Broken down into two parts, the Guidelines provide speakers with recommendations and actionable items for creating presentations that are accessible, welcoming and inclusive for all attendees, and representative of the diversity within the design industry. The RGD will provide the Guidelines to all event and program speakers.

The creation of the Guidelines was initiated and guided by Kelly Riback-Small RGD with input and feedback from all Diversity and Inclusion Committee Members.

“I have often been disheartened by presentations at major creative events that regularly showcased the same handful of designers from a homogenous population whose examples, advice, lived experience and language did not include or apply to me and so many others,” says Kelly Small RGD. “I am grateful to contribute to the RGD's Diversity & Inclusion Committee to start infusing higher standards of diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility into future creative events. This is the kind of industry leadership that makes me proud to be a member.”

View the Guidelines here or on our policies page.

Share them with your own speakers, presenters and workplace

If your workplace/organization hosts programming or events, the RGD encourages you to share and use these Guidelines to ensure more presentations and programming within the design industry are accessible, inclusive and representative.

Recommendations? The Guidelines were created to be a living document that is updated regularly. Please send any recommendations to .