Erik Dahl

Erik Dahl is an independent designer, researcher, and strategist based in Grand Rapids, MI, USA. His background in anthropology, semiotics and human-computer interaction help him make sense of complex situations and create meaningful interactions and experiences for his clients and their customers.Erik’s work has covered websites, applications, products, wearables, environments, and services across domains from personal electronics, military, financial, medical, industrial robotics, farming and agriculture, education, and cooking.

Erik has particular interest in ethnographic research, information visualisation, embodied interactions, emotions, and product strategy. His clients have ranged from small startups to Fortune 500 companies, including companies like Yaskawa Robotics, Panasonic, General Dynamics, Case New Holland, Select Sires, Target, Extole and Bluebox among others.While Erik was at MAYA Design in Pittsburgh, he helped develop the initial Human Centered Design curriculum that became the core of what is now the Luma Institute.

Erik has spoken and run workshops around the world at Interaction, UX Week, MidwestUX, IA Summit, EuroIA, UX Lisbon, among others, on topics ranging from general theory and practice, ethnography, research, culture, embodied interactions, and Arduino.In 2010, Erik co-founded the MidwestUX conference, an intimate, regional UX conference creating a space for distributed design practitioners to form connections at a human scale.

In 2018, he finished serving a 2-year term as President of the Interaction Design Association (IxDA), where he has previously served as a Board Member and Local Leader.

Mitsu K. Shah

Mitsu is a multidisciplinary designer from India with a strong foundation in both Interaction Design and Product Design. Her experience spans a wide range of design disciplines, including product development, research, design strategy, UX/UI design, visual design, system design, space design, and even game design!

Mitsu graduated with a degree in Product Design from the prestigious National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad, India, and further honed her skills, graduating with honours from the Interaction Design Programme at Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID).

Mitsu is a passionate advocate for hands-on design exploration and believes in the power of prototyping to bring ideas to life. She champions the concept of "learning through play" and designs with a focus on creating fun and engaging experiences and interactions.

Mitsu's extensive experience allows her to tailor design principles to various projects and industries. Her vast skillset makes her a valuable asset, guiding teams towards creating impactful products and experiences.

When not designing, Mitsu finds balance in activities like yoga, long walks, and being in nature. She enjoys hand-lettering notes, sending postcards and connecting with people through her creative pursuits.