We're creating connection. Are you in?

Creating connection is the event community’s reason for being, right? But how do you create that connection, that feeling of belonging? How do you go deeper than form and function to create a connected, communal experience? Could it be through design-led thinking, that keeps the focus on the emotional over the physical experience?

WHO WE'RE TALKING TO

Pigalle Tavakkoli, School of Experience Design

Ahead of the inaugural World Experience Summit (WXO) in London this week, we caught up with WXO and IMEX speaker Pigalle Tavakkoli, to talk experience design over event design. Plus, why you cannot change behaviour if you start out by trying to change behaviour – and what you should do instead.

WHAT WE'RE JOINING

The dots

Post its successful roll out at IMEX Frankfurt last month, our Design Manager Anna Gyseman distils an 18-month brand refresh project into one concise interview. Reimagining the 20-year strong IMEX image into a fresh, modern representation of the positive power of meeting face to face. Testimony to good design-thinking (and to a “don’t forget the dots” design mantra).

WHAT WE'RE SHARING

Five key takeaways

Capturing content, extracting event expertise, soaking up strategies, our content team put themselves at the heart of the learning action at IMEX Frankfurt 2023. From the reassuring news that AI won’t replace humans (tempered by the less reassuring caveat – yet) to the new focus on belonging in event design, they share their red-hot topics from the show.

WHAT WE'RE ASKING

How might we?

How might we design events for belonging? How might we create radically inclusive events? These were just some of the questions asked by Google’s Global Event Solutions Strategic Lead, Megan Henshall and Storycraft Lab CEO, Naomi Crellin at their Google Xi CoLab sessions at IMEX Frankfurt. We’re sharing the answers.

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