NINE SESSIONS FIRST-TIMERS SHOULD NOT MISS

Seventy-two sessions is a lot to choose from when you have never been. So the crew — ushers, hosts, the coffee team — voted for the nine they would drag a friend to. No spoilers, just the shortlist.

START WITH THE ROOM, NOT THE FAMOUS NAME

The main stage holds two thousand people and the energy to match. The workshop floor holds forty and the smell of fresh cardboard. First-timers consistently rate the small rooms higher — book one workshop per day the moment sign-up opens, then build the rest of your day around it.

THE CREW'S SHORTLIST

• Greetings mixer (day one, 9 AM) — arrive early, leave with lunch plans
• Craft of Design teardown — the session veterans quote all year
• Vision of Design — one idea, sketch to launch, in an hour
• Prototype Live — you will get your hands dirty, dress accordingly
• Mentor tables — bring one specific question, not your life story
• Portfolio Clinic — bring the PDF, leave with a punch-list
• Backstage Pass fireside — the funniest hour of the weekend
• Closing party — do not skip this, nobody ever forgives it
• The quiet room — not a session, but the mezzanine breather that saves afternoons

ONE LAST TIP

Eat lunch with strangers. The tables seat eight, the food is good, and every regular we interviewed met their favourite collaborator over those trays. Say hello first — everyone is pretending to check their phone anyway.

First-timersGuideWorkshops