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Description
The Information Architecture Conference (IAC) prioritizes diversity and inclusion and strives to create a safe and secure environment in which all are welcome and new voices and faces are actively encouraged. The IAC Vision & Values and IAC Code of Conduct pave the way for achieving this goal, but ensuring that our community is as diverse and inclusive as possible takes planning, outreach, engagement, and hard work. It is the responsibility of everyone in the community to work towards its betterment, and this session is an important opportunity to do just that. The IAC19 Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Roundtable continues the tradition started at the 2018 IA Summit in Chicago. The roundtable is actually more like a town hall meeting in which we bring conference participants together with the D&I co-directors and other IAC organizers and volunteers to discuss what we’ve done, how we’re doing, and what we still need to do. We want to hear your stories and experiences and to learn and improve the IAC thanks to your specific ideas and constructive criticism. Come prepared to share, or just to listen and learn; all are welcome and sincerely encouraged to join and participate.
About the speakers
Michael Hardy – At IAS 2016 Atlanta, Michael gave his first talk at a major IA conference on designing for inclusion in the digital service economy surveying topics such as digital redlining, the rise of the “convenience class” and principles for designing for the underserved. Michael followed up this effort moderating a panel discussion IAS 2017 Vancouver on programming for inclusion in the workplace.
As co-director for IAC 2019, Michael’s goal is to ensure the IAC remains a hallmark event for practitioners around the world where ideas are exchanged freely, new connections created, and inclusivity is core.
Michael currently works for BCG Digital Ventures, driving the next wave of corporate innovation as a Lead Strategic Designer. His past work has focused on matters of financial and digital inclusion, disaster relief, and employee experience in the age of automation.