Design conferences for the lockdown
Fast and constant evolution is one of the most iconic traits of the software industry, and here at Guava we believe that sponsoring trips so everyone may attend a major global conference of their choice per year is a valiant effort in keeping up with that strong, endless pace. So once per year, each of us takes a few days to seek inspiration, new practices and vision updates from the industry all over the world.
2020 seemed like a great year to once again join the community and visit new amazing places. Well, by now we all know that's something that won't be happening anymore: due to the Coronavirus pandemic, nearly all of the conferences we fancy are now postponed, canceled or happening online.
But that's not it. 2019 served us well, and there are beautiful gems out there we didn't have the chance to watch and learn from yet. With that in mind, we curated a list of design conferences we've attended in the past and others which are on our radar so you can have great talks on a myriad of topics at your remote work desk (or TV). So let’s take this moment to stay home and enjoy some high quality content from the conferences listed below.
99U Conference
99U is Adobe’s resource and event series to help creatives supercharge their work and make their ideas happen.
Our picks:
An Event Apart
An Event Apart is the design and front-end conference for web, UX, and interaction designers.
Our picks:
- Jason Pamental: Variable Fonts and the Future of Web Typography
- Dan Mall: Til Launch Do Us Part
- Una Kravets: How to Make Your Design System solid
- Brad Frost: Maintaining Design Systems
UXConf Br
UXConf BR is considered the biggest conference about design for the user experience in Brazil.
Our picks (Portuguese only):
- Vitória Silveira: Desafios éticos na pesquisa com usuários: qual a conduta do design?
- Rafaela de Souza: Ética na pesquisa de UX design: Quando os achados comprometem os usuários.
Interaction 2019 (IXDA)
Interaction 19 is a week of design events for interaction designers from around the world.
Amuse Conference
Amuse is an international conference in Budapest about UX design, user research, service design, creativity, product design, game & VR design.
Our picks:
- Camille Gribbons: “This Design Sucks” and Other Anecdotes
- Josh Clark: AI is Your New Design Material at Amuse UX Conference
- Yesenia Perez-Cruz: Expressive Design Systems at Amuse UX Conference
- Katie Swindler: Animation in UX: The Subconscious Influence of Motion
UX Conference Experience
The UX Conference is hosted by Nielsen Norman Group and features in-depth seminars on most areas of user experience.
Our picks:
UXR Conference
The UXR Collective is a small team of people who believe that research practitioners have a critical role to play in the development of all new experiences and technologies.
- Main stage talks »
- Leadership in research »
- Research through design »
- Advancing your practice »
- Research foundations »
WUC — World Usability Congress
The World Usability Congress is an international premier user experience design conference. Two days of conference presentations provide practical skills to take away, inspire you for your next projects, stretch your knowledge or show how someone has tackled a problem just like the one you’re facing.
Our picks:
- Adi Mazor Kario: Talk to me — Now, Future & Best Practice for Voice UX
- Reinoud Bosman: Design for Healthcare
Design Matters
Design Matters is a community of creative and curious minds who share the same drive and passion for digital design, technology, art, and society. It is also a plataform to gather together, share ideas, and discuss experiences.
Our picks:
- Beth Chasse: Design Language. How Duolingo Learned to Teach Everyone
- Andreas Refsgaard: Playful Machine Learning
- Andrew Schmidt: Designing like a writer — How language can elevate your work
Loupe
Loupe is a conference about prototyping in all its forms, proudly hosted by Framer app.
Our picks:
Front 2019
Front is an UX & Product Management Case Study Conference and Workshop Series.
Our picks:
- Emily Campbell: Designing for impact — The shape and strategy of design maturity
- Samantha Warren: Designing around your product biases
ADDC — App design & development conference
ADDC is a Single-track international conference for iOS & Android developers and UX/UI designers in Barcelona, Spain.
Our picks:
- Karolina Miekina: Designing for Interface Next
- Matthew Eng: Everyone Does Research
- Roy Marmelstein: Design System and Component Libraries at Spotify
In/Visible Talks
InVisible Talks is a conference about the creative process.
Our picks:
Eyeo Festival
The Eyeo Festival brings together a rich intersection of people doing fascinating things with technology. Artists, data designers, creative coders, AI & XR explorers, storytellers, researchers, technology & platform developers all cross paths and share inspiration at Eyeo
Our picks:
Awwwards
The awards that recognize the talent and effort of the best web designers, developers and agencies in the world.
Our picks:
- Min-sang Choi: Designing Digital Experiences Across Cultures
- Scott Belsky: The Rise of Experience Design
- Vitaly Friedman: Bringing Personality Back To The Web
Aiga Conference
The conference is hosted annually by AIGA, the professional association for design, as a means of connecting the design community through rich conversation, inspiration, networking and education.
Our picks:
That’s all folks, we hope this content is helpful for you. Stay healthy so we can gather and join the community — in person — soon.
