Given their very limited size, a $7 fee is required to secure your spot.

Topics:

The Art of the Brief
Moderated by Cameron Micules RGD
Does your briefing system work or are you and your internal clients speaking two different languages? We’ll discuss how to maximize the effectiveness of the first step in the design process by creating simple, yet effective, briefs that help you get on the same page as your stakeholders and distill the most important information from lengthy documents.

Future-proofing your design career: Skills for the next decade
Moderated by Erica Brisson RGD
Designers are anticipatory by nature – both in responding to what people want and need, and in turn influencing their behaviours and desires before they even know it themselves. Add to this the shifting environmental, regulatory and social pressures to produce more sustainable, ethical and life-centered products and services. The skills designers need for the next decade are a level beyond the skills of the past decade. Let’s talk about what’s missing, what’s needed and how we get there to future-proof not only your career, but also the products and services you put out into the world and their associated impacts.

How to grow as a designer when you’re a team of one
Moderated by Marin Hudson RGD
Being a one-person design team can be challenging – managing all the projects is one thing, but how do you grow, stay inspired and keep levelling up without the support of fellow creatives. Let’s talk about finding mentorship, building community, setting boundaries and making space for creativity when you’re juggling everything yourself.

Design Leadership: How to foster trust, creativity and purpose
Moderated by Lisa Parkyn RGD
Great leaders create environments where creativity thrives. Together, we’ll examine how to build trust, encourage risk-taking and strengthen collaboration, drawing from real-world experiences and lessons learned.

Ageism: challenging assumptions and designing a more inclusive future
Moderated by Fe Wyma RGD
In an industry that prizes relevance and reinvention, ageism often goes unchecked — affecting both emerging and seasoned creatives. Whether you’re seen as inexperienced or outdated, age-based bias can quietly shape hiring, leadership and whose ideas carry weight. This roundtable invites an open, cross-generational conversation on how we can challenge those assumptions and design a more inclusive future.

Me, myself and I: Succeeding as a solo practitioner
Moderated by Crystal Carter RGD
There is no blueprint to working for yourself. Let’s discuss the successes we’ve accomplished and failures we’ve endured, so we can all learn from each other and grow our businesses.

Seat at the Table: Earning influence without a design executive
Moderated by Bianca Jozwiak RGD
When there’s no CDO or VP of Design advocating upstream, that job falls to you. We’ll discuss how to build alliances with product, marketing, and other business units, how to push back on bad decisions without burning capital, and how to position design as strategic.

Beyond Numbers: Proving the value of design(ers)
Moderated by Matt DeAbreu RGD
How do we move the conversation beyond productivity metrics to recognize influence, strategy and long-term impact? Let’s explore how designers can advocate for the value of design—not just as a service function, but as a critical force in business, innovation and culture.

Brand Identity Beyond the Logo: Exploring the holistic nature of brand identity, including voice, tone and visual language
Moderated by Robert Smith RGD
If logos are the proverbial tip of the iceberg, what does it mean to create or manage the remaining 90% of the brand? Bring your thoughts, questions and hot takes about what it takes to get noticed in the complex world of branding.

Stand up and stand out: Gaining respect working in-house for government
Moderated by Victoria Russell RGD
It’s easy to feel like we’re the overlooked child jumping up and down and yelling “pick me!” when we’re providing in-house design and communications services for government agencies. How can we get our organizations to keep projects in-house and respect our departments? Exchange ideas and experiences with other government in-house designers to come up with solutions.

How Brand, Marketing and Business Development Need to Work Together
Moderated by Connie Clearwater RGD
Participants will discuss the growing convergence of branding, marketing and business development, and share their experiences and lessons learned on closing gaps in client experience and brand messaging.