Design thinking has helped teams gain empathy and create better experiences for people around the world. Yet sometimes the experiences that result from design thinking processes benefit only the communities and populations that are directly engaged. At other times, it can be hard to advocate for empathy within organizations in a way that effectively informs design. How might we prevent exclusions related to safety, accessibility, and belonging that can result from our designs? How can designers take responsible, inclusive action against daunting, systemic challenges?

In this participatory session, Felix Chang, an Associate Strategy Director at Artefact and a Community Involvement Commissioner with the City of Seattle, will highlight ways that designers and professionals can take action to increase inclusion through their work. Attendees will then break out into small virtual discussion groups to share best practices and brainstorm actionable ways to foster greater inclusion.