Blog contribution by NIHD President, Elizabeth Johnson, PhD, MS-CRM, RN
Summer has a way of moving quickly, doesn’t it? One moment we are wrapping up spring commitments, and the next we are packing bags, printing posters, checking flight times, and preparing for another season of conferences, site visits, design tours, and professional gatherings.
Conferences remain one of the strongest drivers of business travel, with nearly two-thirds of business travelers expecting to attend a conference this year. Meetings, conventions, and trade shows generated $126 billion in U.S. travel-related spending in 2024, underscoring what we already know: gathering in person still matters.
Summer also brings crowded airports, compressed schedules, and record-setting passenger volumes, making preparation not just a convenience, but part of professional practice.
As NIHD members travel to conferences and convenings this summer, I encourage you to approach each trip with both intention and curiosity.
Before you go, identify one person you want to meet, one session that may stretch your thinking, and one question you want to carry into the experience.
Conferences can be overwhelming, but they become more meaningful when we treat them as opportunities for purposeful connection rather than simply packed agendas.
A few travel tips for the road:
Schedule breathing room. It is tempting to attend everything, but thoughtful engagement requires space. Protect time to reflect, follow up, walk the host city, or visit a local healthcare, civic, or cultural environment.
Some of the best ideas emerge from observing how people move through unfamiliar places.
One of my favorite travel habits is to immediately pick up local newspapers or listen to local radio stations when I arrive. It is a simple way to discover events, markets, stories, and experiences that might otherwise be missed.
Follow up quickly. A brief note within a week of meeting someone can turn a conference introduction into a meaningful collaboration. Share an article, invite a future conversation, or simply thank them for the exchange.
This is also a good time to make sure your LinkedIn profile is current, easy to find, and reflective of the work you want others to know.
Represent the mission. Whether you are presenting, listening, networking, or mentoring, remember that NIHD’s voice matters.
We bring a distinctive commitment to healthcare design as a human-centered and interdisciplinary practice. Every conversation is an opportunity to make that commitment visible.
Most importantly, travel with curiosity. Notice where people gather, where they wait, where they feel welcomed, and where systems could be better designed.
These observations are the raw material of design leadership. When woven together, they can inspire better products, better processes, and better places of care.
