18 June 2026 • Melbourne

The Outlook 2026

Australia's brightest product, design, and leadership minds. 36 speakers on one unmissable day. This conference brings together practitioners and senior leaders for bold conversations that shape what's next. This year: own the AI agenda, reclaim craft, and lead with purpose.

firebrand • \FYRE-brand\ • noun. 

  1. ​A SPARK THAT IGNITES MOMENTUM AND FUELS CHANGE​

  2. A PERSON WHO DOESN’T WAIT TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO, CHOOSING INSTEAD TO SHAPE THE AGENDA​

  3. ONE WHO DRIVES WITH PURPOSE, AGITATING FOR CLARITY, CRAFT, AND OUTCOMES

This year's topics

A black and white illustration of Jupiter’s system, showing a series of concentric circles representing the orbits around a central point, likely symbolizing Jupiter. Thin horizontal lines run across the entire image, adding a visual texture. The illustration is captioned “The System of Jupiter.

Own the agenda

Tech and AI continues to move faster than any hype cycle before. This is our chance to lead. ​

Product and design can define where AI creates real value, shaping pricing, workflows, and strategy, and make it a force for customer outcomes rather than a distraction.

Two people holding each other’s forearms gently, with one person having a darker skin tone and the other a lighter skin tone, set against a natural background

Back to the customers

A decade of hype cycles has distracted us from the basics. Customer truth, not technology, is the compass for growth. ​

This is about moving from slogans to practice: tying growth to real outcomes, creating experiences that resonate, and sharpening our focus on what matters most.

A close-up of delicate, wispy plant stems and leaves with intricate, feathery green foliage against a dark background. The plant has a soft, organic structure, and small blossoms are faintly illuminated with hints of red light, creating a subtle, ethereal glow in certain areas

Judgement at scale

The differentiator now isn’t just speed, it’s clarity. ​

Product, design, and leadership can build systems of judgement at scale: frameworks that guide when to accelerate, when to prune, and how to align fast-moving teams through confident choices.

A serene sunset over the ocean with the sun just dipping below the horizon. The sky is painted with soft orange and pink hues, and wispy clouds are scattered across the upper part of the sky

A renaissance of craft

Craft is the antidote to fatigue and mediocrity. Standards, critique, and apprenticeship-like pathways are how we elevate quality at scale. ​

By nurturing mastery and rebuilding pathways for talent, we create work that compounds in value and inspires pride. ​

Event format

Dynamic presentations and deep, focused conversations provoked new ideas and left lasting impressions.

Corey Lee presenting on stage at Design Outlook 2025, wearing a headset mic and gesturing mid-talk against the event’s bold blue backdrop.

Inspiring presentations

Attendees dove into transformative presentations that challenged the status quo and ignited powerful discussions. These sessions didn’t just explore ideas, but they catalysed actionable solutions.

Two attendees enjoy coffee and conversation during a break at The Outlook, smiling and relaxed in the venue’s open-air atrium.

Engaged networking

Participants built meaningful connections over sustainable meals, drinks, and immersive experiences. The networking sessions fostered collaboration and left people inspired.

Grant Show, Mindy Nam, and Jeddi Kyne enjoying drinks at The Outlook 2025 afterparty at Sofitel’s Sofi’s Lounge.

Social wrap-up

The day ended with drinks, canapés, and conversations that extended the event’s discussions in a more relaxed setting, offering space for continued inspiration and lasting connections.

Location and accessibility

Stage setup at Design Outlook 2025, Sofitel Melbourne; featuring a beige couch, bold blue panels, and event branding in the background.

Grand Hyatt Melbourne
123 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Grand Hyatt is a 500m walk from Flinders Street Station, and a 250m from Russell St/Flinders St tram stop #6 on tram lines 70 and 75.

Upon arrival at the ground floor, reception staff will be available to direct guests to the event space, which is accessible by elevators.

For interstate and international guests, the hotel offers wheelchair-accessible rooms, with staff on hand to assist with any specific needs.

Explore more of the 2026 Season

FAQs

Who should come to The Outlook 2026?

The Outlook is for practitioners, managers and specialists alike across product, design and adjacent fields. It is for people with a desire to learn and share experiences with like-minded people from diverse backgrounds about the current technology, industry trends and challenges, and to be part of the discussion about what is coming over the digital horizon.

How can I apply to be a presenter?

We'd love to hear from you if you have interest in presenting at The Outlook. We are accepting expression of interest until 31 December 2025. You can submit your presentation pitch on our Call for Presenters 2026 page.

How is The Outlook different to other design and technology conferences?

We are an independent creative platform which allows us to bring broader, and perhaps provoking presentations and discussions to our audience. We are committed to bringing truly authentic, grounded, diverse perspectives that are truly representative of the disciplines and industries platform, and are driven by our promise to create affordable, accessible and sustainable events.