We attended an international UX conference

Our mid-level UX designer, Katalin Kiss, attended one of the most prestigious international UX conferences, UXCon Vienna 2023. The event gathered 550 professionals from 20 different countries for two days of discussions, lectures, and networking.

Day 1 Highlights

The conference kicked off on Wednesday with a keynote by Debbie Levitt, affectionately known in the industry as “Mary Poppins.” She discussed how companies should make decisions during UX processes and which phases designers need to be involved in. Levitt highlighted that the design sprints outlined in books don’t always work in reality. Instead, she emphasized understanding the problem, sketching, and decision-making. Learning from mistakes and failures is crucial.

Next, Will Miner from Slack spoke about integrating UX into business models. He stressed that the type and quality of UX work we do is determined by the business.

Source: https://www.uxcon.at/

After a short break, Raz Schwartz, a former designer at Spotify and Meta, discussed the relationship between future research and innovation. He argued that following user and business needs, rather than technology, is key. He used Spotify’s karaoke feature as an example. Despite finding out what users wanted, the project wasn’t economically viable due to high royalty costs. Schwartz also mentioned that the success of a product depends not only on its quality but also on its market timing, citing the widespread adoption of QR codes during the COVID-19 pandemic as an example.

Xhensila Reci, a lead UX designer at LEGO, followed with a talk on purpose-led design. She noted that 8 out of 10 people prefer to buy from businesses that reflect their values. Such companies grow three times faster and retain loyal customers. She emphasized that designs can last a lifetime if they align with users’ goals.

In another session, Noelle Ghanem from Revolut analyzed good and bad design examples and their associated campaigns. She discussed the failure of Google+ and the marketing success of the Barbie movie.

After lunch, Setor Zilevut from Meta explained that the intersection of UX and AI doesn’t mean machines will take over human jobs. Quoting Moravec’s paradox, he emphasized that tasks easy for humans are hard for AI and vice versa. Understanding the limits of human intelligence and extending it to create innovative models is essential.

Jason Lievesley, a senior UX designer at Fonda, encouraged letting creativity flow to provide unique user experiences, which can differentiate brands and increase their visibility. A study showed that 38% of people quickly leave less visually appealing websites, while consistent UX design improves navigation. Simplicity is key, reducing visual noise and focusing on functionality.

The day ended with a UX Book Club event where Debbie Levitt’s book “Your Customers Know You Suck” was discussed. Teams of four debated UX research-related questions.

Day 2 Highlights

The second day started with a keynote by Birgit Geiberger from IKEA, who spoke about human-centered leadership. She noted that depression and anxiety-related productivity losses cost $1 billion annually, with leaders significantly impacting employees’ mental health. Empathy leads to innovation, well-being, and employee retention.

Javier Bargas from Google discussed measuring user experience, focusing on how we want users to interact with our digital products and the behavioral changes that indicate goal achievement.

After a longer lunch break, Johannes Lehner proposed ways to bridge the gap between design and development. He advised senior designers to learn some coding to better understand developers’ work and create elements that are easier to implement.

Vivek Arun, a senior product designer at Adidas Runtastic, demonstrated how adiClub motivates users to exercise. He explained that offering points, badges, and leaderboards isn’t enough. Personalizing the experience with choices and challenges, like selecting and altering running routes, makes the product engaging. Users appreciate surprises, such as digital Easter eggs, that unlock hidden features in the app.

The final speaker was Christopher Widauer, director of the Vienna State Opera. Without prior UX experience, he aimed to innovate opera by streaming live performances to homes. He concluded with, “Does the world perfect itself? No, we must act, just as our ancestors did.”

Conclusion

UXCon remains the region’s premier professional event. The speakers, programs, and organization were world-class. I returned home with two suitcases full of useful advice, inspiration, and lessons, confident that I can apply what I learned in my work.