Using Audience Insight for Impact: A Barbican Immersive Case Study (Early)
2026-05-20 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
What if you could use audience insight to make better creative decisions, and see the results in visitor numbers, ticket sales, and funding?
This session draws on frameworks and research methods from Barbican Immersive, showing how insight shaped their digital arts strategy and fed directly into the development of Feel the Sound and the upcoming In Other Words immersive exhibitions.
What you’ll learn:

Ideas for how to use audience insight to create better experiences.
Confidence that insight delivers results: visitor numbers, ticket revenue, audience reach, funding and touring income.
Inspiration from seeing your work through the audiences eyes.

About Sonia Joao:
Sonia is a Research Director with over two decades of experience helping clients use consumer and audience insight to create brilliant products, brands, content and experiences. Her clients come from Media & Entertainment, FMCG, Arts & Culture and range from Paramount and General Mills, to Barbican and Barbie and everything in between. She is passionate about bringing together diverse insight collaborators to help clients understand their target audiences in eye-opening ways. From audience and brand strategy, to content and production development, to advertising and comms.
In this Campfire, Sonia will bring her experience running research and delivering tangible impact for the Barbican Immersive team over the last three years, delivering research to inform audience strategy, brand positioning, comms, and show development.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

Using Audience Insight for Impact: A Barbican Immersive Case Study (Late)
2026-05-20 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
What if you could use audience insight to make better creative decisions, and see the results in visitor numbers, ticket sales, and funding?
This session draws on frameworks and research methods from Barbican Immersive, showing how insight shaped their digital arts strategy and fed directly into the development of Feel the Sound and the upcoming In Other Words immersive exhibitions.
What you’ll learn:

Ideas for how to use audience insight to create better experiences.
Confidence that insight delivers results: visitor numbers, ticket revenue, audience reach, funding and touring income.
Inspiration from seeing your work through the audiences eyes.

About Sonia Joao:
Sonia is a Research Director with over two decades of experience helping clients use consumer and audience insight to create brilliant products, brands, content and experiences. Her clients come from Media & Entertainment, FMCG, Arts & Culture and range from Paramount and General Mills, to Barbican and Barbie and everything in between. She is passionate about bringing together diverse insight collaborators to help clients understand their target audiences in eye-opening ways. From audience and brand strategy, to content and production development, to advertising and comms.
In this Campfire, Sonia will bring her experience running research and delivering tangible impact for the Barbican Immersive team over the last three years, delivering research to inform audience strategy, brand positioning, comms, and show development.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

High Tech, Low Tech, No Tech: Lessons Learned From 900+ Immersive Experiences (Early)
2026-05-27 09:55 - 11:30 | Zoom
When we talk about immersive experiences, technology can sometimes dominate the conversation.
But after encountering 900+ immersive works across three continents in three years, Katrina noticed a recurring pattern: tech alone doesn’t determine quality.
In this Campfire, she introduces her AURA Framework (Agency, Universe, Resonance, Artistry) – a qualitative lens for thinking about how immersive experiences function and why they land. Rather than scoring or ranking work, AURA offers a shared vocabulary for reflecting on agency, world-building, resonance, and craft.
Whether built with cutting-edge tech or almost none at all, this session offers an experience-first perspective on designing work that holds together and connects with audiences.
Key takeaways:

The AURA Framework (Agency, Universe, Resonance, Artistry) – A practical qualitative lens participants can use to think more clearly about immersive design choices, regardless of scale, budget, or technology.
A clearer distinction between technology and experience quality – A sharper way to identify when tech is adding value versus when it’s compensating for weak design.
Patterns observed across 900+ immersive works – Recurring design strengths and common pitfalls drawn from extensive firsthand experience across formats and contexts.
Language to advocate for experience-led decisions – Clear vocabulary to help teams communicate why certain design choices matter, especially when navigating stakeholder pressure around technology.

About Katrina Lat:
Katrina is a Toronto-based Experience Designer, producer, and client strategist operating at the intersection of creativity + commerce across events, immersive experiences, and cultural programming. She holds an HBA from Ivey Business School.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

High Tech, Low Tech, No Tech: Lessons Learned From 900+ Immersive Experiences (Late)
2026-05-27 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
When we talk about immersive experiences, technology can sometimes dominate the conversation.
But after encountering 900+ immersive works across three continents in three years, Katrina noticed a recurring pattern: tech alone doesn’t determine quality.
In this Campfire, she introduces her AURA Framework (Agency, Universe, Resonance, Artistry) – a qualitative lens for thinking about how immersive experiences function and why they land. Rather than scoring or ranking work, AURA offers a shared vocabulary for reflecting on agency, world-building, resonance, and craft.
Whether built with cutting-edge tech or almost none at all, this session offers an experience-first perspective on designing work that holds together and connects with audiences.
Key takeaways:

The AURA Framework (Agency, Universe, Resonance, Artistry) – A practical qualitative lens participants can use to think more clearly about immersive design choices, regardless of scale, budget, or technology.
A clearer distinction between technology and experience quality – A sharper way to identify when tech is adding value versus when it’s compensating for weak design.
Patterns observed across 900+ immersive works – Recurring design strengths and common pitfalls drawn from extensive firsthand experience across formats and contexts.
Language to advocate for experience-led decisions – Clear vocabulary to help teams communicate why certain design choices matter, especially when navigating stakeholder pressure around technology.

About Katrina Lat:
Katrina is a Toronto-based Experience Designer, producer, and client strategist operating at the intersection of creativity + commerce across events, immersive experiences, and cultural programming. She holds an HBA from Ivey Business School.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

Human Tech Under Martial Law: Lightsticks, Flags, Prepayment & BARAM
2026-06-03 09:55 - 11:30 | Zoom
What do moments of crisis reveal about how people really connect, and how can experience designers learn from it?
On 3 December 2024, South Korea lived through a surreal night: martial law declared, then overturned within hours. What emerged in the streets wasn’t violence – it was K-pop lightsticks, hand-drawn meme flags, and prepaid cups of warm coffee left for strangers.
Drawing on decades of experience research and his own witness of Korea’s recent political upheaval, Jooseok explores these fragile, powerful “human technologies” and what they teach us about designing experiences that make room for people to become the protagonists.
Key takeaways:

A backstage context-mapping method for any audience.
A reusable way to map the “hidden layers” behind behaviour – from 1980–90s democracy movements to 2002 World Cup streets, 2016 candlelight protests and the 2024–25 “revolution of light”. You’ll leave with questions you can use to surface your own city’s historical layers before you design.
A lens for reading symbols as human tech, not props.
How to treat K-pop lightsticks, meme flags, and prepaid cups of warm coffee as serious interfaces for emotion, identity and care – and how to run the same analysis on the objects, memes, and habits your audiences already bring from home.
Design prompts for when people refuse to follow the script.
Concrete prompts to redesign one current project so it anticipates where people will really move: from staying home to coming out, from standing still to studying under streetlights, from consuming to organising heated buses and late-night snacks for strangers.
A pattern library for bottom-up solidarity hacks.
Transferable patterns from Korea’s winter nights – from foil-blanket “Kisses” cheering squads to anonymous donors sending heated buses – that you can adapt to festivals, museums, cities and brands without copying the politics.
A sharper definition of “human tech” for experience makers.
A way to distinguish between digital tools and the human technologies of time, risk and shared belief – plus a closing question set you can use with your team: “Where will we let people become the protagonists here?”

About Jooseok Oh:
Jooseok Oh is a Seoul-based Experience Orchestrator, self-described Neo Polymath, and founder of BARAM Experience. With thirty years across branding and organisational consulting, he has built his practice around a single conviction: that connecting Brand Experience, Customer Experience, and Employee Experience requires not just strategy, but orchestration.
He holds two doctoral degrees but stays firmly in the field, working as a Fractional CXO partner across tech, luxury, content, education, and public sectors – using data to set direction and humanities to move people. His work helps leaders translate brand purpose into designed encounters that last.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

From TikTok to Toyota: How Measurement Can Grow & Protect Event Budgets
2026-06-03 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
Events are always at risk when marketing budgets are under scrutiny.
In this Campfire, event strategist Dax Callner will reveal how global brands from Toyota to TikTok use data to defend and grow their investment in events.
You’ll get actionable tools and insights to help you establish measurable goals, collect credible data and present compelling event reports.
Key takeaways:
• Clear insight on the metrics that matter most
• How to work with stakeholders to establish measurable objective
• Actionable strategies for collecting credible data
• Approaches to build compelling event reports
Who should attend:
• Marketers
• Strategists
About Dax Callner:
Dax Callner is an event and experiential marketing strategist with over 25 years experience, supporting clients like Amazon, TikTok, Vodafone, Google, Toyota, HSBC, Meta, KPMG, Bayer, P&G and many others.
He is also the founder and president of the Event Marketing Measurement Association, a nonprofit focused on helping our industry thrive through measurement standards and education.
In his spare time, Dax also makes music.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

Invitation to Play: How Gaming Experiences Drive Fandom (Early)
2026-06-10 09:55 - 11:30 | Zoom
Today’s guests don’t just want to be entertained – they want to play with the worlds they love.

From Netflix House to year-round horror attractions, the most talked‑about brands are borrowing straight from gaming: multi-level engagement, shared missions, and communities that feel more like squads than audiences.
In this Campfire, Ashley shows how gaming principles – honed in live experiences like Brawl Stars: Welcome To Starr Park – can transform any attraction, pop‑up, or touring experience into a living fandom engine.
You’ll learn how to design moments that invite guests to play together, not just pass through, and how to measure success in terms of belonging, not just bodies through the door.
Come ready to steal from gaming in the best way possible.
Key takeaways:

A Multi‑Level Engagement Map: A plug‑and‑play framework to design for casual guests, engaged fans, and super-fans in the same experience – so there’s always a next level to climb.
A Shared Experiences Toolkit: Practical prompts to answer “What do our guests actually do together?” and turn passive scenes into memorable, co-created moments people talk about later.
An Actionable Pilot Plan: A clear first step for testing these ideas in your next event, pop‑up, or touring experience—without needing a blockbuster budget or a total redesign.

WXO members: This session will not be recorded. One you probably won’t want to miss!
About Ashley Jex Wagner:
With over 20 years in brand marketing and live entertainment, Ashley has guided teams crafting award-winning experiences for beloved franchises like Rick and Morty, Powerpuff Girls, Steven Universe, League of Legends, VALORANT, and more.
Ashley is thrilled to be at Supercell Games translating the worlds of Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars, and more into real world adventures. She specializes in connecting fans to the stories they love through unexpected moments that foster community and drive new revenue.
From founding the Adult Swim Festival to launching viral campaigns for the legendary Beatles and indie acts like LCD Soundsystem, her work pushes the boundaries of creativity and executional excellence.
Ashley is always curious about what’s next. By leveraging emerging technologies, she enhances immersive storytelling to maximize impact. Ashley inspires teams with a clear vision, driving collective success while uplifting one another.
As she says: “Let’s create the impossible together.”

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

Invitation to Play: How Gaming Experiences Drive Fandom (Late)
2026-06-10 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
Today’s guests don’t just want to be entertained – they want to play with the worlds they love.

From Netflix House to year-round horror attractions, the most talked‑about brands are borrowing straight from gaming: multi-level engagement, shared missions, and communities that feel more like squads than audiences.
In this Campfire, Ashley shows how gaming principles – honed in live experiences like Brawl Stars: Welcome To Starr Park – can transform any attraction, pop‑up, or touring experience into a living fandom engine.
You’ll learn how to design moments that invite guests to play together, not just pass through, and how to measure success in terms of belonging, not just bodies through the door.
Come ready to steal from gaming in the best way possible.
Key takeaways:

A Multi‑Level Engagement Map: A plug‑and‑play framework to design for casual guests, engaged fans, and super-fans in the same experience – so there’s always a next level to climb.
A Shared Experiences Toolkit: Practical prompts to answer “What do our guests actually do together?” and turn passive scenes into memorable, co-created moments people talk about later.
An Actionable Pilot Plan: A clear first step for testing these ideas in your next event, pop‑up, or touring experience—without needing a blockbuster budget or a total redesign.

WXO members: This session will not be recorded. One you probably won’t want to miss!
About Ashley Jex Wagner:
With over 20 years in brand marketing and live entertainment, Ashley has guided teams crafting award-winning experiences for beloved franchises like Rick and Morty, Powerpuff Girls, Steven Universe, League of Legends, VALORANT, and more.
Ashley is thrilled to be at Supercell translating the worlds of Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars, and more into real world adventures. She specializes in connecting fans to the stories they love through unexpected moments that foster community and drive new revenue.
From founding the Adult Swim Festival to launching viral campaigns for the legendary Beatles and indie acts like LCD Soundsystem, her work pushes the boundaries of creativity and executional excellence.
Ashley is always curious about what’s next. By leveraging emerging technologies, she enhances immersive storytelling to maximize impact. Ashley inspires teams with a clear vision, driving collective success while uplifting one another.
As she says: “Let’s create the impossible together.”

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

Impactful Experiences: The Unexpected and the Memorable
2026-06-17 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
What do we value more as a society: moments or memories?
Experiences define our lives and when we come together across cultures and communities, we’re able to grow in numerous ways. Today, with rapidly evolving technology and consumer expectations, experiences can be more diverse, integrated and convergent than ever before.
Amidst this convergence, designers are able to orchestrate full ecosystems through live engagement, digital access and physical environments to evoke curiosity and emotion while shaping indelible and unforgettable lifelong memories.
In this session, Barbara Bouza will share insights from her global journey of discovery, impossibilities and storytelling – from Disney to the world’s leading architecture firms – to help designers reimagine their approaches to experience design as they bring joy, surprise and memory to society.
Key takeaways:

Insights from a global journey of discovery, impossibilities and storytelling
Why connected experiences bring people together
Consumer expectations and design

About Barbara Bouza:
Barbara Bouza is CannonDesign’s Executive Director – LIVE, WORK, PLAY and the former President of Walt Disney Imagineering.
Her career stands out through her consistent ability to fuse storytelling with technology and design, creating some of the most memorable and immersive destinations across the globe.
Barbara is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and serves on the SCI-Arc Board of Trustees and Fast Company’s Impact Council.
Barbara holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and studied in the Graduate Design Program at the Architectural Association, London with Ron Herron, Archigram and Jan Kaplicky, Future Systems.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

The Unstoppable Rise of Functional Experiences
2026-06-18 18:00 - 21:00 | The Lightroom, Pixel Artworks, 14 St John's Square, London, EC1M 4AH, United Kingdom
What if the most powerful experiences don’t just entertain us but change how we feel, think, and act?
​Join WXO and Pixel Artworks for a special IRL Campfire exploring Functional Experiences: an emerging shift in the Experience Economy where immersive design, technology, sound, space, and storytelling are used not just for spectacle, but for lasting human impact.
​Hosted at the The Lighthouse, this intimate industry gathering will bring together experience professionals to explore how brands and creators can design experiences that outlast the moment – from spatial audio and sensory environments to transformative, wellbeing-led and behaviour-shifting encounters.
​Expect a thought-provoking discussion, examples from the cutting edge of experiential design, and plenty of time to connect with the WXO community inside Pixel Artworks’ immersive studio.
​Read more about the ‘The Unstoppable Rise Of Brain-Boosting “Functional Experiences‘.
​Speakers:

​James Wallman, Founder, WXO
​Miranda Pincott, Managing Partner, Pixel Artworks
​More TBC

Want to come along?
It’s free to attend. Head to https://luma.com/n1yf0zv4 to RSVP
—————–
Details:

When: Thursday, June 18, 2026 | 18:00-21:00 BST
Where: The Lighthouse, Pixel Artworks, 14 St John’s Sq, London EC1M 4AH

The Story Codex: A New Framework for Narrative in Experiences (Early)
2026-07-01 09:55 - 11:30 | Zoom
Why are immersive storytellers still using tools built for film and TV?
Designed by Professor of Dramatic Writing at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Abigail Taylor-Sansom, The Story Codex is a new narrative framework designed specifically for immersive storytelling – equally suited to linear, branching, and open-world experiences. It is built to empower collaborators across disciplines, writers and non-writers alike, to shape the narrative design of an experience.
This Campfire will open your eyes to the urgent need for new narrative tools that are designed specifically for immersive storytelling.
Key takeaways:

A new definition of “story” as not a linear plot and cast of characters, but a collection of rules and why this shift changes how you approach narrative design.
A practical introduction to the Story Codex method of developing stories as rule sets, with ideas for how to adapt it to your own projects.

About Abigail Taylor-Sansom:
Abigail is a Professor of Dramatic Writing at SCAD and a writer with a passion for work that is immersive, inventive, and above all, entertaining. Her career spans an eclectic range of creative adventures – travelling cross-country by train as an Amtrak Writer in Residence, showrunning murder mystery games for Hunt A Killer, and crafting boundary-breaking XR experiences with UNSHUT.
She has also made magic as a Walt Disney Imagineer, bringing the craft and storytelling standards of one of the world’s most celebrated creative institutions to everything she does.
Today, she channels that expertise into the next generation of storytellers at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), teaching writing for immersive and interactive media on the SCADnow virtual campus. Her students have gone on to roles at Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, HBO Max, Amazon MGM, Lucasfilm, FX, Tyler Perry Studios, and beyond.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

The Story Codex: A New Framework for Narrative in Experiences (Late)
2026-07-01 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
Why are immersive storytellers still using tools built for film and TV?
Designed by Professor of Dramatic Writing at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Abigail Taylor-Sansom, The Story Codex is a new narrative framework designed specifically for immersive storytelling – equally suited to linear, branching, and open-world experiences. It is built to empower collaborators across disciplines, writers and non-writers alike, to shape the narrative design of an experience.
This Campfire will open your eyes to the urgent need for new narrative tools that are designed specifically for immersive storytelling.
Key takeaways:

A new definition of “story” as not a linear plot and cast of characters, but a collection of rules and why this shift changes how you approach narrative design.
A practical introduction to the Story Codex method of developing stories as rule sets, with ideas for how to adapt it to your own projects.

About Abigail Taylor-Sansom:
Abigail is a Professor of Dramatic Writing at SCAD and a writer with a passion for work that is immersive, inventive, and above all, entertaining. Her career spans an eclectic range of creative adventures – travelling cross-country by train as an Amtrak Writer in Residence, showrunning murder mystery games for Hunt A Killer, and crafting boundary-breaking XR experiences with UNSHUT.
She has also made magic as a Walt Disney Imagineer, bringing the craft and storytelling standards of one of the world’s most celebrated creative institutions to everything she does.
Today, she channels that expertise into the next generation of storytellers at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), teaching writing for immersive and interactive media on the SCADnow virtual campus. Her students have gone on to roles at Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, HBO Max, Amazon MGM, Lucasfilm, FX, Tyler Perry Studios, and beyond.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25
