Limited release · Main Stage PassWed · Nov 18 only
One day. The whole stage.
The theatre only holds so many, and 3-day holders already fill most of it. The rest go out as Main Stage Passes: the panel and every talk, lunch with the full summit, and the Summit Social. When they’re gone, there’s no other way in on the 18th.
Talks
The opening panel and every mainstage talk in Cinema 2
Lunch social
Lunch with the full summit room
Summit Social
The evening social, 6–9 PM, where the useful conversations happen
Not included
Day 1 workshop, opening and roundtables; Day 3 interactive sessions
Prices + 13% HST. Pair a workshop ticket with the Main Stage Pass for Nov 17 and 18. Full agenda →
02 — The premise
Why the theme ofDesign’s Unfinished Business.
There was a moment when design seemed ready to change more than interfaces. The iPhone reset expectations. Design thinking entered boardrooms. Experience design pushed beyond usability. The opportunity was real.
But over time, much of design was pulled back into production. More teams. More rituals. More screens. More delivery. The mandate got smaller.
2008 / The promiseShape products, services, organizations and value.
→
2012–2025 / The narrowingShip the visible layer. Faster.
→
Now / The openingMaking is easier. Judgment matters more.
03 — Three days. One mandate.
The argument unfolds together.
Day 01Tue · Nov 17
Workshop + kickoff
Peter Merholz’s workshop runs in the afternoon, on the all-access pass or a workshop ticket. Registration opens at 4, then the summit kickoff, roundtables under the Chatham House Rule, and the opening social.
Day 02Wed · Nov 18
Talks + panel
Opens with a panel at 10, then a full day of mainstage talks at TIFF Bell Lightbox, and the Summit Social in the evening. The day the Main Stage Pass covers.
Day 03Thu · Nov 19
Sessions + close
Two interactive sessions at Intuit, lunch, and a community closing. The day ends at 2.
Not only the mainstage
Workshops, roundtables under the Chatham House Rule, and the hours around them carry as much of the argument as the talks do.
Workshop · TicketedWorkshopsHalf a day, all-access or add-on ticket
MainstageTalks by speakersThe mainstage hours
Off recordRoundtables8–12 peers, off record, day one
WorkshopInteractive sessionsTwo hands-on blocks, day three
04 — How the room works
Less performance. More participation.
Built for senior leaders who need more than inspiration.
01 / Talks
Set the frame
Main-stage stories without the conference theatre.
02 / Panels
Pressure-test it
Debate the parts that do not have clean answers.
03 / Workshops
Do the work
Apply the thinking to your own organization.
04 / Roundtables
Off the record
8–12 peers, under the Chatham House Rule: use the information, not who said it.
05 / Socials
Build the trust
The conversations after the microphones are off.
05 — Proof from the room
Real people, Real work,No trade-show theatre.
DLS is a working room for senior design leaders: mainstage stories, floor questions, smaller sessions, and conversations that keep going after the microphones are off.
Contact sheet / DLS ’25Shot in the room, not staged
The stage, DLS ’25
Q&A from the floor, DLS ’25
The room, DLS ’25
“DLS 2025 felt less like a conference and more like a room full of sharp minds pushing each other to think deeper.”
06 — The venue350 King St W · Toronto, Canada
OutsideInside
TIFF Bell Lightbox, Toronto.
Outside
Five storeys of glass on King West, in the middle of the Entertainment District. Union Station is a twelve-minute walk.
Inside
Cinema 2 for the mainstage — a real theatre, real projection, real sound. Studios upstairs for workshops and roundtables.
Dates, the room, the pass, and what happens if plans change. Everything operational lives on the full FAQ.
When and where is DLS?
DLS 2026 — the seventh edition — is a three-day design and UX leadership conference in Toronto. It runs Nov 17–19, 2026 at TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West, Toronto, and is in-person only. Travel details ↗
Who usually attends?
Senior design and UX professionals — staff designers, design managers, directors, VPs, and heads of design. The room is built for people who already lead the work, not a generalist conference audience.
What does a pass cost?
The 3-day and all-access passes are sold out. The Main Stage Pass for Wednesday, Nov 18 is US$399 + 13% HST · invoiced in USD, and includes every mainstage talk, the lunch social and the evening social. Checkout shows the complete total before payment. Get the Main Stage Pass ↗
What is the refund policy?
We understand that plans can change!
You can request a 100% refund if you cancel at least one month before the summit.
If you inform us at least two weeks before the summit, we can offer a credit toward next year's Design Leadership Summit instead.
Passes are also transferable to a colleague if your plans change.
For refund requests, ticket transfers, or credits, please email us at support@designx.community, and our team will be happy to assist you.
Ready when you are
Take another run at the work.
The 3-day room is full. The theatre has limited seats left for Nov 18, and that’s the last way in this year. If you need the team rate, an invoice, or a letter for your manager, start there or send us a note.
