Our ambition for 2026
A week-long experience that's broad, diverse, and different
Looking ahead
After a record-breaking 2025, with 785 attendees and just 8 percent attrition, we are entering 2026 with fresh energy and a clear direction.
Last year, we ran new event formats across product, design, and leadership. We tested what works at smaller scale, stayed close to our community, and delivered quality experiences with a lean, values-led approach. Those decisions paid off, and we are now ready to scale again with purpose.
In 2026, we return to our week-long festival format. Across five days, we will run open studios, meetups, workshops, and our flagship conference day. Our aim is to create a connected, thoughtful experience that serves people across disciplines and industries.
We are introducing two new additions to the 2026 program.
The first is the Outlook Awards—a national platform to recognise excellence across product, design, technology, and leadership. These awards are focused on meaningful impact, not just visibility. They are about celebrating the people and teams doing thoughtful, high-contribution work that moves their industries forward.
The second is Lunch Club—a new monthly series where teams open their doors to the community to share lessons, stories, and lived experience. It is designed to strengthen connections between events, and highlight the quieter work that often goes unseen.
We are also preparing to move to a new venue, and we're looking for a venue that's able to host our flagship conference day. We want this move to give us the space to welcome more people, raise the bar on delivery, and create a more polished experience for everyone involved.
The Outlook continues to grow as a platform for people who care about doing thoughtful, high-impact work.
In 2026, we invite you to be part of what comes next.
Grant Show
Conference Director
Our focus for 2026
Exploring creativity, innovation, and humanities
Product
From early discovery to scaling strategies, product teams shape how people interact with technology every day. We explore how great product practice balances commercial outcomes with clarity, care, and creativity, especially in complex or high-pressure environments.
Design
Design today is about more than execution. It’s about resonance, responsibility, and creating value across teams, systems, and society. We examine how design functions as a multiplier, elevating experience, sharpening outcomes, and driving long-term impact.
Leadership
Whether formal or informal, leadership is about making space for others to do their best work. We spotlight the mindsets, methods, and behaviours that help people lead through uncertainty, and build cultures that are resilient, inclusive, and future-ready.
Attendance ambition for 2026
2026 Events
Bringing together design, product, and leadership through new and familiar formats
Conference day
Conference day
A full-day gathering of leading voices in product, design, and leadership. Hosted at our to-be-determined venue, this is our flagship event. It's focused, energising, and built for people shaping the future of work, systems, and ideas.
- Keynotes and panels all day.
- World-class venue and experience.
- Designed for practitioners and leaders.
Festival reimagined
Festival reimagined
The festival returns with a refreshed format and clearer identity. Spread across five days, it invites participation through open studios, meetups, and hands-on sessions that explore how people build, lead, and collaborate.
- Open houses and meetups.
- Skills-based sessions and workshops.
- City-wide, low-barrier, and inclusive.
Awards and gala
Awards and gala
A new national awards night that recognises meaningful, high-impact work across product, design, and leadership. The evening brings together finalists, peers, and friends for a celebration that feels generous and real.
- National platform for recognition across product, design, leadership
- Focused on impact, not hype.
- An honest, celebratory evening.
Ambassador program
Ambassador program
Our Ambassadors represent the heart of The Outlook. As champions of our community, they shape content, serve as lead jurors for the awards, and contribute to the learning agenda across our events, programs, and partnerships.
- Represent our brand and community.
- Curate content and shape learning.
- Lead awards and join headline events.
Lunch club
Lunch club
Lunch Club is a monthly, in-house event hosted by teams across Melbourne. It offers a relaxed way to share work, build connection, and learn from others over conversation and catering.
- Hosted by local teams.
- Intimate, informal, and focused.
- Held monthly, city-wide.
Overall improvements for 2026
Conference day improvements
- Completely transform registration
- Improve access to conference program
- Improve wayfinding and navigation with easy signage
- Prepare volunteer guidelines and briefing
- A part-time event producer to keep us on track
Partner experience
- Clearer timelines and expectation management
- Simplification of the guest ticketing process
- Clearer reporting and self-service
Presenter experience
- Automated reminders and deadlines with Hubspot
- Requesting photo, bio, title and abstract upfront
- MC guide: what to expect
- Presenter pack: what to expect
- Marketing hype: nominate a presenter
Content and marketing improvemens
- We will engage a content agency to produce campaign assets
- They will also work with partners throughout the year to create content and drive our campaign timelines
Key dates
September
- Call for presenters
- Call for ambassadors
- Award categories finalised
October
- Presenter info webinar
- Award sponsors finalised
November
- Call for presenters closes
- Awards campaign begins
- Awards open
January
- TO26 Presenters shortlisted
- Leadership presenters selected
- Presenters interviewed
February
- Call for workshops
- Call for festival content
March
- TO26 Content development process commences
April
- Awards close
May
- Award jurors convene
June
- TO26 Content finalised
Production team
The same team behind our 2025 program returns in 2026, bringing the same care, attention to detail, and production quality that helped make last year such a success.
Grant Show
Conference Director
Elaine Tan
Partner Experience
Mickey Rummery
Design/Product Leadership
Trudi Boatwright
Content Director
Mindy Nam
Community engagement
Justin Bae-Jang
Chief of Staff
Eliska Lam
Production Director
Sponsorship tiers
|
Principal
Full-season strategic partnership with premium access, content opportunities, and brand visibility |
Major
Major spotlight with strong content and activation benefits across our key programs |
Partner
Ideal for targeted exposure at a events with notable brand presence |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Logo on event assets | |||
| Dedicated EDMs | Multiple | ||
| Website presence | |||
| Delegate list access | All details | Limited | |
| Event tickets included | |||
| Content participation | Keynote or Panel | Supporting or Panel | |
| Brand activation | Bespoke | Standard | If available |
| Media and PR inclusion | |||
| Photography | |||
| Activation opportunities | First choice | ||
| Lunch club inclusion | |||
| Access to flagship events | VIP | ||
| Priority for 2027 | |||
| Partner manager |
Download our 2026 sponsorship pack
Download our 2026 sponsorship pack
Disclaimer: Forward looking statements
This page outlines our ambitious plans for our future, including several streams of content. So, please note that this is a forward-looking document and certain details may evolve as we approach each event, we are committed to delivering a minimum number of events and content streams as specified.
We encourage you to consider this dynamic nature when partnering with us for the year.
