As in previous PDCs, we aim to attract practitioners outside of academia from diverse backgrounds to share their perspectives and work in PD and intermingle with the PDC community—from various industries and sectors including non-profits, government, consultancies, small firms, corporations, and beyond.

Practitioners will be invited to offer their unique perspectives on select topics inspired by the main conference themes. We are particularly committed to ensuring a diverse distribution according to geographic location, gender, and work context (government, industry, Not-for-profit, etc.). PDC24 will host 3 panels:

Participation and AI

As AI use continues to rise, the need for inclusive and participatory approaches in AI development and deployment becomes increasingly crucial. This panel brings together practitioners from across sectors outside academia to explore how PD can play a critical role in AI’s ethical and equitable integration in various domains. Panelists will discuss the PD practices, challenges, and future directions in use relating to AI. The panel will conclude by discussing the PD principles that might guide AI toward positive societal impact to help technology development better align with human values and needs.

Participation and JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, decolonization, and inclusion)

This panel amplifies the conversation around Justice, Equity, Diversity/Decolonization, and Inclusion (JEDI), exploring how PD can catalyze social change and justice. This session delves into how PD methods and practices can support decolonizing spaces, narratives, and design. Panelists from outside academia at the forefront of integrating JEDI principles into participatory design will be brought together to share insights and strategies for creating more equitable and just communities through PD practice.

Participation and Citizen/Community Engagement

Democratizing design processes is an underlying tenet of PD, ensuring that design is inclusive, community-focused, and reflective of diverse voices, especially those often underrepresented. This panel explores how current PD practices enhance citizen and community engagement. Practitioners outside academia will share experiences, methodologies, and outcomes from engaging directly with communities in the civic sector. Attendees will learn about the challenges and success stories of fostering genuine participation within public discourse to inspire new models of community empowerment and engagement.

Similarly to PDC22, Beyond Academia will use an invitational panel format. If you wish to be considered to be a panelist, please send to beyond@pdc2024.org the following:

1. a short bio of your organisation (300 words max)
2. a link to your company’s website
3. a short explanation (300 words max) of your potential contribution to the panel.

We look forward to receiving your submission of interest!