Three-Country Conference 2026: Embracing Transformation Together

Around 80 technical communication professionals from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland gathered at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in Winterthur on June 26 for this year’s Three-Country Conference. Under the theme "Lost in Transformation – Transformative Competencies: Interactive, Integrated and Innovative", the event explored how technical communicators can actively shape change and prepare for the future of the profession. The conference was jointly organized by Tecom Schweiz, tekom Österreich, and the tekom Deutschland regional groups Bodensee, Alb-Donau, Baden, and Stuttgart, with Tecom Schweiz taking the lead this year.

The Three-Country Conference has become a well-established tradition that brings together members from across the three neighboring countries for a day of professional exchange, collaborative learning, and networking. This year's host city, Winterthur, provided a vibrant backdrop as the conference coincided with the city's annual Albanifest, filling the streets with a lively atmosphere despite the summer heat.

A practical start in the Usability Lab

For the first time, attendees arriving the day before could join a special pre-event at the ZHAW Usability Lab. The interactive session offered fascinating insights into usability testing and eye-tracking methods, demonstrating how digital products are evaluated to ensure they are intuitive and easy to use. Attendees also had the opportunity to design and conduct their own usability tests in small groups before analyzing the recorded results together.

Understanding transformation through future skills

The conference program was moderated by Birgit Fuhrmann (ZHAW/Tecom Schweiz) and Christopher Rechtien (kothes). Building on the themes of artificial intelligence and the Future Skills Framework that shaped the previous two conferences, this year's program focused on the competencies needed to successfully navigate transformation within technical communication.

The opening session connected last year's work on Future Skills with the realities of organizational change, setting the stage for a day dedicated to exploring how individuals and organizations can respond to ongoing transformation.

Interactive workshops and collaborative learning

Rather than focusing on traditional presentations, the conference centered on interactive workshops that encouraged attendees to actively contribute their own experiences and perspectives. Working in groups, they explored competencies such as resilience, systems thinking, innovation, sustainability, ambiguity competence, and visionary thinking while developing practical approaches to current challenges facing the profession.

At the end of the workshop sessions, each group presented its key findings in concise three-minute pitches. The format enabled attendees to gain insights into all workshop topics and sparked lively discussions about future developments in technical communication.

More than a conference

The Three-Country Conference has always been about more than professional learning. It also provides an opportunity to strengthen the technical communication community across borders. Throughout the day, attendees exchanged ideas, shared experiences, and expanded their professional networks.

Thanks to the generous support of numerous long-standing sponsors, attendees enjoyed several highlights, including an afternoon ice cream break that was particularly welcome on one of the hottest days of the year. The traditional prize draw rounded off the conference before many attendees continued their conversations during the evening networking dinner, another valued tradition of the event.

Looking ahead

The success of the Three-Country Conference once again demonstrated the value of cross-border collaboration within the technical communication community. Our sincere thanks go to the entire organizing team led by Tecom Schweiz, the moderators, workshop facilitators, sponsors, and everyone who contributed to making the event such an inspiring and engaging experience.

We are already looking forward to continuing this tradition when the Three-Country Conference returns to Germany in 2027.