Raise your hand.
We’re curating sessions for DLS 2026 and want to hear from people who’d love to contribute — talk, host, co-lead a workshop, join a panel, or run a roundtable. This isn’t a formal submission. It’s a quick raise-your-hand, and we’ll follow up if there’s a fit.
Six ways onto the stage.
Pick a format below — or tell us what you want to do and we’ll find the fit.
Give a talk
A solo or duo mainstage talk — a frank playbook, not a polished keynote.
Join a panel
Trade perspectives live on the questions that don’t have clean answers yet.
Host a roundtable
Facilitate 8–12 peers under Chatham House Rule on a problem you know well.
Lead a workshop
A hands-on session where the room leaves with something usable.
Share a teardown
Walk through a real case study — what worked, what didn’t, what you’d redo.
Recommend someone
Know a leader who should be on this stage? Point us to them.
What we’re looking for in 2026.
DLS 2026 is built around four pieces of design’s unfinished business — the new organization, the new mandate, the conditions leaders create, and the quality they define. These are the conversations we keep having inside each of them. Starting points, not requirements: if your idea is in the neighborhood, raise your hand.
01 — Structure · The New Organization
02 — Scope · The New Mandate
03 — Method · Create the Conditions
04 — Standard · Clarifying Quality
What makes a strong proposal
Relevance
Tie it to what design leaders are actually navigating right now — not a general topic, a specific fight.
Clarity
One thing the room should walk out knowing how to do. If you can't name it, we'll help you find it.
Engagement
A real story with real stakes beats a framework with clean edges. Bring the messy part.
We make speaking worth it.
Putting a good talk together is real work. We help you shape it, and we cover the basics.
Economy airfare
Round-trip to and from Toronto, so you can focus on the talk.
2 hotel nights
At a partner hotel near the venue, arranged by us.
VIP speaker dinner
Two invites to an off-record dinner with fellow speakers and leaders.
Recording + feedback
A professional video of your session plus real attendee insights.
A lightweight first step.
Tell us your idea — we’ll take it from there.
Raise your hand
Share a quick idea — or just tell us what excites you. Five minutes, no deck.
We review on a rolling basis
DLS is curated. We get more interest than spots, so we follow up with a small group as we shape the program.
We build it together
If there’s a fit, we’ll reach out to explore the idea and shape the right format with you.
Everything you need to know about speaking.
Who should apply?
Experienced design leaders, hands-on practitioners, and industry experts with valuable insight to share — across leadership, process, people, or emerging trends. We’re looking for sessions that deliver real value to an audience of design leaders.
What if I’m a first-time speaker?
Please apply. Our team can provide guidance, feedback, and resources to help you prepare and deliver a confident, engaging session. If you have a great story or a unique insight, we want to hear from you.
Travel & accommodation
For accepted speakers we cover economy airfare to and from Toronto, two nights at a partner hotel, and an invite to the VIP speaker dinner.
Accessibility & recording consent
We’re committed to an accessible summit — tell us about any needs in your application. All sessions are recorded for post-event viewing; by speaking at DLS you consent to being recorded and to your talk being shared with attendees and in event promotion.
Can I submit more than one idea?
Yes. You’re welcome to raise your hand for more than one format or topic — just note each in the form and we’ll find the best fit.
More questions? Email support@designx.community.
Ready to raise your hand?
Five minutes, no deck needed. Share a quick idea or simply raise your hand — we’ll follow up if there’s a fit.
Not speaking? There’s still a seat.
Bring your team and save, or volunteer and help shape the community on the ground.