Camp Digital returns with focus on ethical AI & inclusion

Camp Digital, the annual conference on human-centred design and technology, will return to Manchester for its 14th year with an agenda focused on ethical tech, AI and inclusive design.

The event will take place at the Royal Northern College of Music and is expected to draw practitioners from the public sector, charities, agencies and industry. Organisers describe it as a forum for discussing how technology shapes services and user experiences.

This year's talks will cover responsible technology, accessibility and inclusion, and the role of data and AI in public services. The programme also includes sessions on creativity in digital work, participation in design, and optimistic approaches during periods of rapid change.

Speakers include Dan Barrett, Head of Data and AI at Citizens Advice, and Laura Yarrow, Head of Design at GOV.UK. They will discuss the practical use of data and AI in a national charity, and the role of playfulness and creativity in complex environments.

A wider line-up has also been confirmed. Ethical technologist Rachel Coldicutt, founder of Careful Industries, is due to speak on technology and society and what she calls the need for "hopeful technologists".

Himal Mandalia, described by organisers as a digital transformation leader, will focus on organisational change and the risk of burnout. Award-winning game designer Dan Hett will speak on creativity and experimentation in digital culture.

Public service focus

Several sessions will reflect work in difficult operational contexts, including a talk referencing service delivery linked to the Ukrainian resettlement response. Another session will look at cross-disciplinary collaboration in healthcare design, which often spans product design, clinical needs and service constraints.

The event's themes reflect a wider shift in the UK's digital sector. Public bodies and charities are increasingly expected to adopt data-driven methods while maintaining trust and accountability. At the same time, accessibility and inclusion have become central to service design as organisations seek to reach people with different needs, devices and levels of digital confidence.

Lightning talks

Camp Digital will again run lightning talks in partnership with 300 Seconds, giving speakers a short slot to present ideas. Organisers say the sessions aim to increase visibility for people from underrepresented groups and those early in their careers.

The conference will also continue its Rising Stars programme, which provides funded tickets for students, educators and early-career professionals. The initiative is part of an effort to widen participation in a sector that faces ongoing questions about representation and access to professional networks.

Accessibility measures

Accessibility will feature in both the content and the event set-up. Sessions will address inclusive practice in digital products and team culture. The conference will include live captioning throughout, and organisers say the venue and programme will be fully accessible.

Camp Digital is organised by Nexer Digital, an agency founded in 2007 and formerly known as Sigma. It works across research, design and development in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in the UK and internationally.

Nexer Digital is part of the Sweden-headquartered Nexer Group, which has more than 2,300 employees globally. Its clients include NHS England, AstraZeneca and the Department for Education.

Ahead of the event, Nexer Digital Managing Director Hilary Stephenson described the conference as a place for open discussion about how digital services are conceived and built.

"Camp Digital has always been about bringing people together to share ideas openly and learn from one another. In a time of rapid change, it's more important than ever to create space for thoughtful, human-centred conversations about how we design and build digital services," said Hilary Stephenson, Managing Director, Nexer Digital.

She also linked the programme to wider issues across the sector.

"This year's event reflects the challenges and opportunities facing our sector, from AI and data to inclusion and ethics, but also the need for hope, creativity and collaboration in how we move forward," Stephenson said.