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The Design Effect
Exploring and celebrating the impact of design
Uncovering design’s role in a changing world – talks, debates, case studies and dinner discussions that will shift and shape your thinking. A day that asks you to look deeper.
Tuesday 10 March | Iconic Central London Venue | 13:30-22:30
Speakers and panellists:
- Mauro Porcini, in his first European speaking engagement since joining Samsung as President & Chief Design Officer.
- Dr Patricia Moore, esteemed leader in the movement of Universal Design and winner of the 2022 World Design Medal.
- Aporva Baxi, Executive Creative Director and Co-Founder of global brand agency DixonBaxi.
- Mark Van Iterson, industrial design engineer and former Global Design Director at The Heineken Company.
- Kathleen Brandenburg, Harvard Professor and Co-Founder of global design and innovation consultancy IA Collaborative.
- Stephanie Verschoor, MD – User Experience Design and Digital Solutions at NatWest Group.
- Simon Threadkell, Group Marketing Director, Brand Design and Customer Experience at Tesco.
- Dr Christina N Harrington, Research Scientist, Google Research – Technology, AI, Society, and Culture Team, and Affiliate Faculty, Human-Computer Interaction, Institute School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University.
- Mark Curtis, Former Head of Innovation, Accenture Song, and Co-Founder of Fjord.
- Nicola Tiffany, Managing Director, HMA Digital and Chair of the DBA Board of Directors.
If the past years have transformed what business and society need from design, the coming years are only going to demand more. Technological, environmental and economic forces press hard on the creative thinking our industry is tasked with leading.
How do we identify the routes through the biggest challenges our businesses face? How do we design solutions that benefit rather than hinder our communities? And how do we apply creative leadership and expertise in a world with an evolving relationship to the place and role of human creativity.
Design leaders are responsible for helping corporations and consumers say yes to the brilliant ideas designers create – ideas that are often outside what we thought the parameters were. So how do leaders ensure design truly makes impact, creates genuine innovation and transforms results – financial and societal – in the face of all this.
From their own unique perspective, our speakers and panellists will be tackling the most important questions for our industry today.
What role does design play as business models develop and mature around shifting technological landscapes? What does the evolution and impact of design over past decades teach us about design’s role and purpose in the coming years?
We’ll explore how we can embrace optimism and opportunity around technologies, whilst balancing a creative approach with the need to be commercially minded. And whether designers need to resist being led unwittingly down paths that don’t allow them to create original, impactful work.
How can design leaders stay true to the essence of a global brand and its core objectives when there are different priorities and rates of change across different markets? And how do we shape technologies around our purposes, rather than technology shaping us?
With deep discussions, expertly curated, and opportunities for you to put your questions to our speakers, The Design Effect will look at the factors shaping the role of design beyond today.
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Join us at The Design Effect for a day that will bring the pioneering minds of the industry together to learn, share, and think differently. We’ll also be celebrating this year’s cohort of DBA Design Effectiveness Award winners, and the creative and business ingenuity that makes our industry shine.
Tickets include food and drink throughout the afternoon and evening plus access to all sessions and networking.
Limited places, so book quickly to avoid disappointment.
Exclusive discounts available for DBA members and 2026 DBA Design Effectiveness Awards winners.
Book your place today
Watch the closing speaker at the inaugural Design Effect in 2024 at The British Museum.
Geoff Mulgan, Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation at University College London talks about design’s role in the future of our world.
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Programme
13:30 – 14:30 Registration and welcome
14:30 – 18:30 Conference sessions including the presentation of the 2026 DBA Design Effectiveness Awards winners
18:30 – 19:30 Drinks and canapé reception
19:30 – 19:40 2026 DBA Design Effectiveness Awards Grand Prix presentation
19:40 – 22:30 Dinner and discussions
Dress code: Day to evening elegance and celebration.
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FAQ’s
- Networking with fellow design industry leaders.
- In-depth talks and discussions around the current and future role of design in business and society.
- Find out who’s won and celebrate with the winners of the DBA’s Design Effectiveness Awards.
- Exclusive after-hours access to the art and inspiration in an iconic central London venue.
- The best design discussion you’ve ever had over dinner.
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