New hopes for Euro IA

Developing new discourse within the European community between Interaction 20 and 21

Coming back from my favourite conference of the year is always hard. A mixed bag of missing new and old friends; frustration with the potential that was missed; and inspiration from the people I met and the talks I saw. All complicated by the need to get back to work and hopefully recall something useful from the oceans of content, conversations and consumption.

But this time it’s different. Not only can I look forward to next year’s conference — channelling frustration and excitement into a talk or community initiative — but I’ve got something else to look forward to: I’m helping to co-chair Euro IA this year. With a theme and tone of ‘Hope: foundations for preferable futures’ we have set in motion a direction that I feel is needed.

The theme is complementary to interaction 20’s theme of ‘A New Dawn’. And also to Interaction 21’s ‘Perilous’ theme. It also complements and precedes by days (weekend before) this years Interaction Design Day (IXDD) of culture and sustainability. But it’s different. Here are a few ways, I hope it is.

1. More examples and stories from practice
   There were many great talks, but the timing didn’t always allow people to go into more tangible detail
2. More time to dig deeper and connect
   As above, how could people go deeper into the nuance of a subject. And how can we give greater space for conversations between the talks. Often the most valuable bit.
3. A rawer, more community feel, with less food
   I’m just feeling the food coma still. The food was amazing but a bit too indulgent for someone trying to lose weight (ie, me). But also, do we need to have so much glitz and glamour, high production values. At what cost is this?
4. Messier truths and triumphs
   I’d love to see more humility. It wasn’t too bad in Milan. But I think we can be more authentic. Tell more stories of our challenges, and how we found ways through, or not. That way we can really connect with each other.
5. Less aesthetic and more systemic thinking
   I love aesthetics and visual clarity, and hate an ugly slide. But I do feel that the slide design can be at the cost of useful deeper thinking with more nuance.
6. Greater reference to the foundations that can help us get to a better future
   I loved Robert Fabricant and Matt Cottam’s talks as they helped show a path forwards that referenced the past. I would love to see more of this.
7. And above all — more honest optimism, inspirational insight, and practical progressive approaches

So, as you decompress after Milan, or reflect on your year ahead, spare some thoughts for what you could share with others.

To progress practices beyond the often arbitrary boundaries of interaction design, information architecture, service design, systems thinking and more.

To advance our fields.

To move us all forwards a step or two. With some joy and positivity along the way.

Check out more details on Euro IA 2020, our theme, and start drafting your proposal for the community.