Facet Design Conference—Call for Speakers Expand the definitions of design February 21, 2021
AIGAMN is organizing Facet, a new one-day virtual design conference focused on expanding the definition of design and the design community.
We are looking for speakers who come to design from a broad variety of backgrounds; who took untraditional paths to become a designer; who can speak about expanding the breadth and depth of the design field, and the intersectionality of design with other disciplines, places, and cultures.
The event will take place in 2021 as a virtual conference.
We are now accepting speaker proposals. We are looking for speakers and panels on a variety of topics about the wide variety of paths and practices of design. Topics include:
- Untraditional paths to becoming a designer
- What defines successful design or a successful designer?
- What does it mean to be a designer?
- What are some unexpected ways designers cross boundaries between disciplines, e.g., food, music, medicine, etc.
- When have designers been inspired to take non-traditional paths?
- When have adjacent skills led you to become a designer?
If you are interested in participating, please fill our Call for Speakers form.
Contact Leadership
Rich Higgins is the Creative Director at Parallel Retail Group. His background is as diverse as a platypus.
He started his own design studio, Oryx & Moth, doing branding, art direction and design for clients big and small. Meanwhile he was the chair of the Solopreneurs Committee for AIGA MN (2022-2023) and served on the Design Student & Alumni Board at the University of Minnesota (2010-2013). Prior to that he worked at TSG, a design agency in Robbinsdale, for clients including: Target, HealthPartners and Crate & Barrel. He's also had a short stint designing for financial institutions (PNC Bank, Citibank and BBVA Compass). He started out designing and art directing photo shoots for multiple national salon chains throughout the US and Canada. And has had mediocre hairstyles since.
His interests vary widely with the season but he always willing to chat about DIY projects, soccer, LEGO, minimalism, FIRE, AI, technology, saunas, traveling, camping, parenting, etc.
He started his own design studio, Oryx & Moth, doing branding, art direction and design for clients big and small. Meanwhile he was the chair of the Solopreneurs Committee for AIGA MN (2022-2023) and served on the Design Student & Alumni Board at the University of Minnesota (2010-2013). Prior to that he worked at TSG, a design agency in Robbinsdale, for clients including: Target, HealthPartners and Crate & Barrel. He's also had a short stint designing for financial institutions (PNC Bank, Citibank and BBVA Compass). He started out designing and art directing photo shoots for multiple national salon chains throughout the US and Canada. And has had mediocre hairstyles since.
His interests vary widely with the season but he always willing to chat about DIY projects, soccer, LEGO, minimalism, FIRE, AI, technology, saunas, traveling, camping, parenting, etc.