Designing Growth: Human-Centered Solutions for Sustainable African Agriculture

SASHA OFORI

Accra, GHANA

By concentrating on agriculture—a sector vital to African economies and global food security—we highlight the necessity of designing solutions that are deeply aware of the local cultural, economic, and infrastructural contexts. How can tailored solutions meet immediate needs while fostering long-term sustainability and reducing environmental impacts?

How to integrate a planet-centric mindset in your design research

IDUN AUNE

Oslo, NO

Traditionally, design is all about consumer desirability. We know by now that this has created some unintended consequences for people, and for the planet. In this talk, Idun Aune will share her two cents on how to review and reshape your research process in a planet-centric direction.

Responsible growth- focusing on continuous learning in business education to achieving circularity

CHARLIE MPENGULA

Copenhagen, DK

Dare to degrowth

MATHIAS LARSEN

Copenhagen, DK

To have any hope of mitigating the consequences of irreversible climate change, we need to bring our economy back into balance with the ecology of the planet. Endless economic growth is neither possible, nor desirable. Therefore, we must abandon less necessary and harmful industries, while lowering inequality and improving social well-being.These are the key messages of degrowth.

The regenerative way forward – with the use of responsible technology

TRINE PLAMBECH

Copenhagen, DK

The regenerative business is a concept and approach to business that goes beyond sustainability and aims to increase positive impacts on the environment, society, and the economy. It focuses on restoring, renewing, and revitalizing natural and social systems while generating long-term value for all stakeholders involved.

The role of digital in circular and sustainable design

MARIAGIULIA BENATO

Amsterdam, NL

When we talk about circularity and circular design, we still mostly talk about physical products. It’shard to grasp the extent to which digital products also rely on physical resources in order to exist. When talking about waste, we still lack a proper conversation around how to promote durability and reusability in the digital realm.This talk aims at uncovering how the notions of circular design, degrowth and sustainability can – and should be – transposed to the digital domain and on reflecting on the role that we can play as designers.

Workshop (online): An Ethical Framework for Planetary-Centric Design

GABRIELA LORENZ & BETINA MAZZARINO
München, DE and Zürich, CH

In a world where technology shapes our future outcomes, ethical design is not just a choice; it’s an imperative. This workshop offers a practical tool, an ethical framework for designers, rooted in principles from permaculture. It is a compass to navigate the complex interplay of creativity, innovation, economic viability, and social and environmental responsibility.

Healthcare – how to consume less and live more

DR. VIDEHA SHARMA 

Manchester, UK

Healthcare systems around the world are under increasing pressure: an aging population, disease complexity, workforce shortages. People are living longer, but often with greater suffering and poorer quality of life. The amount of healthcare delivery is going up, but are we ‘living more’? We need to think and work differently and embrace the role of experts outside of science and healthcare. Bridging the field of User Experience with healthcare will help us realize the potential of innovation.

Actionable, engaging, and unforgettable tips on increasing the engagement of 65+ segments

DR. MICHAL HALPERIN-BEN ZVI 

Tel Aviv, Israel

Dr. Michal Halperin-Ben Zvi’s main area of expertise is in increasing the engagement of “Third Age Users”. They are the fastest-growing category of e-commerce shoppers, yet 2 in 5 feel that technology was not designed for them, and they are twice more likely to abandon a digital product. Gaining a better understanding of their needs, wishes, and pain points will lead to more inclusive, right, and better products.

Workshop: Unlock the Power of Object-Oriented UX

PIOTR WÓJCIK

Warsaw, Poland

Based on his decade of experience working with the Object-Oriented UX (OOUX) methodology, this two-hour workshop delves into what Piotr Wójcik believes is a critical element in the design process. In a world where traditional approaches slice up complexity by verbs, OOUX emerges as the game-changer, enabling designers to break down systems by nouns, aligning seamlessly with how developers think, and enhancing collaboration across teams.

Workshop: Visualizing Sustainable Happiness Beyond Consumption 

QINGYUE LI
Seattle, USA

As more people in our society veer away from materialistic consumption, recognizing and championing innate, lasting sources of happiness is crucial. This workshop’s core extends beyond the mere representation of happiness; it dives deep into understanding its sustainability outside the bounds of traditional markers. 

Workshop: Tech Ethics for Practitioners

LISA TALIA MORETTI
London, UK

The focus of this workshop is to provide tech professionals with a practical skill set that can be used to minimize the likelihood of negative consequences occurring from our tech creations. With the prevalence of data-driven products and services that are becoming increasingly intelligent and automated, ethical thinking is a frontier skill set that needs to be developed if we hope to create responsible technology.

This workshop is for all tech professionals, regardless of discipline or experience.

Building Together

JOSE CORONADO
New York, USA

After many years of trying, we are finally able to bring one of the leading voices of UX, Design, and Leadership to Copenhagen! Our closing keynote for 2024 is Jose Coronado, and he will be talking to us about how we are shifting from demand to contraction, and how focus on Inclusive Leadership, diversity, and mental health are essential for building committed, and high-impact teams

Kind Commerce: challenging excessive consumption with mindful e-commerce design

ANNA RÁTKAI
Gothenburg, Sweden

UX Researcher Anna Rátkai of Recorded Future is coming to UX Copenhagen to talk about her passion project Kind Commerce. She wants to raise awareness and get more designers to advocate for an alternative approach toward e-commerce design.

Embracing Degrowth and Sustainability in Automotive UX

ELIZABETH MUSANGA
Nyeri, Kenya

As an automotive engineer with a background in UX design, Elizabeth Musanga is passionate about the intersection of these two fields. “UX designers have a critical role to play in shaping a more sustainable future.”

Dismantling ‘default thinking’ for inclusive innovation

RUBY PRYOR
Singapore

Strategic Designer and Manager Ruby Pryor is the founder of rex.inc. Her talk challenges ‘growth-default’ along with other ‘defaults’ that inform product and design, and is a call to action to challenge the utility of defaults that inform our work. 

Encouraging excessive shopping through mobile applications

ANDREEA POPESCU
Vâlcea, Romania 

Andreea is a UX Designer, Product Manager, and Mentor, with over 8 years of experience. This talk is based on her own research project, fueled by a passion for trying to be more sustainable in her everyday life. 

Workshop: Growing Into Our Futures

ALASTAIR SOMERVILLE
Stroud, England

This two-hour workshop with Sensory Design Consultant Alastair Somerville is an introduction to the Design Council’s new Systemic Design Framework and their work to enable designers to work more productively in the Climate Crisis.

Workshop: UX for AI: A Framework for Product Design

GREG NUDELMAN
San Francisco, USA

Greg Nudelman is an independent UX designer, strategist, speaker, and author. In this practical workshop, you will discover the path to AI project success.

Designing for a more equitable world with systems thinking

SHERYL CABABA
Seattle, USA

Sheryl Cababa is Chief Strategy Officer, and new author of Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking for Designers. With this talk, Sheryl discusses how to really make design thinking valuable.