Last Updated: 17 November 2004
Design Engaged was held 12-14 November 2004 in Amsterdam. You might like to read Andrew's writeup, and there are several others around if you search. Or check out the Flickr group photo pool and this list of presentations.
Design Engaged will be a chance for designers to gather to discuss current challenges and opportunities. What do new technologies like pervasive computing offer designers? What obstacles do you find in coming up with innovative ideas, and how do you collaborate with others to make those ideas happen? What do fields like architecture or software development have to offer design, and vice versa?
Design Engaged will bring together artists, designers, academics, technologists, and writers. Some have worked together before, some have not. Some are theorists, some are practitioners. Participants have a chance to make new connections and build on old ones.
Although Design Engaged will have presentations, it will not be a series of lectures in a darkened hall. It be more playful, collaborative, and informal, and less polished, final, and remote than traditional conferences. It will be small, no more than 25 people, so you'll be able to talk to everyone.
All participants are invited to make presentations to the group. You are invited to bring work in progress, ideas for new projects, or unfinished prototypes to the group, rather than polished lectures. Presentations should be short (about 20 minutes). Participants must submit their presentation topics before October 1, 2004. You are encouraged to present on any relevant topic of interest to you. Some suggestions are:
Design Engaged will have three parts run over three day-long sessions: presentations, activities, and brainstorming.
Day 1 and the morning of Day 2 will consist of presentations and discussions.
On the afternoon of Day 2, participants will join in an activity outside of the conference space. This may take the form of an urban game or mapping exercise.
Day 3 will involve brainstorming (and presenting) in small groups on ideas for products, services, or projects based on themes that emerge from Days 1 and 2. (This will be based closely on a similar session at Blur 02.) Productivity during Day 3 will be the primary goal of the conference, and there will be a few rules in place to encourage this. We hope the work done here will be applicable to participants' own projects.
November 12,13, and 14, 2004. The conference will go from 9:00 am to 17:00 pm each day.
Hotel Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Registration cost is $200.00 (US) per person. You must register by September 15, 2004.
Contact Andrew Otwell and tell me you're planning to attend. Then Register via PayPal.