Ep. 16 Why L&D Conferences Need a Total Rethink

The Product Design for Learning Podcast

pdfl - ep16 - show notes

The Future of L&D Conferences: Breaking the Mould with Anamaria Dorgo and Dinye Hernanda

Episode Summary

In Episode 16 of Product Design for Learning, host Greg Arthur is joined by Anamaria Dorgo, Learning and Community Consultant at Handle with Brain, and Dinye Hernanda, Founder and Learning Designer at haus of ilmu. Together, they explore the current state of learning and development (L&D) conferences, discussing what works, what doesn’t, and how a shift towards more participatory, community-led formats could transform the way L&D professionals gather, collaborate, and grow. From personal experiences to organising their own “nonference”, this is a candid, insightful conversation about designing conferences that actually enable learning.

Guest Profile

🎙 Anamaria Dorgo

Role: Learning and Community Consultant at Handle with Brain

Highlights:

• Creator of L&D Shakers, a global community of practice
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• Specialises in learning experience design, social learning, and facilitation
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• Advocate for experimental formats and inclusive peer learning
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🎙 Dinye Hernanda

Role: Founder & Learning Designer at haus of ilmu

Highlights:

• Extensive experience building L&D functions in startups and scale-ups
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• Focuses on leadership development, inclusion, and climate-conscious learning
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• Author of a widely discussed article critiquing conventional L&D conferences
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Key Take-Aways

• Traditional L&D conferences are often passive, overly scripted, and fail to reflect how professionals actually learn.
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• A lack of diversity in voices, especially from practitioners, limits the relevance and impact of many events.
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• Conferences need more participatory design, including workshops, discussions, and collaborative formats.
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• The L&D Shakers Nonference serves as a successful example of flipping the script—centred on co-creation, experimentation, and community energy.
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• The future of L&D events lies in designing for practice, not just performance—highlighting real stories, including failure, and welcoming all levels of experience.
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How Did You First Engage with L&D Conferences?

Dinye Hernanda:

Her first major L&D event was Online Educa Berlin, where she engaged as a speaker, attendee, and behind-the-scenes contributor. While she valued the exposure, she found the experience overly polished and lacking deeper learning impact.

Anamaria Dorgo:

Also attended OEB, describing it as large, impersonal, and not designed for solo attendees. Although it was energising to be among peers, she noticed a lack of deliberate structure to encourage meaningful networking or engagement.

What’s the Current State of Learning Conferences?

Anamaria:

Described most conferences as content-heavy marathons with minimal design for participant interaction. Often overwhelming, with too little reflection space.

Dinye:

Argued that most L&D conferences contradict what L&D professionals themselves advocate: learning isn’t an event. Conferences should embody the principles we preach—yet most don’t.

Where Are We Missing Opportunities?

• There’s a need for more voices from actual practitioners, not just polished presenters or academic experts.
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• Events should allow room for failure stories, real case studies, and unfiltered experiences.
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• Diverse formats—from fishbowls to world cafés—can enrich learning and build genuine community.
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• It’s not just about organisers doing better; attendees also need to show up actively, ready to participate.
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Why Create the L&D Shakers Nonference?

The Nonference emerged from a local L&D Shakers hub in Amsterdam—not from protest, but from curiosity. The community wanted a learning event that felt different, human, and co-created.

Key Features:

• No traditional keynote hierarchy
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• Active design based on experience design principles
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• Collaborative workshops, embodied activities, and creative exercises like a “Learning Museum”
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• A deliberate departure from perfectionism and expert-led narratives
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What Have You Learned Since the Nonference?

• Most attendees loved the fresh format, but some struggled with the lack of direct content delivery.
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• This reflects an industry still anchored to traditional expectations—that learning equals listening.
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• It affirmed the need for more layered, varied conference structures to serve diverse needs.
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What Would Your Ideal Conference Look Like?

Dinye:

Imagines a learning dojo—a space for continuous practice, shared effort, and collective improvement. Where “masters” and “students” are peers and everyone contributes to the experience.

Anamaria:

Points to the Next Learning Conference in the Netherlands as a promising model. With multiple learning tracks, creative spaces, and hands-on activities, it balances commercial needs with genuine participant experience.

What’s the Future of Learning Conferences?

• 10 Years From Now: Possibly little change unless disruption forces it.
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• 20 Years From Now: With new generations and technological acceleration, conferences may be radically different—cross-disciplinary, participatory, and focused on real-world challenges.
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• L&D might not even be called L&D—perhaps a Human Enhancement Department, focused on adaptability and systems-level learning.
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Chapters and Time Stamps

[00:00] – Welcome and Guest Introductions

[01:30] – First Experiences with L&D Conferences

[06:30] – Defining the Current State of L&D Events

[10:40] – Where L&D Conferences Fall Short

[16:00] – Opportunities for Innovation and Inclusion

[28:00] – Birth of the L&D Shakers Nonference

[40:50] – Reflections and Feedback Post-Event

[47:30] – Blending Traditional and Emerging Models

[58:00] – Future Visions for L&D Conferences

[01:07:00] – Final Reflections and Where to Connect

About the Podcast

Product Design for Learning, hosted by Greg Arthur, explores how learning professionals can apply product design thinking to build more effective, engaging, and scalable learning experiences. Each episode blends voices from L&D, design, and strategy, spotlighting real-world challenges and practical solutions.