initiative that empowers users to contribute high-quality lyrics for a global user interface. She’ll share insights on the advantages of multilingualism in design and how it leads to more empathetic and engaging user experiences.

Keywords :

DIVERSITY

DESIGN EVOLUTION

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11:00 - 11:30

COFFEE BREAK

11:30 - 13:00

Choose Your Nerd Track

LISTEN TO TALKS OR PARTICIPATE IN A WORKSHOP

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

11:30 - 11:50

From Mexico to the World

Mariana Pedroza

Bueno

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From Mexico to the World

Drawing from her multi-year experience as designer and artist based, Mariana will offer precious insights into the design scene in Mexico and provide useful tips on how to stay relevant as a digital creator world-wide.

Keywords:

DESIGN TIPS

TRENDS

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11:50 - 12:10

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Design for Impact

Erin Weigel

Independent

Read more +

Design for Impact

Experimentation can be intimidating to non-data science folk. But Erin wants to get everyone excited about A/B testing. In this talk, Erin shares the Conversion Design process. It centers A/B testing as a way to gather high-quality evidence to make highly informed decisions to improve your digital product design. She also introduces the Good Experimental Design toolkit. These easy-to-follow templates usher teams through the logic needed to design trustworthy experiments that you can learn from so you can make things better—not just different.

Keywords:

A/B TESTING

DESIGNER TIPS

 

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12:10 - 12:30

The art of asynchronous design: Mastering communication at Automattic

Cris Busquets

Automattic

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The art of asynchronous design: Mastering communication at Automattic

Learn how Automattic’s design team effectively communicates and collaborates asynchronously using tools like video, detailed writing, and collaboration platforms. Join Cris as she’ll share the tools and methods Automatic uses – like video walkthroughs and writing. Whether you’re remote or in-house, you’ll leave with practical tips for presenting design concepts, gathering feedback, and improving your communication and collaboration skills. Perfect for designers looking to enhance their communication and collaboration skills across any environment.

Keywords:

ASYNCHRONOUS WORK

COLLABORATION

METHODS

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12:30 - 13:00

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Typography in Design Systems

Bianca Berning

Spotify

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Typography in Design Systems

Typography is at the heart of a cohesive user experience, especially when designing for a global audience. Join Bianca as she delves into how Encore – Spotify’s Design system – leverages variable fonts for performance, while ensuring Spotify’s typography is expressive, accessible, and culturally relevant across 74 languages and 192 markets.

Keywords:

TYPOGRAPHY

ACCESSIBILITY

INCLUSION

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TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

11:30-13:00

13:00

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The Second Life of Forgotten Ideas

Adilice Sanches & Annie Lange

Pleo | Cognism

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The Second Life of Forgotten Ideas

What is an idea? By definition, it’s a thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action. But, what is the value of an idea? Now, that is harder to define. A value can be subjective, and vary depending upon context, historic period, and the eye of the beholder. For one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Since their inception, intellectual property and patent laws have led to controversy, because the lines between idea & implementation are always blurry. And now, modern technology is challenging the illusion of stability in these topics. But, could that be a good thing? Could society benefit from a patent free world where we continuously repurpose for the common good? In this workshop, we will explore once patented ideas and the concept of ownership as a foundation to look forward with a technological slant.

Keywords:

VALUE OF AN IDEA

PATENT

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

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IN-PERSON ONLY

info

Only in-person ticket holders can attend this workshop

11:30-13:00

13:00

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Coming Soon

ONLINE ONLY

info

Only livestream ticket holders can attend this workshop

13:00 - 14:00

LUNCH BREAK

14:00 - 15:30

Choose Your Nerd Track

LISTEN TO TALKS OR PARTICIPATE IN A WORKSHOP

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

14:00 - 14:20

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Accessibility meets AI

Aske Stampe

Be My Eyes

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Accessibility meets AI

Today’s designers need a diverse skill set and must quickly adapt to new technologies like AI. One crucial skill is designing accessible solutions, a practice that’s essential even when rapid execution is required. Aske will reveal how Be My Eyes, an app for people who are blind or have low vision, secretly collaborated with OpenAI to test the first version of Chat GPT-4V and successfully launched an accessible chat experience. He will also discuss how Be My Eyes taught the AI to be accessible and meet real user needs. Aske will share his insights on why accessibility is a fundamental responsibility for designers and how it can help you stand out in a commoditised landscape.

Keywords:

AI

ACCESSIBILITY

TECHNOLOGY

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14:20 - 14:40

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Life experiences are the fuel for creating truly meaningful and impactful art

Aurélia Durand

Independent

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Life experiences are the fuel for creating truly meaningful and impactful art

Aurélia will use the power of colors to spread messages of peace and inclusivity in her talk. Her art in fact portrays a united and diverse community where every individual’s fate is intertwined. These vibrant personalities represent the unified voice of a global community whose dreams, hopes, and desires envision an inclusive future for all. During her talk, Aurélia will share how her life experiences have influenced her art, which aims to connect with people’s similarities and empower underrepresented communities. Her art gives voice to those in a world that doesn’t always represent them in their realities.

Keywords:

ILLUSTRATION

CREATIVITY

DIVERSITY

INCLUSION

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14:40 - 15:00

Buckle Up, Designer!: How to Design for New Frontiers

Basak Haznedaroglu

Blockstream

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Buckle Up, Designer!: How to Design for New Frontiers

New technologies such as Blockchain are gaining more popularity. In the midst of that sea change, we need to acknowledge the significance of incorporating human-centric values, strong design culture, and creative process into these highly complex new technologies. Basak will dig deeper into how to make an impact in times of technological revolution, how to think beyond just product design, and reshape our roles at the intersection of trust, security, and transparency.

DESIGN TIPS

NAVIGATING CHANGE

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15:00 - 15:20

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Eyes on the Road: Designing Safe Automotive Interfaces

Casper Kessels

Snapp Automotive

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Eyes on the Road: Designing Safe Automotive Interfaces

What happens when you try to get people to interact with your product as little as possible? In his talk, Casper will discuss the challenges of creating in-car interfaces that prioritize safety while ensuring seamless user interaction. He will dive into the psychology behind driver distraction and the ways to design around it, sharing his insights on how to apply these concepts to products across other industries.

Keywords:

SAFETY

PSYCHOLOGY

UX

PRODUCT DESIGN

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TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

14:00-15:30

15:30

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Sharing Knowledge through Storytelling

Ellen Berglund & Haya Termanini

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

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Sharing Knowledge through Storytelling

Join Ellen and Haya’s workshop to boost your design communication skills and create valuable knowledge-sharing cards. They’ll start with a quick introduction to storytelling basics, where they’ll dive into a hands-on exercise where you’ll refine your story from 10 minutes to one impactful sentence, honing your ability to convey ideas clearly and concisely. In the second segment, you’ll apply your new skills to create personalized knowledge sharing cards, designed to aid in future design presentations, interviews, and pitches, and to share knowledge by highlighting a design principle, best practice, tool, or challenge. These cards will be digitized and shared on a public website and foster a community of designers exchanging insights and best practices. You’ll leave with practical, knowledge-sharing cards and the confidence to tell your design story compellingly.

Keywords:

STORYTELLING

DESIGN COMMUNICATION

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IN-PERSON ONLY

info

Only in-person ticket holders can attend this workshop

14:00-15:30

15:30

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Coming Soon

ONLINE ONLY

info

Only livestream ticket holders can attend this workshop

15:30 - 16:00

COFFEE BREAK

16:00 - 16:30

Building a Culture of Craft

Alastair Simpson

Dropbox

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Building a Culture of Craft

In this talk, Alastair will share the cultural transformation within his team over the past year. He’ll discuss how a movement focused on elevating craft and quality has reshaped their approach to design. Alastair will share the highs and lows of the journey, highlighting the creative solutions that propelled them forward. Through practical insights and real-life examples, you’ll see how the team’s dedication to craft has made a tangible difference in Dropbox’s products.

Keywords :

CRAFT

CREATIVITY

TEAMWORK

DIVERSITY

INCLUSION

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16:30 - 17:00

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The Long View

Vicki Tan

Pinterest

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The Long View

A metaphysical design framework to help us design better possible past, present, and futures that create the human experience we want, for all time. Vicki applies this perspective to examples from her work at Spotify and Headspace to illustrate how it can lead to more intentional, balanced product decisions. Embracing the expansive “long view” can ultimately help designers create technology that aligns with our desired human experience.

Keywords :

DESIGN LONGEVITY

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17:00 - 17:30

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design

Batsirai Madzonga
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The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design

Batsi’s talk will focus on the concept of creativity, highlighting how the creative arts have endured and reinvented themselves over centuries of innovation. He will explore how designers can reinvent themselves in the current landscape of adversity and change, not only to remain relevant but to flourish.

Keywords :

CREATIVITY

ART EVOLUTION

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17:30 - 18:00

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Open Round Table

Reginé Gilbert

New York University Tandon School of Engineering

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Open Round Table

Reginé will be presenting the main takeaways from the Open Roundtable discussion that took place on Wednesday, Oct 23 at the event. She will reflect on the questions “What makes a designer a designer?” referencing what the designers in the Roundtable have learnt over the past few years, using examples forms their career and experience. She'll also include suggestions and recommendations for other and future designers,

Keywords :

DESIGNERS’ CAREER REFLECTIONS

DESIGNER TIPS

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18:00 -

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

Overview
Detail view
Warm-up day
Oct 23
Conference Day 1
Oct 24
Conference day 2
Oct 25
Warm-up day
Oct 23
Conference Day 1
Oct 24
Conference day 2
Oct 25
Overview
Detail view

9:00-9:30

Check-in & Breakfast

12:30-13:30

Lunch Break

16:30-18:30

Mingling

18:30-21:30

Evening Meetup

18:30-19:15

NETWORKING:

Networking Session - Anamaria Dorgo (Butter)

20:00-21:30

Meetup:

Meetup & Nerd Pub Quiz - Meetup & Pub Quiz (With Luke Murphy (zeroheight))

21:30-

See you tomorrow!

Warm up the engines and get your fill of energy through a series of activities designed to set your creativity free, think about the future, and make new friends before the conference!

9:00 - 9:30

Check-in & Breakfast

9:30 - 12:30

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Stop Motion Workshop

dina Amin

Tinker Studio

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Stop Motion Workshop

Use scrap bits and pieces from old electronics and transform them into a scrappy little creature that magically comes to life using Stop Motion Animation. In this workshop you’ll learn how to make a magical stop motion loop with just your phone!

Keywords:

STOP-MOTION ANIMATION

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9:30 - 12:30

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Beyond human-centered design – a manifesto

Mark Guarraia, Henrik Lübker & Lotte Nystrup Lund

Novo Nordisk | Design Denmark | Futurista

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Beyond human-centered design – a manifesto

Shape the future of design through collaborative creativity. Led by industry experts and facilitators Lotte Nystrup Lund, Mark Guarraia and Henrik Lübker, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of 10 guiding principles.

Keywords:

FUTURE OF MORE-THAN-HUMAN BASED DESIGN

CREATIVITY

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12:30 - 13:30

Lunch Break

13:30 - 16:30

Planetary Dreaming: Designing the Future

Ida Engholm

The Royal Danish Academy

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Planetary Dreaming: Designing the Future

The workshop combines approaches from design thinking with perspectives from indigenous thinking and focuses on how we can develop new approaches for working with uncertainty and hosting more meaningful and courageous conversations about our common future, about planetary and interplanetary well-being. The questions explored in the workshop are: What constitutes wisdom for the future? How might wisdom involve balancing learning from the past while being open to the future? How is wisdom linked to imagination, action, and decision-making? What is the role of design and designers?

Keywords:

DESIGN THINKING

SUSTAINABILITY

FUTURE

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13:30 - 15:00

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What will happen in the future of design?

Open Roundtable
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What will happen in the future of design?

The Open Roundtable is a precious opportunity for dialogue and discussion around the future of design; what will design look like in the future? What trends are going to take over and what trends are going to die? What skills do designers need to have? The Open Roundtable is made of the historic speakers of the previous editions of Design Matters – one speaker per edition. You can choose whether to be part of the discussion together with the speaker or simply to listen to the conversation.

Keywords:

FUTURE OF DESIGN

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

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15:00 - 16:30

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Live Podcast

Live Podcast

Design Tracks

Read more +

Live Podcast

Listen to Sam and Layshi as they record the second season of Design Tracks with new guests!This season will focus on sustainability and futures.

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16:30 - 18:30

Mingling

Food and Drinks will be served from 17:00 on

18:30 - 21:30

Evening Meetup

Open to Full Experience and Conference Experience ticket holders.
See the schedule below

18:30 - 19:15

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Networking Session

Anamaria Dorgo

Butter

Read more +

Networking Session

Make new friends and expand your international network! Anamaria will help you connect with new people in a series of interactive and fun activities.

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19:15 - 20:00

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Design Debate Club

Luke Murphy (zeroheight)
Read more +

Design Debate Club

Picture this event as a traditional school-style debate. There will be three debaters on each side, with adjudicator Luke Murphy to shepherd the whole event. Three of the debaters will be on the 'for' side, arguing in favour of the topic, and three will be 'against', arguing against the topic. Taking turns, the debaters will present their thoughts and research to demonstrate their points and engage in rebuttals. The audience will vote on who 'won' the argument, and come up with questions to ask the panel of debaters.

Keywords:

NETWORKING

FUN

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19:00 - 21:00

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Therapy for Designers

Simone Attanasio (Canva (Ecosystem))
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Therapy for Designers

This is a place to get together, connect and learn growth mindset and leadership capabilities. Therapy for Designers are sessions, run by their creator Simone, where designers openly discuss fears, challenges and valuable lessons to establish an environment that encourages vulnerability and personal growth. This sessions provide designers with the opportunity to address these obstacles and share insights while benefiting from the shared experiences and support of their peers.

Keywords:

DESIGNER EXPERIENCES

DESIGNER TIPS

NETWORKING

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20:00 - 21:30

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Meetup & Nerd Pub Quiz

Meetup & Pub Quiz

With Luke Murphy (zeroheight)

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Meetup & Nerd Pub Quiz

Prepare yourself for a great opportunity to network and get into the conference mood! Meet the people and speakers who will attend the conference and have a drink…or two! As partners of Design Matters, zeroheight are also hosting a Nerd Pub Quiz to end all pub quizzes. Expect everything from design to video games to music to anime. No topic is safe from their fiendishly pedantic host, Luke Murphy.

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21:30 -

See you tomorrow!

Overview
Detail view
Overview
Detail view

8:30-9:00

CHECK-IN & BREAKFAST

9:00-9:15

WELCOME:

Welcome to Design Matters 24 - Sam Horner (Google Play)

9:15-9:30

INTRO:

Introduction to the Conference Themes - Sophie Tahran (The New Yorker (Condé Nast))

9:30-10:00

TALK:

Design Didn't Save the World: Now What? - Chappell Ellison (Launch by NTT Data)

10:00-10:30

TALK:

Building an AI-driven UX research repository - Ben Shih (Lokalise)

10:30-11:00

TALK:

Coming Soon

11:00-11:30

COFFEE BREAK

11:30-13:00

Choose your Nerd Track

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

11:30-11:50

TALK 1:

Eat, Save, Love: Engaging Heroes in the Fight Against Food Waste - Christina Collura (Too Good To Go)

11:50-12:10

TALK 2:

Making by Breaking - dina Amin (Tinker Studio)

12:10-12:30

TALK 3:

How to detect climate bs - Laura Krarup Frandsen (Independent)

12:30-13:00

TALK 4:

Todoist Refresh: A Behind-The-Scenes Look - Stijn Zoontjens (ex Doist, ex Google Maps)

TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

IN-PERSON WORKSHOP :


The Futures Healthcare Fair: The artifacts of the futures -

Laerdal Medical (Laerdal Medical )

ONLINE WORKSHOP :


Coming Soon

13:00-14:00

LUNCH BREAK

14:00-15:30

Choose your Nerd Track

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

14:00-14:20

TALK 1:

Crafted Art Projects: Exploring the Purpose of Artistic Expression - Anton Sokolov (1/2 8 | JetBrains)

14:20-14:40

TALK 2:

Crafting Clarity: the power of visual storytelling - Paula Madrid (BIG)

14:40-15:00

TALK 3:

From Human Design to Planet Design - Ida Engholm (The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design)

15:00-15:20

TALK 4:

Behold! The Power of Mascots - Ryo Sampei (Spectrum Tokyo)

TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

IN-PERSON WORKSHOP :


From Pixel Pushing to Impact: How to be a catalyst for change as a Designer -

Nadiim Nafei (TrackMan)

ONLINE WORKSHOP :


Coming Soon

15:30-16:00

COFFEE BREAK

16:00-16:30

TALK:

Coming Soon

16:30-17:00

TALK:

Social Sustainability in Tech - Nikhita Ghugari & Payal Chakraborty (Xeno Co-lab | Darjeeling Design Co)

17:00-17:30

TALK:

Chasing AI - Simone Attanasio (Canva (Ecosystem))

17:30-19:00

FOOD & DRINKS

19:00-19:30

NIGHT TALK:

Luke Murphy (zeroheight)

19:30-20:00

NIGHT TALK:

Edith Pritchett (Cartoonist)

20:00-20:30

NIGHT TALK:

The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Design - Pablo Stanley (Musho & Lummi)

20:30-21:30

LIVE MUSIC:

DJ MOF!YAH (Music Artist)

21:30-21:45

See you tomorrow!

8:30 - 9:00

CHECK-IN & BREAKFAST

9:00 - 9:15

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Welcome to Design Matters 24

Sam Horner

Google Play

9:15 - 9:30

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Introduction to the Conference Themes

Sophie Tahran

The New Yorker (Condé Nast)

Read more +

Introduction to the Conference Themes

Sophie will present the themes of Design Matters 24 and give an intro talk opening the event. As representative of the Committee that contributed to decide the themes of the conference, she will offer her take on the hottest topics in design of 2024.

Keywords :

THEMES

DESIGN TRENDS

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9:30 - 10:00

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Design Didn't Save the World: Now What?

Chappell Ellison

Launch by NTT Data

Read more +

Design Didn't Save the World: Now What?

Flashback to 2008: Steve Jobs had just debuted the iPhone. A U.S. presidential candidate won the election by running on the word, “Hope.” Online media reached a new zenith of investment and promised platforms to new, inspiring voices. It was this optimism that filled the air as design was given its chance to influence culture like never before. Designers filled TED talks and main stages and brought forward a rallying cry: “Design will save the world.” The phrase was, for many years inescapable, as design asserted itself to buy a seat at the table. Nearly twenty-five years have passed, and design didn’t live up to its TED Talk promises. This talk is an examination and indictment of how our optimism, naivete, and hubris on main stages defined the last 25 years of design. What lessons can we pass on to the next generation of designers to empower them to shape the next decade for the better? And can design truly save the world?

Keywords :

HISTORY OF DESIGN

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10:00 - 10:30

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Building an AI-driven UX research repository

Ben Shih

Lokalise

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Building an AI-driven UX research repository

Building a knowledge base that effectively stores and organizes user insights is a dream for many UX teams. However, it’s challenging, especially for companies with limited resources. In this talk, I will share how we at Lokalise leverage AI to automatically analyze user interviews, tag insights, and establish a fully automated UX research repository. This allows all UX stakeholders to easily contribute to and access user insights within minutes.

Keywords :

AI

UX

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10:30 - 11:00

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Coming Soon

11:00 - 11:30

COFFEE BREAK

11:30 - 13:00

Choose your Nerd Track

Listen to talks or participate in a workshop

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

11:30 - 11:50

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Eat, Save, Love: Engaging Heroes in the Fight Against Food Waste

Christina Collura

Too Good To Go

Read more +

Eat, Save, Love: Engaging Heroes in the Fight Against Food Waste

In this talk, you'll explore with Christina the way Too Good To Go engages consumers, focusing on how they empower their “heroes” to make a difference. You'll learn how thoughtful engagement design can help consumers overcome the feeling of powerlessness and foster a sense of agency in the fight against climate change.

Keywords:

DESIGNER TIPS

TRENDS

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11:50 - 12:10

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Making by Breaking

dina Amin

Tinker Studio

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Making by Breaking

In this talk dina will share how tinkering and taking things apart was the beginning of her career as a stop motion artist and a maker. She will share how it all started, what she has learnt so far and the biggest mistakes she has made.

Keywords:

STOP-MOTION ART

CREATIVITY

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12:10 - 12:30

How to detect climate bs

Laura Krarup Frandsen

Independent

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How to detect climate bs

In this talk, fashion designer and climate activist Laura will take you on a journey where you’ll learn how to detect bs when it comes to sustainability in design; you’ll learn how to figure out when it’s green washing instead of actual sustainable design practices. You’ll leave knowing how to navigate the sustainability space, with new or better-defined vocabulary to create real change for the future of design.

Keywords:

SUSTAINABILITY

 

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12:30 - 13:00

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Todoist Refresh: A Behind-The-Scenes Look

Stijn Zoontjens

ex Doist, ex Google Maps

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Todoist Refresh: A Behind-The-Scenes Look

Todoist is a popular task manager trusted by over 5 million people worldwide. In early 2024, Todoist’s design team started “Todoist Refresh,” a project to rethink what Todoist should look and feel like in the modern productivity space. In this talk, Stijn Zoontjens, senior product designer at Todoist, will give a behind-the-scenes look at this project. How do you differentiate yourself in a crowded market where great product design has become a commodity? How do you let your brand shine through in your product? How can you use Northstar designs to influence leadership decisions? And how do you roll out a major design update while millions of users rely on your product daily?

Keywords:

PRODUCT DESIGN

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TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

11:30-12:30

12:30

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The Futures Healthcare Fair: The artifacts of the futures

Troels Villumsen, Andrea Østmo da Costa, Veronica Bluguermann & My Enetjärn

Laerdal Medical

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The Futures Healthcare Fair: The artifacts of the futures

What signals of change do you see for the future? Are you optimistic, pessimistic, or neither- why? Join for a creative and hands-on session and become both inventor and merchant of the artefacts of the futures of healthcare. You will become familiar with the Futures Bazaar methodology as a Forecasting and Ideation tool, where everyday items are transformed into futuristic objects that aim to provoke thought, amuse, and inspire. Just as you might travel to different places to have new experiences and see how others live, creating a Futures Fair is a way to explore each other’s imaginations. This collective effort is the first step to co-create alternative future scenarios. You’ll explore the potential impacts of these futures on healthcare, identifying innovative opportunities and challenges they present. Come and experience this activity of futures thinking, and explore the futures of healthcare! Special Requirements: • Access to ChatGPT from your mobile device or laptop. • One object you don’t need anymore. It should be something that does not take up much space in your backpack or purse. Be mindful that this object will be hacked or destroyed during the workshop.

Keywords:

FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

CREATIVITY

CRAFTING

close

IN-PERSON ONLY

info

Only in-person ticket holders can attend this workshop

11:30-12:30

12:30

Coming Soon

ONLINE ONLY

info

Only livestream ticket holders can attend this workshop

13:00 - 14:00

LUNCH BREAK

14:00 - 15:30

Choose your Nerd Track

Listen to talks or participate in a workshop

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

14:00 - 14:20

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Crafted Art Projects: Exploring the Purpose of Artistic Expression

Anton Sokolov

1/2 8 | JetBrains

Read more +

Crafted Art Projects: Exploring the Purpose of Artistic Expression

In today’s ever-changing world, AI brings both opportunities and challenges for visual artists. In this talk, Anton will delve into the heart of our craft. Through his own art project, halfof8.com, he’ll share how creativity drives him and how it can impact us all. You’ll start by understanding the essence of his project and then peek behind the scenes to see how it’s made. Anton will also discuss how this project has personally influenced him, without making grand claims. His goal isn’t just to share his journey, but also to spark that same creative spark in each of you.

Keywords:

AI

CREATIVITY

VISUAL DESIGN

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14:20 - 14:40

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Crafting Clarity: the power of visual storytelling

Paula Madrid

BIG

Read more +

Crafting Clarity: the power of visual storytelling

In this talk, Paula will tell about her journey from architecture to graphic design, explaining how she discovered the power of conveying complex ideas without words. Through examples, she’ll illustrate the role of storytelling in architecture and share insights on simplifying intricate concepts into digestible diagrams. Finally, she’ll share her experience designing a user-friendly language for an architectural guide to space.

Keywords:

STORYTELLING

ARCHITECTURE

DESIGN COMMUNICATION

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14:40 - 15:00

From Human Design to Planet Design

Ida Engholm

The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design

Read more +

From Human Design to Planet Design

In her talk, Professor Ida Engholm will argue that instead of focusing on how design can serve humanity, we should critically question what fundamental values and world views our design is based on. So far, our design has been centred on human users and our needs, but today, the scale of the environmental crisis compels us to put the planet first. Learn how to go from human-centred to planet-centred design.

Keywords:

PLANET-CENTRED DESIGN

SUSTAINABILITY

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15:00 - 15:20

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Behold! The Power of Mascots

Ryo Sampei

Spectrum Tokyo

Read more +

Behold! The Power of Mascots

Ryo has always been obsessed with mascot characters. It’s like almost whatever he makes needed eyes, hands, and a feet. As a Japanese designer and a otaku (nerd), mascots and characters were always there, and it was natural for him to make good use of it when it came to designing for services and brands. In his talk, he will share his experience in designing mascots for his past projects, and how to make good use of mascots for digital service and brands. He will deep dive into his roots in the Japanese culture, the different processes in the making, and also define what makes a good mascot character.

Keywords:

JAPANESE DESIGN

MASCOT DESIGN

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TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

14:00-15:30

15:30

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From Pixel Pushing to Impact: How to be a catalyst for change as a Designer

Nadiim Nafei

TrackMan

Read more +

From Pixel Pushing to Impact: How to be a catalyst for change as a Designer

People in the field of design often have to put aside their own opinions in pursuit of understanding the underlying motivations of users to find key insights that drive product development. But if designers are such good sense-makers, then why are they so often treated as little more than “pixel pushers”? Many designers tell stories of how they experience challenges in getting buy-in from stakeholders, getting face-to-face time with managers, or influencing decision makers – let alone getting a seat at the table! It doesn’t have to be this way – it shouldn’t be this way! In this workshop you’ll explore methodologies to break free from the mold of “make pretty” to influence product strategy by harnessing your user-centered sense-making skills as a designer. Acquire the mindset and tools to communicate the value of your ideas and your work to transform them into measurable value and impact, and elevate your role in decision-making. Together with Nadiim, you’ll learn to reshape the narrative and empower design to drive meaningful change.

Keywords:

DESIGN IMPACT

ROLE OF A DESIGNER

DESIGN COMMUNICATION

DESIGNER TIPS

close

IN-PERSON ONLY

info

Only in-person ticket holders can attend this workshop

14:00-15:20

15:20

Image
Coming Soon

ONLINE ONLY

info

Only livestream ticket holders can attend this workshop

15:30 - 16:00

COFFEE BREAK

16:00 - 16:30

Coming Soon

16:30 - 17:00

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Social Sustainability in Tech

Nikhita Ghugari & Payal Chakraborty

Xeno Co-lab | Darjeeling Design Co

Read more +

Social Sustainability in Tech

It’s safe to say that the challenges presented by emerging technologies are forcing everyone to reimagine the way we work across all industries. The rallying call for a more ethical practice to build innovative tech solutions requires a systemic approach that radically changes the way tech companies work – across people, product and process, and align it to business KPIs. Through their talk, Swar & Nikhita will summarise the challenges that we face as humanity and the unintended consequences of emerging tech on consumers and society. They will share a framework around Social Sustainability in Tech (SST) & a toolkit to practice it that they have recently released in an open source report. The framework lays out 3 key principles for designers and industry leaders to align the practices of companies in a way that can result in a more socially & ethically responsible practice for tech. They will encourage everyone to take the first step in thinking intentionally about the ethical use of our skill sets and technology and how we can make the space safer for the consumers.

Keywords :

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

SOCIAL & ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY

TECHNOLOGICAL IMPACT

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17:00 - 17:30

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Chasing AI

Simone Attanasio

Canva (Ecosystem)

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Chasing AI

In this rapidly evolving AI era, the pursuit of innovation often leads to a frantic chase for the latest trends. Yet, many find themselves without a clear strategy or the necessary tools to truly understand and play the AI game. Drawing from his 20-year journey in the industry, Simone will reflect on the evolution of design trends and share practical insights on how to navigate the complexities of the AI landscape while staying true to your core values as a designer.

Keywords :

AI

DESIGN EVOLUTION

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17:30 - 19:00

FOOD & DRINKS

19:00 - 19:30

Fail Better

Luke Murphy

zeroheight

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Fail Better

Luke’s life is a masterclass in failure, spanning tech startups, art projects, theatre companies, and even marriages. If there’s a way to fail, Luke has found it, tried it, and probably failed at it. Join Luke for a session where they will attempt to put a positive spin on his greatest flops. You might not leave inspired to embrace failure, but you’ll definitely enjoy a little schadenfreude. After all, nothing says “light evening entertainment” like someone else’s relentless string of screw-ups.

Keywords :

EMBRACING FAILURE

HUMOUR

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19:30 - 20:00

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Finding humour in the mundane

Edith Pritchett

Cartoonist

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Finding humour in the mundane

Edith will talk about making autobiographical work and finding humour in the mundane. Also how being honest about the more embarrassing parts of your life can often generate responses that make you realise we’re all more similar than we think. The talk will cover many of her internal conflicts that she’s shamelessly mined to generate content. Struggles such as: ‘I hate that fleece my partner wears,’ ‘will my feet scare the pedicurist?’ and ‘I got tricked on instagram into spending £50 on shampoo’ and many more of life’s big topics.

Keywords :

CARTOON

HUMOUR

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20:00 - 20:30

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The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Design

Pablo Stanley

Musho & Lummi

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The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Design

Join Pablo as he explores the impact of the Dunning-Kruger Effect on his journey as a designer and entrepreneur. Discover how initial ingenuity can spark adventurous innovation in the dynamic world of design and AI!

Keywords :

INNOVATION

HUMOUR

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20:30 - 21:30

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DJ MOF!YAH

Music Artist

21:30 - 21:45

See you tomorrow!

Overview
Detail view
Overview
Detail view

8:30-9:00

CHECK-IN & BREAKFAST

9:00-9:10

INTRO:

Welcome Back! - Sam Horner (Google Play)

9:10-9:30

TALK:

Coming Soon

9:30-10:00

TALK:

Becoming a Toolmaker - Ramsés Cabello (Sketch)

10:00-10:30

TALK:

Designing for Earth, on Mars - Alicia Shao (The LEGO Group)

10:30-11:00

TALK:

Designing for a Global Community - Niche Chathong (Musixmatch)

11:00-11:30

COFFEE BREAK

11:30-13:00

Choose Your Nerd Track

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

11:30-11:50

TALK 1:

From Mexico to the World - Mariana Pedroza (Bueno)

11:50-12:10

TALK 2:

Design for Impact - Erin Weigel (Independent)

12:10-12:30

TALK 3:

The art of asynchronous design: Mastering communication at Automattic - Cris Busquets (Automattic)

12:30-13:00

TALK 4:

Typography in Design Systems - Bianca Berning (Spotify)

TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

IN-PERSON WORKSHOP :


The Second Life of Forgotten Ideas -

Adilice Sanches & Annie Lange (Pleo | Cognism)

ONLINE WORKSHOP :


Coming Soon

13:00-14:00

LUNCH BREAK

14:00-15:30

Choose Your Nerd Track

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

14:00-14:20

TALK 1:

Accessibility meets AI - Aske Stampe (Be My Eyes)

14:20-14:40

TALK 2:

Life experiences are the fuel for creating truly meaningful and impactful art - Aurélia Durand (Independent)

14:40-15:00

TALK 3:

Buckle Up, Designer!: How to Design for New Frontiers - Basak Haznedaroglu (Blockstream)

15:00-15:20

TALK 4:

Eyes on the Road: Designing Safe Automotive Interfaces - Casper Kessels (Snapp Automotive)

TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

IN-PERSON WORKSHOP :


Sharing Knowledge through Storytelling -

Ellen Berglund & Haya Termanini (Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects)

ONLINE WORKSHOP :


Coming Soon

15:30-16:00

COFFEE BREAK

16:00-16:30

TALK:

Building a Culture of Craft - Alastair Simpson (Dropbox)

16:30-17:00

TALK:

The Long View - Vicki Tan (Pinterest)

17:00-17:30

TALK:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design - Batsirai Madzonga

17:30-18:00

TALK:

Open Round Table - Reginé Gilbert (New York University Tandon School of Engineering)

18:00-

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

8:30 - 9:00

CHECK-IN & BREAKFAST

9:00 - 9:10

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Sam Horner

Google Play

9:10 - 9:30

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Coming Soon

9:30 - 10:00

Becoming a Toolmaker

Ramsés Cabello

Sketch

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Becoming a Toolmaker

What’s the role of design tools in the design industry? As a toolmaker and as a designer using tools – what’s Sketch’s approach to deliver a tool that meets designers where they are? As a toolmaker, Ramsés will share his values and strategy when bringing in features and experiences into Sketh. As a designer, he’ll express what matters to him when using tools as a medium to express and communicate his work. Join Ramsés for a session where you’ll discover his journey – from using a design tool to designing the future of a collaborative design platform.

Keywords :

TOOLS

PRODUCT DESIGN

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10:00 - 10:30

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Designing for Earth, on Mars

Alicia Shao

The LEGO Group

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Designing for Earth, on Mars

What can a course about life for Mars teach us about shaping the future of Earth? In this talk, Alicia will explore how the process of designing for an entirely new world can offer valuable lessons for addressing challenges on our own planet. She'll examine how different design approaches are used to envision new possibilities, delve into the relationship between time perception and the future, and explore the political dimensions of design and future. You'll challenge your perceptions and reflect on the broader implications of designing for the future and the significant responsibilities that designers hold in shaping it.

Keywords :

FUTURES

PLANET

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10:30 - 11:00

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Designing for a Global Community

Niche Chathong

Musixmatch

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Designing for a Global Community

Join Niche as she explores the benefits of designing in diverse cultural contexts. She’ll dive into the evolution of the design industry and discuss how designers can stay competitive by embracing continuous learning. Her journey has been transformative in helping her design the consumer product in Musixmatch.com and Musixmatch Academy – an initiative that empowers users to contribute high-quality lyrics for a global user interface. She’ll share insights on the advantages of multilingualism in design and how it leads to more empathetic and engaging user experiences.

Keywords :

DIVERSITY

DESIGN EVOLUTION

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11:00 - 11:30

COFFEE BREAK

11:30 - 13:00

Choose Your Nerd Track

LISTEN TO TALKS OR PARTICIPATE IN A WORKSHOP

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

11:30 - 11:50

From Mexico to the World

Mariana Pedroza

Bueno

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From Mexico to the World

Drawing from her multi-year experience as designer and artist based, Mariana will offer precious insights into the design scene in Mexico and provide useful tips on how to stay relevant as a digital creator world-wide.

Keywords:

DESIGN TIPS

TRENDS

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11:50 - 12:10

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Design for Impact

Erin Weigel

Independent

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Design for Impact

Experimentation can be intimidating to non-data science folk. But Erin wants to get everyone excited about A/B testing. In this talk, Erin shares the Conversion Design process. It centers A/B testing as a way to gather high-quality evidence to make highly informed decisions to improve your digital product design. She also introduces the Good Experimental Design toolkit. These easy-to-follow templates usher teams through the logic needed to design trustworthy experiments that you can learn from so you can make things better—not just different.

Keywords:

A/B TESTING

DESIGNER TIPS

 

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12:10 - 12:30

The art of asynchronous design: Mastering communication at Automattic

Cris Busquets

Automattic

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The art of asynchronous design: Mastering communication at Automattic

Learn how Automattic’s design team effectively communicates and collaborates asynchronously using tools like video, detailed writing, and collaboration platforms. Join Cris as she’ll share the tools and methods Automatic uses – like video walkthroughs and writing. Whether you’re remote or in-house, you’ll leave with practical tips for presenting design concepts, gathering feedback, and improving your communication and collaboration skills. Perfect for designers looking to enhance their communication and collaboration skills across any environment.

Keywords:

ASYNCHRONOUS WORK

COLLABORATION

METHODS

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12:30 - 13:00

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Typography in Design Systems

Bianca Berning

Spotify

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Typography in Design Systems

Typography is at the heart of a cohesive user experience, especially when designing for a global audience. Join Bianca as she delves into how Encore – Spotify’s Design system – leverages variable fonts for performance, while ensuring Spotify’s typography is expressive, accessible, and culturally relevant across 74 languages and 192 markets.

Keywords:

TYPOGRAPHY

ACCESSIBILITY

INCLUSION

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TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

11:30-13:00

13:00

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The Second Life of Forgotten Ideas

Adilice Sanches & Annie Lange

Pleo | Cognism

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The Second Life of Forgotten Ideas

What is an idea? By definition, it’s a thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action. But, what is the value of an idea? Now, that is harder to define. A value can be subjective, and vary depending upon context, historic period, and the eye of the beholder. For one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Since their inception, intellectual property and patent laws have led to controversy, because the lines between idea & implementation are always blurry. And now, modern technology is challenging the illusion of stability in these topics. But, could that be a good thing? Could society benefit from a patent free world where we continuously repurpose for the common good? In this workshop, we will explore once patented ideas and the concept of ownership as a foundation to look forward with a technological slant.

Keywords:

VALUE OF AN IDEA

PATENT

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

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IN-PERSON ONLY

info

Only in-person ticket holders can attend this workshop

11:30-13:00

13:00

Image
Coming Soon

ONLINE ONLY

info

Only livestream ticket holders can attend this workshop

13:00 - 14:00

LUNCH BREAK

14:00 - 15:30

Choose Your Nerd Track

LISTEN TO TALKS OR PARTICIPATE IN A WORKSHOP

TRACK 1

(4X TALKS)

14:00 - 14:20

Image

Accessibility meets AI

Aske Stampe

Be My Eyes

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Accessibility meets AI

Today’s designers need a diverse skill set and must quickly adapt to new technologies like AI. One crucial skill is designing accessible solutions, a practice that’s essential even when rapid execution is required. Aske will reveal how Be My Eyes, an app for people who are blind or have low vision, secretly collaborated with OpenAI to test the first version of Chat GPT-4V and successfully launched an accessible chat experience. He will also discuss how Be My Eyes taught the AI to be accessible and meet real user needs. Aske will share his insights on why accessibility is a fundamental responsibility for designers and how it can help you stand out in a commoditised landscape.

Keywords:

AI

ACCESSIBILITY

TECHNOLOGY

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14:20 - 14:40

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Life experiences are the fuel for creating truly meaningful and impactful art

Aurélia Durand

Independent

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Life experiences are the fuel for creating truly meaningful and impactful art

Aurélia will use the power of colors to spread messages of peace and inclusivity in her talk. Her art in fact portrays a united and diverse community where every individual’s fate is intertwined. These vibrant personalities represent the unified voice of a global community whose dreams, hopes, and desires envision an inclusive future for all. During her talk, Aurélia will share how her life experiences have influenced her art, which aims to connect with people’s similarities and empower underrepresented communities. Her art gives voice to those in a world that doesn’t always represent them in their realities.

Keywords:

ILLUSTRATION

CREATIVITY

DIVERSITY

INCLUSION

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14:40 - 15:00

Buckle Up, Designer!: How to Design for New Frontiers

Basak Haznedaroglu

Blockstream

Read more +

Buckle Up, Designer!: How to Design for New Frontiers

New technologies such as Blockchain are gaining more popularity. In the midst of that sea change, we need to acknowledge the significance of incorporating human-centric values, strong design culture, and creative process into these highly complex new technologies. Basak will dig deeper into how to make an impact in times of technological revolution, how to think beyond just product design, and reshape our roles at the intersection of trust, security, and transparency.

DESIGN TIPS

NAVIGATING CHANGE

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15:00 - 15:20

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Eyes on the Road: Designing Safe Automotive Interfaces

Casper Kessels

Snapp Automotive

Read more +

Eyes on the Road: Designing Safe Automotive Interfaces

What happens when you try to get people to interact with your product as little as possible? In his talk, Casper will discuss the challenges of creating in-car interfaces that prioritize safety while ensuring seamless user interaction. He will dive into the psychology behind driver distraction and the ways to design around it, sharing his insights on how to apply these concepts to products across other industries.

Keywords:

SAFETY

PSYCHOLOGY

UX

PRODUCT DESIGN

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TRACK 2

(1X WORKSHOP)

14:00-15:30

15:30

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Sharing Knowledge through Storytelling

Ellen Berglund & Haya Termanini

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

Read more +

Sharing Knowledge through Storytelling

Join Ellen and Haya’s workshop to boost your design communication skills and create valuable knowledge-sharing cards. They’ll start with a quick introduction to storytelling basics, where they’ll dive into a hands-on exercise where you’ll refine your story from 10 minutes to one impactful sentence, honing your ability to convey ideas clearly and concisely. In the second segment, you’ll apply your new skills to create personalized knowledge sharing cards, designed to aid in future design presentations, interviews, and pitches, and to share knowledge by highlighting a design principle, best practice, tool, or challenge. These cards will be digitized and shared on a public website and foster a community of designers exchanging insights and best practices. You’ll leave with practical, knowledge-sharing cards and the confidence to tell your design story compellingly.

Keywords:

STORYTELLING

DESIGN COMMUNICATION

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IN-PERSON ONLY

info

Only in-person ticket holders can attend this workshop

14:00-15:30

15:30

Image
Coming Soon

ONLINE ONLY

info

Only livestream ticket holders can attend this workshop

15:30 - 16:00

COFFEE BREAK

16:00 - 16:30

Building a Culture of Craft

Alastair Simpson

Dropbox

Read more +

Building a Culture of Craft

In this talk, Alastair will share the cultural transformation within his team over the past year. He’ll discuss how a movement focused on elevating craft and quality has reshaped their approach to design. Alastair will share the highs and lows of the journey, highlighting the creative solutions that propelled them forward. Through practical insights and real-life examples, you’ll see how the team’s dedication to craft has made a tangible difference in Dropbox’s products.

Keywords :

CRAFT

CREATIVITY

TEAMWORK

DIVERSITY

INCLUSION

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16:30 - 17:00

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The Long View

Vicki Tan

Pinterest

Read more +

The Long View

A metaphysical design framework to help us design better possible past, present, and futures that create the human experience we want, for all time. Vicki applies this perspective to examples from her work at Spotify and Headspace to illustrate how it can lead to more intentional, balanced product decisions. Embracing the expansive “long view” can ultimately help designers create technology that aligns with our desired human experience.

Keywords :

DESIGN LONGEVITY

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17:00 - 17:30

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design

Batsirai Madzonga
Read more +

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design

Batsi’s talk will focus on the concept of creativity, highlighting how the creative arts have endured and reinvented themselves over centuries of innovation. He will explore how designers can reinvent themselves in the current landscape of adversity and change, not only to remain relevant but to flourish.

Keywords :

CREATIVITY

ART EVOLUTION

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17:30 - 18:00

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Open Round Table

Reginé Gilbert

New York University Tandon School of Engineering

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Open Round Table

Reginé will be presenting the main takeaways from the Open Roundtable discussion that took place on Wednesday, Oct 23 at the event. She will reflect on the questions “What makes a designer a designer?” referencing what the designers in the Roundtable have learnt over the past few years, using examples forms their career and experience. She'll also include suggestions and recommendations for other and future designers,

Keywords :

DESIGNERS’ CAREER REFLECTIONS

DESIGNER TIPS

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18:00 -

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

Overview
Detail view
Warm-up day
Oct 23
Conference Day 1
Oct 24
Conference day 2
Oct 25

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