My first DesignThinkers experience was back in 2006! At the time, it was held at the Varsity and VIP Cinema in the Manulife building on Bloor Street—and it was packed. I think it might have completely sold out that year! Its popularity meant it outgrew that space and the next year it was moved to the much larger convention centre. Now, the conference has found its perfect home at Meridian Hall. Over the years, we’ve watched it evolve from a smaller gathering into the incredibly well-organized, high-impact event it is today. Five years ago, DesignThinkers expanded further, introducing a spring conference in Vancouver. I’ve been lucky enough to attend two of those as well.
One of the best parts of DesignThinkers has always been its diverse lineup of speakers from various creative disciplines, covering topics that are deeply relevant to our industry. This year, there was a lot of talk about the future of AI in the work that we do. I think our team has decided it’s not something to be afraid of—we’re ready to embrace it as a tool!
After two days of talks, I always leave the conference feeling re-energized and excited about my work. There’s truly nothing like being in a room filled with creatives. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with folks we haven’t seen in a while and a fantastic team-building experience for our group.
Over the years, there have been many notable speakers—some of whom I’ve had the chance to hear from more than once. Whether they’re offering practical, business-related advice (like Emily Cohen talking about how to say “no” when necessary) or sharing big conceptual ideas (like Emma Salonen’s talk about fostering a creative ecosystem that prioritizes joy their insights always leave a lasting impression.
The lessons I’ve learned from these talks have deeply influenced my own creative practice. Some of what I’ve taken away over the years:
What we design is for people. People are always at the centre. This is something I always go back to when producing work. Getting centered around the audience, trying to put myself in their shoes, really helps provide insight into what would make the work, work.
Don’t take yourself so seriously. We live in a made up world. That nugget of wisdom is really freeing. It allows room for more creativity and humour—this gives the work more life and personality.
Don’t let technology get in the way. We have so many wonderful tools at our disposal, but sometimes our lack of skill with a certain piece of software can cripple our creativity. A piece of paper and a pencil frees you to just focus on the idea.
Be honest. Be honest about not knowing something. When we’re vulnerable it creates connection. This connection creates trust—and trust makes for better work.
The DesignThinkers conference keeps getting better, and I can’t wait to see how it continues to evolve. For Team Fusion, it’s become a much-anticipated November tradition—one that we always look forward to with great excitement!
