Tangerang, 28 November – At the DT|UX Summit 2025, BINUS University, in collaboration with Singapore Polytechnic, hosted the event for the first time from November 25-28 at Alam Sutera, focusing on “Advancing Innovation through Humanity-Centred Design (HCD+) in Indonesia and Asia” to reaffirmed higher education\’s commitment to driving innovation, promoting inclusive design, and strengthening regional collaboration via the HCD+ framework in the region.  

(Photo Credit: Mufti Warits)

Indonesia’s vibrant creative and digital innovation landscape further underscores the relevance of hosting the summit at BINUS University. The country’s creative economy has surpassed Rp1,500 trillion (around USD 94 billion) and supported more than 26 million workers, demonstrating its position as one of the region’s most dynamic economic engines (ANTARA News, 2025).  

“A warm welcome to Prof. Don Norman, widely known as the ‘Father of User Experience (UX)’ , as our honorary speaker. With our strengths in technology, business, and creative fields, BINUS University has long been committed to driving innovation. For more than a decade, we have integrated design thinking into our learning ecosystem as part of our mission to deliver world-class education and create a meaningful impact on society. Thus, our collaboration with Singapore Polytechnic in leading the DT-UX consortium further strengthens this commitment by ensuring that innovation and global partnerships translate into real, tangible benefits for the communities we serve,” stated Dr. Nelly, Rector of BINUS University. 

(Photo Credit: Mufti Warits)

Situated at the center of this thriving ecosystem, our university is well-positioned to facilitate discourse on innovation and human-centered design. In addition to Prof. Norman’s appearance, he added tremendous value to the summit with insights into how his user-centered design philosophy has transformed the design industry, drawing on his deep expertise in human-centered design and usability.   

“I have seen students design programs without fully understanding their purpose, and it worries me and I felt upset to see this. These young talents still focus on understanding the problem but not understanding the people, which leads to solutions that fall short. This is why co-design is so important. It helps us uncover what people truly need. Our job is to guide and empower communities, not dictate answers. When we listen, they reveal what matters most. That’s the meaning of the ‘+’ in Human-Centered Design Plus (HCD+),” explained Prof. Norman during the panel discussion session.  

(Photo Credit: Mufti Warits)

The summit drew strong support from educators, government representatives, industry players, and local communities. Among the leaders present, Dr. Bima Arya, Vice Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, delivered an inspiring keynote message on the importance of public-centered leadership.  

“It’s important for us as the government to include local leaders like mayors, regents, and governors to understand what the public truly needs. That begins with empathy. We need to listen to know what they want and identify the issues that matter most. By learning directly from the community through surveys and conversations, we gain the insights needed to co-create programs. To make these efforts successful, we must collaborate with various partners to strengthen local communities, especially young people who will become our next generation of leaders,” Dr. Bima Arya emphasized during his keynote.  

(Photo Credit: Mufti Warits)

Finally, this summit aims to equip leaders and innovators with future-focused perspectives on sustainable, user-centered, and globally competitive development, offering practical tools for creating intuitive, widely adopted products that are key to innovation, growth, and inclusion. This summit would not be possible without the contributions from Ateneo de Manila University, Symbiosis International University, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology, Ladkrabang, The Design Village, Communication University of China, and Bakrie University.  

 (Words by Mita Adhisti/Editor: Hamzah Ramadhan)