Queensland’s largest digital innovation festival, Something Digital, is calling on businesses and attendees to prioritise inclusivity in their digital activities.
The event will take place from 27-28 August this year and promises to be even bigger than last year’s event, which saw more than 750 participants from over 200 organisations.
Among the guests will be Meta’s Accessibility Research Lead, Dr Yao Ding.
Ding said the tech industry must recognise and address this growing need by designing products and services that are accessible to all.
“Designing for accessibility isn’t just a social responsibility—it’s a business imperative,” he said.
“By designing products and services that are accessible, companies can tap into a massive market, benefiting consumers with disabilities who wield considerable spending power…”
Nadine Zrinzo, co-founder of Something Digital, said Ding’s session will force attendees to rethink accessibility and its potential to drive business success.
“We are thrilled to have Yao Ding at this year’s festival. His insights into accessibility will be invaluable to our attendees looking to integrate more inclusive practices into their work. As technology evolves, so must our approach to inclusivity,” she said.
In addition to Ding’s session, the Designing for Inclusion block will feature discussions on maintaining intellectual property rights and data sovereignty for First Nations people and will also tackle the critical question of whether current technological advancements are amplifying inclusion or inadvertently automating inequality.
“We want to challenge our attendees to rethink their approach to accessibility,” Zrinzo said.
“We’re looking forward to bringing together the digital ecosystem to learn, network, collaborate and celebrate the great innovations found right here in our backyard.”
For more information and to book tickets, visit the Something Digital website.