UX Australia

On most objective measures, the design industry is thriving. Our skills are in high demand, our salaries are rising, and companies can’t fill roles fast enough (recent blip notwithstanding). Design leadership has come of age, we’re seeing companies invest in team development, and more and more designers are earning that hallowed “seat at the table”. So why, when I talk to designers, do so many of...

Information Architecture (IA) is foundational for great usability and user experience. But for IA to become embedded in the product development process, we must use the language of product: what user problems does IA solve and what are the commercial/ organisational benefits? In this talk I will share ideas and approaches on: - A better way to explain IA to product people/stakeholders - How to fra...

What we learnt about service design living in France

With the worldwide population of adults over the age of 65 growing faster than any other according to the United Nations, considering their voice in designing the 3D embodiment of the internet (the Metaverse) is necessary for moving away from the deficit model of ageing, especially coming out of the pandemic. This presentation advocates for an ethnographic, co-design approach with older adults for...

As a UXR I spend a lot of time note-taking and would love to share a note-taking strategy that saves my team and I a HEAP of time (and money). The new strategy is visual (which clients love) quick to synthesise (which researchers love) and easily translates findings into design recommendations (which designers love). You can thank me later.

Going smaller, to go bigger: A design system evolution. Over the past 2 years the Atlassian Design System team have been reimagining how a design system needs to evolve to be a force multiplier for good - good for our own team, good for our designers and developers and good for our customers. They’ll share their journey towards unlocking a thriving design system which supports the past, the presen...

When were diamonds first used to describe the design process? When was the first 'how might we' question asked? What were the original steps of 'brainstorming'? Some answers to these questions can be found in a 30 year period in America after the end of World War 2, when parallel intellectual movements centred around creating scientific methodologies for creativity and design thrived. Many of the...

The lack of a moral framework in the design disciple, let alone a set of ethical guidelines, put designers at great risk of doing more harm than good in the world.

Regenerative design. What’s that mean and why should I care? How do I design for regeneration in my own life and design practice? Let's explore practical ways we can design regenerative business, product, and service ideas that customers love - and increase our wellbeing while we do it.

Interested in how government + design + sustainability experts came together to co-design a "world-first" tool to tackle global warming? If so come along to this talk for an up-close look at how we managed to achieve the impossible —> getting agreement on a way forward when all of the experts told us this was NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

Oh my gosh - the hype about Chat GTP and how it makes exploding your content production efficiency super easy is mental But is it actually based in reality.. Ed note - no, Chat GTP did not write this. Let's look at five examples of how Chat GTP has actually been successfully used and what degree of human intervention is still required. Spoiler alert, it's a LOT.

How to deliver a design project that gets results. Design can make or break a digital transformation project, so it's well worth getting right. Sarah Heimeier has led dozens of successful transformations for some of Australia’s largest financial institutions and leading FinTechs, and in this talk she'll share her winning framework. You'll leave with practical, actionable steps to deliver your proj...

Discover how design can bridge the gap between young Australians and policymakers to reimagine policy-making for urgent issues like climate change, access to mental health services, and housing affordability. With the Policy Canvas framework, a make-first mindset, and a shareable narrative, you'll learn how to broker better conversations, re-engage young Australians, and achieve better outcomes fo...

Driving a multi-sector collaboration for countering online child sexual exploitation. To create systemic change at a societal level and solve a wicked problem like online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC), we need to understand and consider all people involved in the ecosystem. This talk explores the required sensitivity and strength in doing so: how robust research and strategic design can l...

We crave connection at every age – including our golden years. Technology has amplified our ability to connect on a global scale, but older users have been largely left behind. We’ll share what Ryman Healthcare and Journey Digital learnt when designing an app for a diverse group of users with an average age of 80.

Inclusive Design has emerged as a global practice, but what are the benefits of incorporating its principles into design practices in Australia? In this presentation, I will define what Inclusive Design is and what it isn’t, highlight common misconceptions and explore the benefits Inclusive Design brings to businesses and users. The audience will walk away with a better understanding of the global...

While we often focus on users and the products that deliver value to them, nothing would exist if it wasn't for the organizations that make these products. If we look at organizations under a product lens, we have a system that grows and evolves in time, fulfilling its ultimate goal: delivering a product or service for its users. But how does this system grow? This is often left to individuals to...

When tackling complex problems it can be difficult to know where to begin but usually we want to start with what will deliver the most value. Unfortunately value can be difficult to pinpoint often due to lack of data but this is where design research can shine. In this session we will explore a structured approach to valuing opportunities, making it easier to calculate and communicate value to you...

Ever wondered how tech companies like Zendesk conducts research for to help determine future directions, particularly in new product areas like bots and automation. In the realm of customer service, automation is often thought of as deflection. We don’t often think of opportunities for people to help themselves and having customer support specialists get really hands-on and unblock more complicate...

The presentation will provide resources to make presenting research results more engaging. Incorporating infographics resources into presentations is an excellent way to generate an impactful narrative while presenting much information in an easy-to-absorb format.

We've all been there; a mixed methodology research assignment inclusive of behavioral, attitudinal, qualitative and quantitative packed full of customer insights ready to change the world... only for that Powerpoint to sit in an executives inbox for months on end, ignored or overlooked. How might we bring the value back to research reporting? By bringing humans together to understand research outc...

Scattered research write-ups, a heap of new employees, and everyone is WFH. When even the researchers are saying “hey, where’s that report about xyz we wrote last week?”, it’s time to get organised with a research repository - though we have no budget and no new tools. I’ll be sharing the story and pitfalls of how we built a repository on a shoestring, to raise awareness and improve access to rese...

Design research is generally discussed in the context of gaining a better, deeper understanding of the needs, behaviours and motivations of individuals and groups. Typically, these people are viewed as being outside of, or separate from the organisation responsible, or interested in, responding to those needs. In his 2010 book on Innovation, Disrupt, Luke Williams speaks of the power of understand...

Democratization is something few of us would choose if we had alternatives. We would want budget and headcount to grow the UX Research department. A team stretched thin is told not only to let anybody do some or all of their jobs, but that they will need to train and oversee this work.

We use design research to improve products and services, but how often do we consider the user experience of participating in research? This presentation will explore how to embed accessibility and inclusion in design research practices so that everyone can feel welcome. In doing so, you’ll find richer insights and reach broader, underserved communities.