2025 Schedule

Register and grab a coffee before the talks begin.

We'll get you set up for a day of thought-provoking talks and Q&A sessions with a short talk on career snakes and ladders.

Every career is a series of choices—choices we make without knowing exactly how they’ll shape us. The job of leading a crew of other adults is a strange one, when you think about it. But it is still possible to mould a leadership career for yourself with integrity and conviction—even one that includes wild leaps and sharp corners you can't foresee. No matter where you started (or are starting) your leadership journey, Elizabeth will share the truths, pains and principles she's gathered in her nearly 20 years as a content designer, author, and multidisciplinary design leader.

Being a leader of a high-performing content design team isn’t just about ensuring people craft great content—it’s about building a team that can drive real impact. You have to make the space for people to develop new skills, be clear about what success looks like, and keep people feeling motivated and engaged while the work around them changes. In this session, you'll learn how to create a growth culture in your team, nurture existing and future leaders, and hear practical ways to coach your team to tackle big challenges with confidence.

We bring together Elizabeth, Sally and Anjana to answer audience questions.

Enjoy lunch in the unique surroundings of the Barbican if you're with us in person, where you can chat to fellow attendees and speakers.

When you describe a content designer, 'creative' might not be the first word that comes to mind. Analytical, logical, detail-oriented, principled, empathetic – absolutely. But creative? That's more often seen as the realm of content marketing, design and brand. But content design is inherently, essentially, deeply creative. This talk will explore how embracing and nurturing creativity can help content design leaders. Lauren will cover: Why creativity matters in the 'best practice' world of content design The myth of the lone genius and the value of collaboration How creativity promotes connection in content teams (and vice versa) Practical ways to nurture your creativity and that of your team This talk is for anyone who feels like they're not creative, or feels creatively frustrated in their role. It's also for content design leaders who want to create a greater sense of connection in their team.

I’m allergic to the concept of “stakeholder management.” This framing makes it too easy to regress into “I can fix them” energy, or, even worse, to see people as adversaries before we understand their motivations. So what happens if we decide to focus on building relationships, on choosing which parts of ourselves we bring to those efforts? The good news is that doing this has helped me see people and teams more clearly. The bad news is also that it’s helped me see people and teams more clearly—but the difference is what I do about it. I’ll talk about some things I’ve learned the hard way, as a career consultant. You’ll meet some of my inner animal analogy menagerie as I talk through some things that have worked for me, and a few that haven't.

People with ADHD often possess strong empathy, pattern recognition abilities, and creative problem-solving skills that align perfectly with content design work. Given these synergies, it's likely that content teams include ADHD team members, sometimes unrecognised. The growing complexity of content systems requires both detailed focus and big- picture thinking, making ADHD traits particularly valuable. Just as content designers use empathy mapping to understand users, similar approaches can be adapted to better support and empower ADHD team members, leveraging their unique strengths in creativity, systems thinking, and innovative problem-solving to drive exceptional outcomes.

We bring together Lauren, Jane and Denise to answer audience questions.

Time for a quick break and an opportunity to network with peers or enjoy the amazing Barbican building.

In a world obsessed with being front and center, I found power in observation. Drawing inspiration from my love of theatre, this talk explores how embracing the 'audience's view' – observing, listening, and understanding the nuances from the margins – can be a powerful catalyst for career evolution. I'll share how this approach, honed through my journalism and content strategy career, propelled me to lead design.

Stepping back into IC work after managing a team can feel daunting, whether it’s by choice or circumstance in today’s shifting work landscape. This talk explores how such a transition might be the right move for you, highlighting what you stand to gain, what you might leave behind, and how leadership extends far beyond managing people. It’s an honest look at finding fulfilment and impact by reconnecting with your craft.

How can you go from leading a discipline to leading a multidisciplinary team? Once a content design leader, now the global head of McDonald’s first in-house experience design team, Erin breaks down the mindset, behaviours, and skills that make the difference. She’ll share lessons from her unique journey to help you uncover your undeniable leadership value prop, recognise the opportunities in front of you, and take the actions necessary to realise your ambitions.

We bring Tina, Andy and Erin together to answer audience questions.

Take some time to relax and reflect on the day's talks and insights with your fellow attendees, speakers, and event hosts.