Focus Talk
The UX Reckoning Is Here
Session Type
Focus Talk
When
Thursday
19 Oct
at
10:00
Room
Main Stage
About the Session
It’s been a difficult couple of years for UX. Across industries, UX teams have faced layoffs. Many that remain are finding their work is evolving, challenging widely accepted user centred practises. In a business environment focused on efficiency, rapidly integrating new AI-powered tools, the imperative to drive business value with UX is stronger than ever. The UX reckoning is here.
User centred practise can still survive and thrive. There is a future where UX is more essential and effective than ever, and UX professionals are firmly seated at the decision-making table. But we’d better adapt, and quick.
Join for an honest discussion that challenges some of the core mantras that UX has told itself over the last 15 years. We’ll question when user-centred practise is really useful or necessary for making decisions and driving the business. We’ll examine how to situate UX for impact in this environment. And we’ll imagine a near future where user centred product development isn’t just a performance, but a profit-centre.
Walk away with a renewed sense of the business value of user centred practise, as well as concrete strategies for aligning your work with business goals. By doing so, you’ll find yourself better prepared for the next evolution of UX in industry, and with a stronger platform to advocate for users and for society.
About the Speaker
Judd Antin
Consultant, Writer, Teacher at UC Berkeley, Ex-Airbnb, Ex-Meta
Judd spent almost 15 years as a research, design, and product executive at some of tech’s fastest-growing and most challenging companies. At Facebook he helped build a powerful UX Research practice. He led and grew teams across Facebook’s core apps, and incubated product visions in developing areas like news media, video, and advertising. He helped navigate some of the earliest crises around privacy and content quality.
At Airbnb Judd wore many hats - from Head of Research to General Manager to Head of Design. He worked to build innovative products and effective multi-functional organizations. And he partnered with C-level executives to drive company-wide strategic and organizational projects. Judd was called in as a fixer to resolve more crises than he can count.
Judd holds a PhD from UC Berkeley in Social Psychology & Information Systems. In addition to consulting and advising, he teaches classes at UC Berkeley in management & leadership as well as social psychology & information technology.
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