Description:
Dysarium is the largest non-commercial design conference in Lviv and Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The theme of this year’s event ” Design in difficult Times” addressed how design can improve people’s lives and make them more comfortable. It aimed to provide them with a sense of peace and improve their quality of life for individuals and the cities they live in. It aimed to demonstrate how simple and understandable design can improve everything around them and how it helps even in the most challenging times.

The main goal of Dysarium is to show that actual designers are formed only by those who truly never stop. From those who can say, “I create in difficult times.” Which has become the slogan of the event.

So we brought together the best experts from around the world and Ukraine, talented and courageous designers, to exchange extraordinary cases, experiences and failures we encountered in inclusive and service design, design in the medical field and the public sector, and many other areas.

Cultural context:
In choosing the event’s name, we dared to boldly decide by settling on the Ukrainian word Dysarium. However, preserving cultural context is one of our values, so we unquestionably proceeded down this path.
Therefore, what does Dysarium mean in Ukrainian?

This name is unique because it combines several Ukrainian words. Specifically, it combines two keywords: “Дизайн” (Design) and “Динозаври” (Dinosaurs), which have similar sounds. Additionally, it has a characteristic Ukrainian ending that brings these two words together. Why did we choose these two words, and what do all these dinosaurs have to do with it?

As we worked on the entire event, we pondered about who we really were for a long time.
So, brainstorming after brainstorming gradually led us to the realization that all of us designers in Ukraine are somewhat like dinosaurs. We could have been stars or ordinary people, but no. And what do we mean by that, you may ask?

We, designers in Ukraine, have achieved everything through our incredible efforts and searches. We are all somewhat self-taught. We didn’t have access to design schools and didn’t have enough literature and information to shape our knowledge. The design progress in Ukraine was happening quite slowly, and quality education only appeared recently. So, like actual dinosaurs, we fought against the realities and time.

We diligently acquired all our knowledge through practice, toughened ourselves, and analyzed and observed. Through hard work, we became designers and grasped design as a whole. Sometimes we feel lost, sometimes we’re stubborn, and we must survive. But we always have one thing left – the ability to fight difficulties and create in these difficult Times.

Brief and design solutions:
As Ukraine is currently experiencing difficult times, we encountered additional challenges due to the present circumstances. The main goal we set for ourselves was to talk about difficult times without the lens of sadness, sorrow, or hopelessness. We aimed to create an event that would inspire moving forward. It would show that despite everything, we are needed and that design thrives in any conditions.

Therefore, we had to balance two edges: to create a bright, engaging design that can truly energize yet present it appropriately in the context of the war in the country. Unfortunately, many moments are triggering and difficult for most Ukrainians right now.

So, we began a deep analysis of what we avoid and, conversely, depict in our design. We completely abandoned black-and-white design, oppressive moments, and aggressive imagery. We realized that difficult times are not about decline but about struggle. Perhaps it is a crazy, strange, and very unstructured struggle, but it is still a struggle. Therefore, with all our appearance, we wanted to convey everything stated above. To show each of us how design saves and fills everything with color and meaning. To show how it can sometimes be foolish, wrong, or senseless. To convey our inner chaos and, at the same time, our thirst for creating something new.

Results:
We indeed achieved something incredible because we organized the event within three months, thanks to a super-inspired team of enthusiasts.

On October 22, 2023, our Dysarium took place, where more than 1,500 participants gathered. We also live-streamed the event, which around 1,000 people watched — this remarkable number of people united by their love for design and everything we create together.

We gathered incredible speakers such as Thierry Brunfaut, Stefan Sagmeister, Vitaly Friedman, Ken Segall and many prestigious Ukrainian names. Meeting people of such caliber was indeed an unforgettable experience for all designers. However, our main achievement is all the feedback we received after the event. So now we are boldly preparing for Dysarium 2024 and genuinely appreciate what we accomplished in 2023.