7 Experiences Summit
Schedule
A three-day academic and professional conference on experience design, opening Tuesday evening with keynotes from industry and academia and running through Thursday afternoon. Each day pairs research findings with hands-on workshops on related themes — from transformative and place-based experience to AI, audience insight, organizational culture, and sport — including a JUMP experiential session, and deep dives into Temple Square's Visitor's Center and Humanitarian Center with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Day 1 — Tuesday, October 27
| Time | Session | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 2:00 p.m. | Conference Check-in | |
| 4:00 p.m. | Opening Keynote Bob Rossman—Author— "Designing Experiences" |
|
| 5:00 p.m. | Reception | |
| 6:30 p.m. | Keynote— Virtual Miguel Melgarejo— Principal— COCOLAB International |
Day 2 — Wednesday, October 28
| Time | Session | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 a.m. | Keynote— Virtual Barbara Neuhofer—Salzburg University of Applied Sciences |
|
| 9:45 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:00 a.m. |
Research Sessions 1, 2, & 3 Session 2: The Host's Motivations: An Omotenashi-Based Pathway Through the Experience Types Framework (Peter Ward, Ondřej Mitas) / Belonging by Design: Reimagining the Business School Experience (Courtney Sweet, Erica Miller) Session 3: Thriving by Design: An Experience Design Approach for Sport Psychology (Bryan Ramirez) / Darkitecture: Environmental Storytelling at US Haunted Attractions (Susan Weidmann)— virtual, available online |
Awe-driven, place-based experience research paired with hospitality and belonging frameworks. |
| 11:00 a.m. | Break | |
| 11:15 a.m. |
Workshops — A/B/C B: Storytelling for Social Connection (Mat Duerden, Jamin Rowan) C: Designing Experiences for Gen Z (Mia Thatcher) |
Reflective practice, storytelling, and audience insight as tools for designing connection. |
| 12:15 p.m. | Lunch and Keynote Kirsten Ford—XD Agency |
|
| 1:30 p.m. |
Research Sessions 4, 5, & 6 Session 5: Customizable Experience Design Model (Sandra Goh, Geoff Thatcher) virtual, available online Session 6: Experience Design to Experience Performance (Seth Lieber) / Strangers in Work Clothes (Nigel Scott, Kevin Keene) |
Transformative-experience frameworks, the psychology of liminality and manipulation, and organizational performance systems. |
| 2:30 p.m. | Break | |
| 2:45p.m. |
Workshops — D/E/F E: Human-Centered AI (Jim Anderson, Roman Valentine) F: The Savannah Bananas (Joel Thatcher) |
Applied transformative design and human-centered AI, alongside a case study in authentic organizational growth. |
| 3:45 p.m. | Break | |
| 4:00 p.m. |
Workshops — 90-minute Tracks G/H H: Faith-Based Experience Design (Geoff Thatcher & The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)— available online |
Leadership and educator-facing capstone workshops, and a 90-minute deep dive into faith-based experience design. |
| 5:30 p.m. | Poster Session and Social | |
| 6:00 p.m. | Free Time and Evening Activity |
Day 3— Thursday, October 29
| Time | Session | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 a.m. | Opening Keynote "You're Still Here? The Point of Being an Experience Researcher in the Age of AI" Ondřej Mitas—Breda University of Applied Sciences |
|
| 9:45 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:00 a.m. |
Research Sessions 7 (Virtual) & 8 Session 8: Organizational Virtuousness and Culture: A Sport Employee Perspective (Sean Dahlin) / Hijacking the Hedonic (Ben Robinson) |
Total Experience and transformative-event frameworks, alongside sport and organizational culture research. |
| 11:00 a.m. | Break | |
| 11:15 a.m. |
Workshops — Tracks I/J J: Trauma-Informed Experience Design (Erica Ellsworth Miller)— available online |
An experiential movement session and a leadership-focused workshop, alongside a 50-minute deep dive into the Humanitarian Center. |
| 12:15 p.m. | Lunch | |
| 1:30 p.m. |
Workshops — Tracks K/L/M L: Capitalizing on Niche Audiences: Turning Utah Tourism Research into Actionable Experiences (Rachel Creer, Becky Keeney)— available online M: Bridging Academic Theory and Industry Practice: A Co-design Workshop on Experience ROI/ROX (Camilla Hodge, Kaylee Gwynn) |
A 50-minute deep dive into the Temple Visitor's Center, paired with workshops on psychographic destination marketing and an additional session. |
| 2:30 p.m. | Break | |
| 2: 45 p.m. | Closing Keynote "Beyond 'Strongly Agree': From Showing to Knowing the Value of Experiences" Patti Freeman—Brigham Young University |
|
| 3:30 p.m. | Conference Wrap-up | |
| 4:00 p.m. | Free Time & Evening Activity | |
| 6:30 p.m. | EXDM Alumni Dinner |
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Barbara Neuhofer
Professor of Experience Design, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences
Dr. Barbara Neuhofer is an internationally recognized thought leader in experience design, transformation, and innovation. She is Professor of Experience Design at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, where she founded the Experience Design division. An award-winning researcher and TEDx speaker recognized among the world's top 2% of scientists, she has delivered more than 100 talks worldwide, authored over 70 academic publications, and advised organizations including the European Commission on tourism and digital transformation.
Bob Rossman
Principal Consultant, Leisure Service Consultant
Bob Rossman is an internationally recognized experience designer, author, speaker, and management consultant. As Principal Consultant at Leisure Service Consultant, he helps organizations create meaningful, memorable experiences for their audiences. He is the author of Designing Experiences and the widely used textbook Recreation Programming, now in its eighth edition, and has served as a dean, professor, and department chair at several leading universities.
Kirsten Ford
Director of Strategy, XD Agency
Kirsten Ford is a Director of Strategy at XD Agency, where she turns brand stories into hands-on experiences. As a London School of Economics-trained researcher, she brings a rigorous lens to experience design, grounding creative strategy in a deep understanding of audience behavior and motivation. For the past year, she has focused this lens on brand experiences for the LEGO Group, exploring how the power of play can open our minds to wonder, joy, and learning.
Miguel Melgarejo
Director of Experience Strategy, COCOLAB International
Miguel Melgarejo is a creative strategist, experience designer, and innovation consultant with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations solve complex challenges through human-centered design. As Director of Experience Strategy at COCOLAB International, he leads the development of immersive multimedia experiences across strategy, CX, UX, and audience research. He is also a co-founder of Blobworks and a founding Global Council Member of the World Experience Organization (WXO), applying his expertise to social innovation and world-class entertainment projects.
Dr. Ondřej Mitas
Senior Lecturer & Researcher, Breda University of Applied Sciences
Dr. Ondřej Mitas is a senior lecturer and researcher at Breda University of Applied Sciences studying how leisure and tourism experiences contribute to human happiness and quality of life. His research uses longitudinal, biophysical, and mixed-method approaches to measure positive emotions over time, helping industry leaders, governments, and destinations worldwide make evidence-based decisions. An internationally recognized scholar, he has examined topics ranging from tourist happiness to the effects of photography on travel experiences.
Dr. Patti Freeman
Professor, Department of Experience Design and Management, BYU Marriott School of Business
Dr. Patti Freeman is a Professor in the Department of Experience Design and Management at Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Business, and a leading scholar in experience theory, leisure behavior, and tourism. Her research explores how organizations can intentionally design face-to-face experiences that enhance engagement and meaning. With a Ph.D. in Human Performance from Indiana University and more than two decades at BYU, she has helped build the academic foundation of experience design, including work on flow and what makes experiences memorable.