The Design Conference: Designing for Inclusivity with Dignity
The last two days of The Design Conference Brisbane kicked off with talks focused on all the different possible pathways of the design industry, from freelance to creative agencies, and the fact that fear is the enemy of success.
R/GA Australia’s Cristina Douglas and Anita Forte spoke on designing for inclusivity. Often something that gets overlooked by the advertising industry, Cristina and Anitia showcased how important and surprisingly easy it is to do.
“Ability is not a fixed state,” was a point made by the pair, as they acknowledged that inclusive design involves everyone.
It’s ‘everyone's everyday,’ that they are aiming to make better with their designs. They explored how to incorporate these inclusive designs with dignity and ease.
Jasmin Bedir continued her discussions with unwavering passion. The discussions are an open floor Q&A giving those attending the chance to ask all their burning questions. The first, ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’, covered the elitism that can often be found within creative industries and the importance of setting boundaries in order to maintain a successful career.
Claudia Henderson, strategy director from For The People, touched on the huge amount of empathy within the industry's creatives and how this can be the biggest superpower but also be taken advantage of.
The second discussion of the day was centred around commercialising creativity and the inherent lack of value placed on the creative process. All the panellists spoke passionately about this topic, particularly Jasmin and Patrick Guerrera from RE.
The discussion covered everything from return on investment, balancing creative and strategic work and how to value this work when talking to clients. It was mentioned that design can often be an afterthought when working with brands, clients and bigger agencies. Each panellist encouraged the audience to stand one's ground and know their worth.
Day two ended with a talk from Yen Trinh and her story of how she accidentally became a restaurateur. She started her talk by clarifying that she probably wouldn’t have this career if she had never married a chef, however, her background in design and town planning made their marriage and business partnership a match made in heaven.
She explored how she used her career as a designer to develop and manage a restaurant, from its branding to how the chefs work with each other to customer service. It was inspiring to hear of the endless possibilities of a career in design.
A talk titled, 'the cogs behind brand creation are already turning' was hosted by Richie Meldrum from Bare Brand Strat. In his talk he lifted the lid on design to see what happens when you put insight, inference and storytelling into projects. With a belief that good designers are also strategist, he showcased ways in which to pitch and sell brands strategy to clients.
Paul & Kiel from Pennybridge spoke on the rollercoaster of going from working freelance to working at an agency. It was a completely raw and unfiltered chat about the ups and downs of creating commercially impactful work. They made a point of emphasising the while design is important, communication is what makes the work extra special. Communication between designers, clients and others within the agency will make the work ever better than before.
The conference concluded with a night to remember, a celebration of creativity at Felons Barrel Hall where all creatives mingled, danced and partied until the night was over. It's the only natural way for the conference like this to end. In the throws on music and bright conversation.
The Design Conference has proven to be a one-stop shop for creatives looking to enhance their career, find inspiration and battle the sometimes isolating nature of being a designer.
Image Credits: kal_cinema
