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2023 Workplace Innovation Summit:
A Call for Radical Change in the 21st Century Workplace
Join us on March 22 for the 2023 Workplace Innovation Summit: A Call for Radical Change in the 21st Century Workplace. The program is designed to foster community among design change makers and give attendees the tools to promote social, cultural, and environmental impact across industries. Design Museum Everywhere invites you to collaborate around the intersection of three high-level topics: culture, impact, and the built environment — with stories, interactive workshops, and experiences, designed to inspire and demonstrate meaningful change.
In 2020, our society experienced a radical shift in the way that we approach work, the workplace, and how we relate to each other. Fast forward to 2022, and Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace, says only 15% of employees are engaged in the workplace, costing the U.S economy over $500,000 billion every year. With employee engagement continuing to decline and a competitive employee-centric job market, we are faced with the opportunity to investigate new possibilities for workplace culture and address the needs of a dramatically different workforce.
The program is open to both designers and design enthusiasts. The Workplace Innovation Summit will provide the space to facilitate shared idea generation for attendees to transform their workplace culture. This is an event for everyone that wants to participate in social change in their organization; (corporate, non-profit, government, start-up, etc.) Join us and our forward-thinking panelists as we collectively re-imagine a more inclusive and exciting workplace.
The summit is IDCEC-approved and attendees can earn up to 7 CEUs, and the summit has been submitted to AIA CES for approval.
Summit Schedule
Tuesday, March 21 | Boston | 6:00-8:30 pm ET
Opening Reception at Steelcase:
Built Environment – Re-imagining a Culturally Engaged Workforce
Speaker Tom Di Lillo and Performer Akwerius
Hosted and presented by Steelcase
This event will include an opening address from Tom Di Lillo followed by a performance from Akwerius. Akwerius’ performance will demonstrate how he leverages music as a vehicle for social change in his work. A light dinner with gluten-free and vegan options, dessert, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided.
Information will be sent to Summit registrants.
Wednesday, March 22 | Boston & Virtual
In-Person Registration and Breakfast
8:00-9:30 am ET
Opening Remarks by Executive Director, Maria Villafranca
9:00-9:15 am ET
Welcome from MC, Derrell Jackson
9:15-9:30 am ET
Opening Keynote Address with Dr. Kris Lee
9:30-10:00 am ET | 6:30-7:00 am PT
Dr. Kristen Lee, Ed.D., LICSW, known as “Dr. Kris”, is an internationally recognized, award-winning behavioral science clinician, researcher, educator, speaker, and comedian from Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Kris works with organizations and leaders around the world on how to use the science of behavioral change and human potential to build healthy mental health cultures that help prevent burnout and promote organizational and human sustainability.
The first 75 registrants will receive a free copy of Dr. Kris Lee’s latest book, Worth the Risk: How to Microdose Bravery to Grow Resilience, Connect More, and Offer Yourself to the World.
Collaborating with AI: Technology Impacting the Human Experience
10:15-11:15 am ET | 7:15-8:15 am PT
Speakers Jessica Finch, Blair Hammond and Kristian Kloeckl
Panelists discuss their research on the topic of design for human-robot collaboration in the context of the workplace. They share examples of designs, tools, and methods where robots and technology have enhanced the worker experience in industrial work environments. This discussion will also address the current debate regarding the application of artificial intelligence in the workplace.
The Built Environment: Designing Healthy, Supportive, and Inclusive Work Environments
12:00-1:00 pm ET | 9:00-10:00 am PT
Speakers: Carissa Mylin, Chandra Robinson, Alan Scott, and Zachary Suchara
Hosted by PAE | LUMA and presented by Intertek
Virtual panel from Portland, OR. Workplace well-being requires thoughtful design considerations, and with careful planning and the understanding that organizations are living systems, we can design healthful workplaces that minimize adverse health risks and the associated human cost. In this discussion, panelists explore everything from the air we breathe in our workplaces, to the material selection for the health and well-being of building occupants and the wider environmental impacts of product design and material manufacturing.
Innovation for Intercultural Conversation
1:15-3:00 pm ET | 10:15 am-12:00 pm PT
Speakers: Michael Arnold Mages and Estefania Ciliotta Chehade
In this workshop, attendees will be invited to interact with abstract artifacts and share their experiences with a partner through the lens of their perspectives/identity. This exercise applies conversational design principles to facilitate cross-cultural exchanges in a flexible and collaborative environment to build understanding of diverse backgrounds and perspectives. This workshop is limited to in-person attendees.
Community of Practice: Designing Social Change in the Workplace | Cross Disciplinary Connections
1:45-3:00 pm ET | 10:45 am-12:00 pm PT
Community of Practice is an exercise in collaborating from a place that complements existing structures, embraces new forms, and radically seeks out knowledge sharing, learning, and change. In this workshop, groups of participants from different disciplines will share information and form peer networks, exploring their diverse experiences and challenges around the common purpose of impacting social change in the workplace. The workshop is designed to invite participants to connect with each other, and share experiences working in diverse disciplines. Attendees will be paired up with professionals from other industries and have the opportunity to make multiple connections throughout the duration of the workshop.
How 2020 Changed the Way We Work Forever
3:15 pm-4:30 pm ET | 12:15 -1:30 pm PT
Speakers: Alfred Byun, Derrell Jackson, Jess Klay, Emily Klein and Dr. Pierre-Valery Tchetgen
We, and our organizations, exist in a world of constant evolutionary activity. How can organizations structure their ecosystems and acknowledge layers upon layers of change? Why have the best efforts to create significant and enduring organizational change resulted in so many failures? Why is change so unnatural in human organizations? How do we collaborate to understand an individual’s spectrum needs in the workplace? All this and more as we explore with our panelists, How 2020 changed the way we work forever.
Fireside Closing Keynote: Love and Empathy in the Workplace
4:45-5:30 pm ET | 1:45-2:30 pm PT
Speakers: Jasmine Bellamy and Erin Narloch
Join Jasmine Bellamy, a love practitioner and catalyst for business and culture transformation, and Erin Narloch, a curiosity-driven leader, who’s passionate about brand authenticity and MCM design, as they share how they have transformed workplace cultures into places of compassion and love for one another at a time when we need it most.
March 21, 2023
Boston Opening Reception | 6:00-8:30 pm ET
March 22, 2023
Boston & Virtual Program | 9:30-5:30 pm ET
In-Person Closing Reception | 6:00-8:00 pm ET
Northeastern University John D. OʼBryant African-American Institute Amilcar Cabral Center
40 Leon Street
Boston, MA 02115
Join us in Boston or online. Tickets available now!
All registrants will get the recording of the full program after the event for asynchronous learning.
The 2023 Workplace Innovation Summit is presented in collaboration with Center for Design at the Northeastern University College of Arts, Media and Design during their 2023 Design Research Week.
Thank you to our 2023 Workplace Innovation Summit sponsors
LEAD SPONSOR
EVENT SPONSOR
CONTRIBUTING SPONSOR
HOST PARTNER
PROMOTIONAL PARTNER
IN-KIND SPONSORS
PRESENTERS
Akwerius / Dr. Pierre-Valery Tchetgen
Musician &
Assistant Professor,
Northeastern University
Jasmine Bellamy
VP of Merchandising,
Planning & Allocation
Reebok Culture
Alfred Byun
Design Director
of Strategy Lab,
Gensler
Estefania Ciliotta Chehade
Associate Director,
Center for Design
Northeastern University
Tom Di Lillo
Director,
Client Experiences
Steelcase North America
Jessica Finch
Principal,
Selbert Perkins Design
Blair Hammond
VP, Brand Marketing & PR
Catapult
Derrell Jackson
Director of Workplace Markets,
Tarkett
Jessica Klay
VP, Global Workplace
Experience Design,
Workhuman
Emily Klein
Workplace Strategist
& Thought Leader
Kristian Kloeckl
Associate Professor,
Dept. of Art + Design
Northeastern University
Dr. Kris Lee
Ed.D., LICSW
Michael Arnold Mages
Assistant Professor,
Northeastern University
Carissa Mylin
Principal,
SERA Architects
Erin Narloch
Senior Director,
Business Insight & Performance
Chandra Robinson
Principal,
Lever Architecture
Alan Scott
Senior Consult
Intertek
Zachary Suchara
Principal,
Luma :: PAE
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Membership starts at just $5/month.
Location and Getting There
Northeastern University John D. OʼBryant African-American Institute Amilcar Cabral Center
40 Leon Street
Boston, MA 02115
The building is #27 on this downloadable Northeastern University Campus Map.
For directions, follow this link.
Parking:
Closest NU Parking: Renaissance Parking Garage (#62 on the campus map), located at 835
Columbus Avenue, Boston. Additional NU Parking: Gainsborough Parking Garage (#45 on the campus map), located at 10 Gainsborough Street, Boston.
We would highly recommend taking public transportation or a taxi to the event because parking in the area can be quite expensive. If you do choose to park in one of the NU garages, you can expect to pay anywhere from $26-28 per day. Click here to learn more.
MBTA SUBWAY
MBTA Green Line/Heath Street Stop: “Northeastern University.”
MBTA Orange Line Stop: “Ruggles Station.”
Virtual Participation
Registrants will get Zoom instructions closer to the date.