We’re thrilled to announce that World Interaction Design Day (IxDD) will return for its third year, presented in partnership with the Interaction Design Association. The annual initiative brings together the global community to create a dialogue around design’s ability to improve the human condition. After looking at the themes of diversity and inclusion in year one, and trust and responsibility in year two, this year’s theme will explore another topic of crucial importance to the design community and beyond: culture and sustainability.
This 2020 theme is inspired by UNESCO’s Key Ideas around culture and sustainable development. In these Key Ideas, the organization makes a direct link between environmentally sustainable policies and the culture surrounding them. If they are linked, how does design connect and shape that relationship?
If achieving sustainability is first and foremost about making an appropriate use of the planet’s resources, then culture must be at the centre of our development strategies, since cultures frame people’s relationship to others in their society and the world around them, including the natural environment, and condition their behaviours.
UNESCO
Workshops, talks, and events will take place around the world on September 29, 2020, that will challenge members of the interaction design community to explore their impact on culture and sustainability in their work, workplaces, communities, and beyond. Here are some key questions to get you thinking about how interaction design relates to culture and sustainability:
- What does it mean to create a culture of sustainability?
- In our increasingly interconnected global community, how do we enable local cultures to be resilient and sustainable?
- What are our accountabilities as designers to ensure we are appropriately using our planet’s resources?
How to get involved
We’ll be releasing more information soon, including the date and how to sign up for events in-person and online. Head over to the IxDD website and sign up for email updates to get the latest information.
Last year, more than 115 events took place in 40+ countries for IxDD 2019, and communities across the world came together to talk and brainstorm ways to make the world better through design. If you missed the event or just want to relive some of the excitement, check out all the highlights in the video below.