Experience-First Design Roundtable 2026 in Dubai

About the Experience-First Design Roundtable

What does an organisation actually gain when it designs for experience first? That is the question at the centre of this free evening roundtable in Dubai Design District, hosted by ATÖLYE, the strategic design and innovation consultancy. ATÖLYE has a name for the idea: Return on Experience. The evening explores what that means in practice and why it matters for businesses, brands and public spaces.

ATÖLYE’s CEO, Engin Ayaz, is joined by leaders from experience-led and service-led organisations. Together they will discuss how putting experience first works across three areas, service, brand and space, and how it changes both what gets designed and what lasts.

What to expect

This is a roundtable format, so expect thoughtful conversation rather than a series of slide-heavy presentations. The discussion is set to cover:

• The concept of Return on Experience and how organisations can think about it
• How an experience-first approach plays out across service design, brand and physical space
• How designing for experience changes what gets built
• Why some designed experiences endure while others fade

A detailed agenda was not published at the time of writing. As a tip, evenings like this usually leave time for questions and informal conversation, so it is worth thinking about a challenge from your own work that you would like to raise.

Who it is for

This roundtable will appeal to designers, strategists, brand and marketing leaders, customer experience and service design professionals, architects and interior designers, and founders who care about how their products and spaces feel to use. It is also a good fit for anyone in hospitality, retail or the public sector who is thinking about how to create experiences people genuinely value.

Dubai Design District is home to much of the city’s creative industry, which makes it a natural setting for a conversation like this, and a good place to meet others working in the field.

How to attend

Attendance is free. Register through the official Luma page linked on this listing. Registration does not require approval, so you can confirm your place straight away. The listing gives the location as Dubai Design District without naming a specific building, so do check your confirmation email or the Luma page for exact directions before you set off.

Good to know

• The exact building within d3 is not stated on the public listing. Check your registration details for the precise location.
• No dress code is mentioned. As a tip, smart casual is a sensible choice for an evening industry event in d3.
• As a general tip, d3 has paid parking areas, and taxis drop off easily along the main roads through the district.
• Bring business cards or have your LinkedIn ready. Roundtables tend to attract a focused, senior crowd.