2027 speakers
keynotes
Suddenly we’re all working alongside machines pretending to be people, and people pretending to be machines. Now what? Dan Hon will tell us why the future of design starts with remembering what it means to be a person with a point of view.
Principal, Very Little Gravitas
Prove your value doing evil corporate things—or live your values and become unemployable? Torrey Podmajersky joins us to talk about why that’s a false binary—and how to navigate these tensions instead.
President, Catbird Content
Co-author, UX Skills for Business Strategy
main stage speakers
Megan Blocker
on ambiguity as a UX superpower… and our most underused advantage
Senior director of research and insights, Justworks
Venessa Bennett
on how her team earned the right to stop doing reactive work and “go bigger”
Global director of UX, Dye & Durham
Caitlin Steele
on why the future is a story—and how to create the narrative we actually want for design
Narrative futurist, Thoughtful Apes
Natalie Dunbar
on what marginalized communities already know about AI
Founder and CEO, The Content Practice Architect
Lena Shyryna
on designing through war—and what to do when everything feels urgent
Head of content design, Kyiv Digital
Dan Brown
on designing useful information architecture in the era of ambiguity
Principal, Curious Squid
Michaela Hackner
on how being hard to categorize became her greatest career asset
Senior director of UX, Indeed
Uday Gajendar
on moving away from AI theater—and building a compass for your career choices
Principal strategist, Critical Design Ventures LLC
Ryan Hansz
on designing AI tools for government benefits programs
Senior designer and researcher, Nava PBC
More speakers coming soon!
Katie Kovalcin
on collaboration and craft on AI-first teams
Distinguished designer, Gusto
Rosa Vieira de Almeida
on what to do when UX can’t solve the tensions in our work
UX content designer, Moodle
the panel: Exit Interview
“Maybe I should just quit UX and become a plumber.” If thoughts like this have crossed your mind, you’re not alone. Hear what “leaving UX” has looked like for three different designers—and what to keep in mind, whether you decide to stay or go.
Then: Content design
Now: Butcher shop
Then: Product design
Now: Accounting
Then: UX and content
Now: LMSW psychotherapist
Workshop facilitators
Workshops will be held on Friday, February 5. These interactive, deep-dive sessions are capped at 40 people each, and tickets must be booked in advance.
Sophia Prater
Moving upstream: Systems design for business operations
UX strategy consultant and coach, OOUX
Kyle Alexander
Critique is the craft: Leading AI model design with a UX lens
Designer and writer
Head of design, stealth startup
