"Best conference content and experience in a very, very, very long time."

"Well-paced, engaging, and most importantly, a safe space."

"I'm ready to sign up for next year!"

"Exactly what we need more of in the world."

"What a much needed breath of fresh air."

"Definitely worth the price of admission!"

"I genuinely took something valuable away from every talk."

"Best conference content and experience in a very, very, very long time." "Well-paced, engaging, and most importantly, a safe space." "I'm ready to sign up for next year!" "Exactly what we need more of in the world." "What a much needed breath of fresh air." "Definitely worth the price of admission!" "I genuinely took something valuable away from every talk."

call for speakers

submit a talk for the next throughline BY SEPTEMBER 10

take the virtual stage at throughline 2027

Throughline is an indie conference dedicated to bringing the UX community together for thought-provoking conversations on working, leading, and thriving through industry change.

If that sounds like something you’d like to be part of, please read this page carefully. Then make sure to submit your talk proposal by 11:59pm ET on September 10, 2026.

what we’re looking for

15-minute solo talks

We’re opening submissions for a select number of 15-minute talks. We’re not taking pitches for workshops or panels.

For an experienced audience

Your talk should speak to senior ICs, managers, and leaders. We love early-career folks, but that’s not the audience for this event.

covering the “big tent” of UX

We want to see talks from varied disciplines: product design, research, content, and anyone with UX at the heart of their work.

please: No sponcon or sales

We’re looking for folks with a strong point of view, not a product to pitch. Want to promote your brand? Become a sponsor.

Our attendees are thoughtful, experienced, and caring. They don’t need more tips and tricks. They can smell a sales pitch a mile away. And they definitely don’t need you to hype up another AI tool.

They’re coming to Throughline for something deeper: messy, interesting, deeply human conversations about the future—of their work, their careers, and their communities. They want complexity, nuance, and people who speak the truth—even when it’s uncomfortable. More than anything, they want talks that make them think and feel.

CONFERENCE THEME

Ambiguity as Opportunity

Reclaiming our agency in an era of uncertainty

Career paths, design processes, team structures—they’re all blurrier than ever. No wonder so many people in UX and design are craving stability: clear tasks, polished briefs, PRDs with no loose ends.

But what would it look like if we stopped fighting ambiguity—and started using it to our advantage? How can we use this moment to drive the work, redefine the craft, collaborate in new ways, expand our futures, and make our values real? Those are the questions Throughline will explore this year.

Before you submit your talk, please read our 2027 conference theme in full. We’re looking for proposals that directly engage with one or more of this year’s focus areas.

See more about our 2027 theme

speaker compensation & perks

We know that producing a great talk takes time. We’re committed to paying all speakers equally based on their session type and length. All accepted talks will receive:

$300 speaker honorarium

If you can’t or don’t wish to accept payment, we’ll donate it to charity.

A two-day conference pass for you

You’ll have access to the live event, plus all recordings afterward.

A bonus conference pass to share

Give it to a friend, a colleague… or maybe even your biggest frenemy.

You’ll also get professional feedback and coaching on your talk, tips for presenting effectively, a recording of your session… and a whole bunch of new friends to add to your network.

One last note: we’re a scrappy, indie company, and we don’t have the splashy budget of a big corporate event. We can’t negotiate speaker fees for talk submissions. If this package doesn’t work for you, we get it—and we hope you find the right home for your idea.