NordiCHI 2026 is the premier Nordic conference on Human–Computer Interaction, bringing together researchers, designers, and practitioners from academia and industry. The 2026 conference will be held in Vaasa, Finland, a vibrant coastal city known for its energy expertise and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The theme “Pulse – Exploring the energy that drives us” invites reflection on what powers human–technology interaction, innovation, and societal change – from user experience to systemic transformation.
The Industry Experience Track provides a forum where researchers and industry professionals meet to exchange insights and experiences on applying human-centered design and HCI research in real-world contexts.
The track showcases collaborative projects, practical lessons, and success stories from product development, user experience (UX), service design, design-driven innovation, and technology deployment that demonstrate how human–technology interaction and design thinking create real impact. Contributions may describe use cases, methods, concepts, tools or solutions developed and evaluated in practice.
Accepted submissions will be published in the ACM Digital Library Adjunct Proceedings and presented during the Industry Day (Wednesday, October 7th, 2026) as short talks (approx. 10 minutes + 5 minutes discussion).
Submission Instructions and Schedule
Topics of Interest
We welcome submissions that demonstrate the value of human-centered approaches in applied contexts, including but not limited to:
- UX and service design in industry
- Design-driven innovations
- Applying design thinking in industry
- Human–AI collaboration and automation
- Accessibility and inclusive design practices
- Design for sustainability and wellbeing
- Health technology, robotics, and care innovations
- Human factors in industrial and digital transformation
- Data-driven design and evaluation
- Collaboration between academia and industry
- Scenario-based regulatory foresight and simulation
- Human–in–the–Loop in design
- Twin technologies in human-computer interaction: digital, virtual, composite twin in AR/VR technologies
Submission Format
Submissions should be written in English and follow the template (see submission guidelines). Each contribution should take the form of an extended abstract of 2–4 pages, including references. The review process will be single-blind (no anonymisation), meaning that author names and affiliations are visible to reviewers. The submissions will follow similar standards than in previous proceedings (see e.g., Proceedings of the NordiCHI´18: Practitioners and Industry Experience). Accepted papers will be published in the ACM Digital Library Adjunct Proceedings of NordiCHI 2026.
ACM Open
Content in this track will be published under ACM Open Access as an “Extended Abstract” article type. Extended Abstract article types will not be charged an Article Processing Charge (APC) for open access. For more information about which article types are subject to an APC, see the ACM article types summary.
Review Process
The selection process is run by a panel of experts. The panel members represent international HCI scholars and industry experts. Each submission will be reviewed by two panel members, and decided upon in terms of acceptance according to novelty, quality, and contribution to HCI practice or research.
Important Dates (Anywhere on Earth)
- Submission deadline: April 23, 2026
- Notification of acceptance: June 30, 2026
- Camera-ready deadline: August 7, 2026
- Conference: October 3–7, 2026 (Industry Day: October 7)
Submission Site
Submissions will be handled through the Precision Conference System.
Participation and Audience
Industry Experience sessions are designed for companies, designers, developers, strategists, and applied researchers interested in human-centered innovation and collaboration. The track aims to foster dialogue between academia and industry, highlighting practical perspectives that complement the academic program.
Why Participate?
Participating in the Industry Experience Track is a great way to connect with peers from industry and academia, share your work with the Nordic HCI community, and learn from others across different sectors. It is a chance to explore new approaches to human-technology interaction, gain insights into broader topics like product strategy and business model innovation, and prepare for what is ahead.
Accepted contributions gain international visibility through publication in the ACM Digital Library and become part of the ongoing dialogue between research and industry practice that defines the NordiCHI spirit.
Chairs
Ville Vakkuri, University of Vaasa, ville.vakkuri@uwasa.fi
Katja Sirviö, University of Vaasa, katja.sirvio@uwasa.fi
Heini Pensar, University of Vaasa, heini.pensar@uwasa.fi
Timo Rossi, Jakamo, timo.rossi@thejakamo.com