Unveiling Themes in User Interviews: The Empathy Flower Process in Human-Centred Design

This workshop equips attendees to identify patterns in qualitative data using empathy-led analysis. Participants learn practical techniques for theming interviews and improving research depth through collaborative exercises, boosting their confidence in translating user stories into actionable insights.

Megan Davis, Spendlove and Lamb

Duration: 1 hr

Build Your Own AI Design Mentor for Excellence and Inclusion

Kristin introduces an interactive design session focused on equity in AI. Participants will go from conceptual vision to practical implementation of an AI tool rooted in inclusive principles, learning how to embed equity-first thinking into machine-led interactions and digital services

Kristin de la Fuente, Torii

Duration: 3 hrs

Connected Strengths

Alexander Clarke introduces strength-based methods for building resilient teams. Participants engage in reflective exercises to identify personal and collective strengths, learning how to create psychologically safe environments that encourage growth, trust, and improved team dynamics.

Alexander Clarke, NIB

Duration: 1 hr

Revisiting the Future

Bridgette Engeler leads a session on critical futures and speculative design. Participants reflect on past imagined futures and use them to critique present systems, developing strategies for more resilient, imaginative, and intentional future-making.

Bridgette Engeler, Swinburne University of Technology

Duration: 2 hrs

Multimodal AI Apps Designing for Apps That Can See, Hear, and Speak

This workshop focuses on designing with multimodal AI. Participants explore how to build experiences that integrate voice, vision, and language, gaining insights into emerging UX patterns and prototyping techniques for next-gen AI interfaces.

Joshua Crowley, Cursor

Duration: 3 hrs

Unlock Your Product Potential: A Maturity Model for Product Development Excellence

This session provides a maturity model for scaling design leadership. Participants evaluate their current practices, uncover growth areas, and gain tools to embed design more strategically across product teams and organizational structures.

Leigh Barnett, Symplicit

Duration: 1 hr 15 mins

Prototype Tomorrow: An Introduction to Futures Design

Sheree Hannah presents a hands-on introduction to Futures Design. Attendees learn tools for signals scanning, scenario building, and speculative prototyping to better navigate uncertainty and prepare strategically for multiple possible futures in their own teams and organisations.

Sheree Hannah, Designit

Duration: 3 hrs

Using Service Design to optimise your Work System

Katherine Farrell introduces a systems thinking approach to improving team workflows. Participants explore the Work System Method to assess tools, processes, and collaboration, gaining strategies for optimizing how work is scoped, structured, and delivered across complex service environments.

Katherine Farrell, Atlassian

Duration: 1 hr 30 mins

Leverage Systems Thinking to Elevate Your Design Impact

Jess Taylor guides participants through Systems Thinking in design and work more broadly. This hands-on session helps attendees from all walks of life map complexity, identify leverage points, and drive better outcomes, regardless of what industry or sector that participants work in.

Jess Taylor, Independent

Duration: 3 hrs

RMIT #work_out_loud: Your Take

This workshop positions you as a panelist in a live-streamed #work_out_loud session, broadcast from the RMIT Media Portal. It is designed to develop confident design communicators—practitioners who can synthesise and articulate complex ideas in real time, in conversation with peers Panel topics will be drawn from your own experience and aligned with the Design Outlook conference themes

Matt Kurowski, RMIT

Duration: 1 hr 15 mins

Communicating Complexity Through Gamification

Sixto Tantiongco and City of Melbourne’s Data Experience team will demonstrate how gamification fosters learning and engagement, equipping participants with tools to explain systems, processes and data through interactive storytelling. Expect to leave inspired, energised and thinking in new ways!

Sixto Tantiongco, City of Melbourne

Duration: 3 hrs

Running Impactful Workshops

Amanda Brown and Tegan Henderson from Mantel Group will share a tactical framework for running impactful workshops Participants learn how to define outcomes, manage group dynamics, and drive clarity and follow-through—ensuring their workshops deliver alignment, insight, and results, not just vibes and Post-its.

Amanda Brown, Mantel Group

Tegan Henderson, Mantel Group

Duration: 1 hr 30 mins