It’s time.
The status of the Interaction Design Association as a legal entity has come to an end. In June, we announced the decision to dissolve the non-profit side of the house — the side responsible for organizing the global events that helped us flourish as a community.
This isn’t quite goodbye.
Rather, it’s a “see you around”. While the legal entity that was the non-profit corporation may no longer exist, the beautiful community that kickstarted Local Groups around the world is flourishing. Right now Local Groups are busy organizing, amongst other local events, Interaction Design Day 2024 “Add New Dimensions” (huge thank you to Lidia Pano and Jason Mesut).
Community is what brought us all here. It’s the reason we continue to witness volunteer efforts: efforts that transcend altruism, that testify to the human desire in each of you to make things better and contribute to greater meaning. It’s no small feat, and for it, you have our steadfast admiration and gratitude. To all the Local Groups and external partners who reached out with messages of support and met our dissolution news with a rallying cry, thank you.
It’s also why we are heartened by the knowledge that the community continues creating new paths for the IxDA network to thrive. In many ways, this feels right. The global entity was important for a time—it marked a significant phase of our growth from a community originally formed in a very grassroots way, one whose ethos has always been that of an un-organization. It gave us the opportunity to convene once a year and explore topics in interaction design curated from the perspective of a particular place in the world, each year a different locale. And from this effort we have an astounding library of videos documenting the evolution of our practice. But that time has come to a close. Interaction design in Mumbai is not the same as interaction design in Santiago or Tokyo: Local Groups are essential to convening the unique types of conversations that give practitioners the space to explore what design is in different places and contexts.
Local Groups are also what allow us to navigate an increasingly complex and unsettled world. The weaving of social fabric in our community has brought us closer to meaning, sense-making, and wisdom. This brings to mind Manish Jain’s essay on neighboring, and the word that he shares to inscribe the importance of smallness: mujaawarah. He writes, “What characterizes a mujaawarah most is that there is no authority within and no authority from outside. It is autonomous, but in constant interaction with other mujaawarahs, with mutual nurturing and support.”
IxDA has always been a trans-local mujaawarah, and will continue to be.
We look forward to seeing you all again soon, in the same small, humble, energizing, local-chapter-run* events that encapsulate the IxDA essence so well.
*Find your Local Group here, and upcoming events here.
The future is community
As we sign off, we are hopeful and excited for what comes next. We see your energy, dedication, care, commitment, support, and love. This is a challenging time for design—as a practice, but also for the world in general. We believe that what you have created, in your loose networks of nurturing and support, is critical to the evolution of interaction design.
That’s what community is for.
One more thing! A thank you list…
Before I sign off, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to the members of the community who put in the time, thought, and effort to weather out this last phase with me.
Gilles Demarty, Amanda Lim, Boon Yew Chew
I am astounded by your commitment, care, and support. Gilles for wrangling everything tech-related and always being available, Amanda for the brilliant craft with words and moments of levity, and Boon for the deep care and tending for the Interaction 24 ticket holders. This could not have happened without the three of you. I am eternally grateful for you. From the depth of my heart, thank you.
Ana Domb…
Thank you for being a steadfast presence, a thought partner, a lawyer wrangler, and an emotional roller coaster buddy. You have been amazing, and never blinked an eye. With deepest gratitude, thank you.
and Birgit Geiberger
Thank you both for being an ongoing connection to the community, for helping coordinate town halls, and for your continued support.
Lou Rosenfeld
For always checking in (really, how do you do that?), the encouraging words, the empathetic ear, and for always caring about what is best for the community. Thank you.
CJ Hostetter, Keith Instone, Thorsten Jonas, Alex Livingstone
Thank you for pushing us for transparency and accountability around Interaction 24, for asking the tough questions, and for meaningful dialogue. During a very challenging time, these were important conversations to be having, and you showed up with honesty, transparency, and courage.
Automattic
You have been absolutely amazing partners. From the start of our collaboration, you have helped us: set the foundations for the next phase of the community, streamline our operational costs, and find an amazing home to archive 15 years of amazing conferences. You are also lovely to work with! Thank you for everything.
Our Regional Coordinators and Local Leaders
Thank you for your presence, your questions, and your care for the community. You received the news of the challenges we faced with grace, gave voice to what so many were feeling, and inspired us for what the future of IxDA could be. And thank you for your efforts to make Interaction Design Day a reality for 2024.
Our Active Local Groups Around the World
When we announced the news of Global’s dissolution, you rallied. You reminded people of your commitment to community and design, and illuminated a path forward. We continue to see the vibrancy of this network as events continue to be convened around the world. Thank you. The future is yours.
Fredrik Matheson and IxDA Oslo
For shepherding the future of the community.
Lou Rosenfeld, Katja Forbes, Josh Seiden, Brenda Laurel, Tutti Taygerly, Ryan Rumsey, Nick Gould, Mags Hanley, Sami Niemelä, Maria Pereda, Erin Caseli, Jason Mesut, Alex Livingstone, Steve Portigal, Anne Hjortshøj, Birgit Geiberger, Peter Boersma, Boon Yew Chew, Carla Traini, Niklas Mortensen, Helen Keighron, Tim Yeo, Scott Mackie, Josh Silverman, Paula Farla, Debbie Levitt, Laís Kantor Caserta, Doublas Pyle, Satoshi Kikuchi, Tin Kadoic, Jay Dutta and the DesignUp conference team, Kaladhar Bapu
I was astounded at the response to our call for support when we launched the Interaction 24 Ticket Exchange. So many of you immediately stepped up and offered spaces in your workshops, courses, and events. We have such gratitude for each and every one of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
My fellow Board Representatives: Ana Domb, Sami Niemelä, Pablo Honey
This has been an incredibly tough year to work through. Thank you for all your efforts to find ways to keep Global going, and for your support when we realized that path was no longer possible.
With gratitude,
Andrea