Now that our Call for Proposals for ADW20 is officially open, we can't wait to see all of the ideas the community comes up with around this year's theme, "Embrace______".
If you're looking for some guidance for your submission, our Advisory Board is here to help. We asked a few of our Advisory Board members to weigh in on what they want to see from ADW20 proposals. Read their tips below to find out what this year's theme means to them and what they want to see more of at ADW20.
Alisha Moore, Service Design Strategist, IBM
.
What does this year’s theme, “Embrace ______” mean to you?
Embrace______ speaks to our ability as designers to push boundaries, ideas, and new methodologies by embracing complexity, ambiguity, and doubt.
.
What topics or formats do you most hope to see?
Panels, Q&A sessions, interactive sessions, and discussion.
.
What would you like to see at ADW20?
I would like to see more topics around diversity and inclusion, allyship, design in healthcare, and speculative design. I would like to see more people of color as speakers and in attendance.
Ricardo de Jesús Maga Rojas, Senior Project Coordinator, GFF
What does this year’s theme, “Embrace ______” mean to you?
When I think of this year’s theme, I am reminded of inclusion and the ability to avail ourselves of change.
.
What topics or formats do you most hope to see?
I enjoy panel discussions where we can have meaningful conversations on different subject matters with one another.
.
What would you like to see at ADW20?
I’d like to see more topics regarding JEDI efforts and how design has been unjust and the steps we can remedy to become more equitable.
Matthew Stephens, VP of Design, The Zebra
What does this year’s theme, “Embrace ______” mean to you?
To me, it speaks to designer’s ability to embrace uncertainty and lead conversations that produce better long-term solutions for everyone.
.
What topics or formats do you most hope to see?
Virtual panels, workshops, roundtables, and other creative ways of using technology to virtually engage with audiences. I would also like to see more POC represented this year.
.
What would you like to see at ADW20?
The obvious ones (BLM, D&I, Covid-related) but there’s a lot within those categories, so I’m hoping for some fresh perspectives there. Others that I’d like to see are Allyship, Ethics, Accessibility, and Business Value of Design.
Leslie Ann Barrientos, Service Designer + Creative Technologist, Austin Convention Center
What does this year’s theme, “Embrace ______” mean to you?
It means expanding on what it means to be human. Challenging the flexibility of our human capabilities. The desire to be and not be, duality, and the multiple realities that co-exist. It means exploring the gray in an often black and white world.
.
What topics or formats do you most hope to see?
Political views through art, virtual art galleries, the future of certain industries such as gardening; so how people are embracing this new future reality.
.
What would you like to see at ADW20?
More POC representation via events and panels, specifically bringing people of color into white spaces.
Michael Hsu, Founder and Principal of Michael Hsu Architecture
What does this year’s theme, “Embrace ______” mean to you?
Embrace in 2020 means we dive headfirst into the discomfort of our times, primarily BLM, political and community divisiveness, the pandemic, and equity/sustainability as it relates to the built environment (given my line of work). As designers, thinkers and creators it’s our charge to recognize and then put aside the anxiety, fear, frustration of -2020+ and produce executable solutions.
.
What topics or formats do you most hope to see?
I’d love to see ADW continue to promote and platform creators and business owners of color, we’re all hungry for that.
.
What would you like to see at ADW20?
I believe some events that are more conversational, more Q&A, panels that have tension built into them, and less of the more typical content transference would be timely. But know they can’t and shouldn’t all be that. Professional content is always useful and a draw.
Have an idea you want to submit? Our Call for Proposals is open now through August 3rd!