Impressions 2026

Conference Report: Nordic Techkomm Copenhagen, 2026

Networking Event: Getting the Conversation Started

Before the official opening, tekom Danmark hosted a Networking Event. About 20 attendees came together in a relaxed but focused setting to talk about the topics shaping our field, from the Machinery Regulation and AI in daily work to the skills a modern technical writing team needs. The open discussions created a productive atmosphere for professional exchange, and a walking tour kept the conversations going. A big shout-out to Peter for stepping in as our tour guide!

Day 1: Expert Insights, Fishbowl Discussion and After-Conference Event

More than 140 attendees joined us for an action-packed first day with the theme "Level Up Your Technical Communication." Some brave souls kicked things off with the Morning Swim, but the real fun began at the Opening Session, where tekom Danmark welcomed attendees, speakers, and sponsors. We also drew our first raffle winner (the golden envelope was, admittedly, a little too well hidden).

A standout moment was the keynote by Scott DeLoach and Thomas Bro Rasmussen. AI flooded the market only a few years ago, and we were all instantly swept up in it. Now we are excited but skeptical: we want it and we don't, we use it both for grocery lists and for complex code, sometimes blindly and sometimes with wary suspicion, knowing it can succeed or fail spectacularly. Scott and Thomas defined where we are with AI adoption, what currently works, what doesn't, and what may never work. They compared its arrival to the launch of the World Wide Web and the personal computer and encouraged us to apply the lessons of those earlier technological shifts to succeed in an AI-obsessed world.

Throughout the day, artificial intelligence remained a dominant topic, with sessions exploring how AI is changing the way we create, manage, and deliver content, and what that means for the tools we use and the skills the teams need. Just as importantly, the program also focused on the value of technical communication and how to make it visible. Funke Olasupo showed how to identify where documentation drives value and where it underperforms, and how to communicate that impact in a way that influences product, support, and leadership decisions. Daria Lutchenko followed with practical ways todefend your work to stakeholders.

Alongside the AI sessions, a second track focused on the regulations and standards reshaping our profession. Jan Weilegaard explained the new legal requirements for machine instructions, and Jonatan Lundin presented Digital Product Passports as the next frontier for technical communication. Jesper Deleuran Larsen examined the Machinery Regulation's impact on cybersecurity and imported machines, while Dr. Gabriela Fleischer addressed the challenges that Ecodesign for Products in the European Market poses for technical communication.

The Fishbowl Discussion made its debut at the conference and was very well received. Its topic, "Is Your Product Information Ready for the Digital Product Passport?", matters because the Digital Product Passport will soon turn product information into a legal and competitive requirement, and the time to find out whether your content is ready is now, not on the deadline.

During the coffee breaks, attendees visited the sponsor area to meet industry professionals over delicious treats. We finished the first day with the After-Conference Event, an open, informal setting where attendees and sponsors talked about tools, trends, and best practices. With drinks and delicious food on hand, the conversations carried on well into the evening.

Day 2: Deep Dives

The second day began with the now-traditional Morning Swim, followed by a varied program on how technical communication is evolving, from AI and localization to content design and user experience. Malin Lindholm and Jenny Häggström explored how technical communication is changing in practice, while Lawson Stapleton and Jonas Steno Olsen highlighted the connection between technical communication and localization. Christoph Beenen shared insights into the evolving role of technical communicators, and Marzie Asaadi and Zachary Tanghetti showed how supplier documentation can be transformed into practical, user-focused knowledge for the shop floor.

The hands-on workshop with Stefani Vujic gave participants the chance to try out new approaches for themselves. The conference concluded with Fabrice Lacroix, who brought the day full circle with a look at the future of customer experience and information delivery.

Key Takeaways

Three messages ran throughout the conference. First, AI is here to stay, so use it deliberately: learn from the web and PC eras, know what works and what doesn't, and remember where human expertise still matters. Second, make the value of your work visible by measuring where documentation delivers results and by presenting that impact in the language of product, support, and leadership. Third, regulation is now a core part of the job. The Machinery Regulation, Ecodesign requirements, and Digital Product Passports will change what product information has to deliver, so the best moment to check whether your content is ready is today. Beyond these, the program showed that the role of the technical communicator keeps expanding into content design, localization, and user experience, and that documentation, including supplier content, is increasingly a source of practical knowledge and customer experience rather than just a manual. And as always, some of the best insights came from the conversations at the Networking Event, the coffee breaks and the Morning Swim.

Wrapping Up

Over the course of the conference, attendees reflected on two and a half days of valuable learning, meaningful connections, and dynamic discussions. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with particular praise for the speaker lineup, the diversity of formats, the topical relevance, and the collaborative atmosphere.

A big thank you to all speakers, sponsors, and attendees who made this conference a success.