Doug Jackson, founder of consultancy 2md based in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, has been announced as a speaker at BarCamp Belfast 2025, taking place on September 26 at the Oh Yeah Centre in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.
Building on Andy McMillan’s 2009 success, organisers Marty Neill (of AirPOS Pay & Retro Rooms) and Jennie Wallace (Beyond Skin) have brought the captivating day to fruition alongside the event’s headline sponsors Options Technologies, AirPOS Pay, Infinity 21, The Alchemists Forum, Morrow Communications and media partner Excalibur Press.
This year’s BarCamp will feature 17 sessions across two stages, covering topics as diverse as how to retire in ten years, using AI in PR, accessibility in design, generative coding, neurodiversity and email marketing.
Doug’s talk, titled “The Increased Need for Critical Thinking in the Age of AI”, will examine when artificial intelligence should and should not be used during business change. Attendees can expect an interactive session that challenges participants to consider the role of critical thinking in transformation, while exploring architecture as an aid to better decision-making. The workshop will encourage the audience to apply critical analysis in determining when AI genuinely adds value and when human-led reasoning is essential.
The session will give audiences the chance to understand the key elements of critical thinking, explore how architecture can act as a decision-making tool, identify when AI should be used in the business change lifecycle, and learn how to mitigate risks when relying on AI.
Doug said: “The promise of interactivity and collaboration attracted me to BarCamp. As I understand my role as presenter, my job is to frame the topic, but hopefully it is the participation from everyone in the room that will provide meaningful learning for everyone, including me.
“I am fascinated by the concept. Studies have shown that we learn more if we are engaged with the subject. The BarCamp format should bring more constructive engagement from everyone in the room.”
BarCamp Belfast co-organiser Marty Neill welcomed Doug’s contribution. Marty said: “With tech and entrepreneurial culture now very much shifting towards working from home we felt it was more important than ever to get the community together and Belfast Tech Week looked like the perfect time to do it.
“We are hoping that some of the older heads from the original events will rub shoulders with the new generation of makers and builders, transferring knowledge, making contacts and hopefully sharing some collective wisdom over a pint or two.”
Following last year’s success, BarCamp Belfast has returned with an eclectic mix of founders, developers, creatives, and industry experts sharing their knowledge in an open, informal environment. Admission is free, with attendees encouraged to drop in throughout the day, listen to talks, or even deliver one themselves.
For more information about #BelfastBarCamp2025 and to register for the September 26 event, go to barcampbelfast.com.
