Best Conferences for UX Researchers 2019
There are countless events around the globe aimed at educating and inspiring the UX community. But which ones are best suited to researchers?
As UX researchers ourselves, here’s a list of events we’re particularly looking forward to in 2019 — enjoy!
QRCA Annual Conference 2019
January 30– February 1 • Savannah, USA 🇺🇸
Focus: Qualitative research • WebsitePrepare to expand your knowledge and collaborate alongside the best qualitative research professionals in the industry. Explore, learn, and share so you are equipped to chart your best course from beginning to end by cultivating skills in analyzing unstructured data and identifying optimal methods and techniques for eliciting rich learning that helps you succeed and makes your clients shine.
Interaction 19
February 3–8 • Seattle, USA 🇺🇸
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteInteraction 19 will assemble a diverse group of practitioners and academics from around the world to explore the edges of interaction design, and help spark a transformation of the discipline to be relevant to the needs of the 21st century.
Interaction 19 will give interaction design practitioners an inspiring and transformative experience that will help them to learn what to learn, to build their personal toolbox and to grow their professional networks.
UX Hong Kong 2019
February 15–16 • Hong Kong 🇭🇰
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteUser Experience Hong Kong (UXHK) is a learning event dedicated to bringing all product and service design disciplines together, from research, marketing, design, technology and the business to name a few, who are interested and passionate about designing great experiences for people and business for a better world for all.
World IA Day 2019
February 23 • 62 cities worldwide 🌎
Focus: Information architecture • WebsiteWorld Information Architecture Day is dedicated to the empowerment of local leaders, inspiring the global growth of information architecture as a community of practice and valuing diverse thoughts and thinkers in their celebrations. World IA Day is jointly produced by a network of global, regional, and local volunteers with support from the Information Architecture Institute.
UX Thailand 2019
February 23–24 • Bangkok, Thailand 🇹🇭
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteTwo-days of presentations and workshops to inspire and upskill; delivered by giants from across the world who’ve pioneered the design and product industry. UX Thailand’s was born to upskill and inspire the community, and enable Thailand to be seen globally as a leader of great design for its citizens and the world.
ConveyUX 2019
March 11–13 • Seattle, USA 🇺🇸
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteConveyUX is the annual gathering of UXers in the Pacific Northwest. It is a showcase of local and international talent in the research and design of products and services. The event features three days of educational sessions, networking, and the fun of being in the Emerald City.
Design Research 2019
March 13–15 • Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺
Focus: User experience research • WebsiteA three-day event dedicated to design research — from planning and conducting, to analysis and use. This event includes a one-day workshop program and two-day presentation program.
IAC: The Information Architecture Conference 2019
March 13–17 • Orlando, USA 🇺🇸
Focus: Information architecture • WebsitePreviously known as the legendary IA Summit, IAC is celebrating 20 years of being the preeminent event for practitioners and academics who confront the systemic challenge of creating and managing digital user interfaces and rich information environments.
UXinsight 2019
April 3–4 • Utecht, Netherlands 🇳🇱
Focus: User experience research • WebsiteUXinsight is an international event for UX research professionals and anyone interested in UX research, filled with inspiring talks, workshops, discussions and demos of cutting-edge research tools. The 2019 theme is “Looking Ahead”, exploring the exciting future of UX research through three lenses: How, Why, Who? Areas of interest are technology & data (the ‘how’), role & purpose (the ‘why’) and inclusiveness & collaboration (the ‘who’).
People Nerds: San Francisco
May 1 • San Francisco, USA 🇺🇸
Focus: Qualitative Research • WebsiteYou could call People Nerds San Francisco 2019 a conference–but we think that’d be selling it a bit short. Join us on May 1st as you’ll learn new approaches to your work, be inspired by the work of your peers–and leave even more intrigued, inquisitive, and excited, about what makes people tick.
CHI 2019
May 4–9 • Glasgow, UK 🇬🇧
Focus: Human-computer interaction, user experience • WebsiteThe ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems is the premier international conference of Human-Computer Interaction, gathering researchers and practitioners gather from across the world to discuss the latest in interactive technology. CHI 2019’s theme is ‘Weaving the Threads of CHI’, bringing together people from different disciplines, cultures, sectors, communities, backgrounds — designers, researchers, practitioners — weaving together into one community, with the common purpose of technology that works for people and society.
UX London 2019
May 29–31 • London, UK 🇬🇧
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteUX London brings together the world’s leading design experts and practitioners. Over three days, attendees spend the mornings gaining unique insights from an excellent speaker lineup, before rolling up their sleeves and heading off to the afternoon workshop of their choice.
Front
June 6–7 • Salt Lake City, USA 🇺🇸
Focus: UX & product management• WebsiteTogether with over 1,000 other professionals, you’ll learn from extremely talented people influencing the organizations they work for and changing the way our industry looks at digital products and the way people use them.
Strive.
June 6–7 • Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteReplacing the highly successful 2018 UXR Conference run by UX Research Toronto, Strive brings together researchers, designers and product people for listening, learning, and conversation about UX research.
UXPA International 2019
June 25–27 • Scottsdale, USA 🇺🇸
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteUXPA International is bringing designers, researchers and academics from all over the world. The six topics cover industry tools and techniques, emerging innovations, developing your career and everything in-between for all levels of UX professionals.
GOOD ‘19
June 27 • London, UK 🇬🇧
Focus: User experience research • WebsiteGOOD conferences bring together design researchers from around the world to share experiences and jointly reflect on organisations, economies and societies in transition, in relation to the strategic roles design researchers play in making these changes happen. GOOD19 is the perfect event for early adopters and thought leaders with an interest in engaging with the latest thoughts and views on global design research.
User Research London 2019
June 28 • London, UK 🇬🇧
Focus: User experience research • WebsiteUser Research London brings together some of the world’s best user research speakers to begin discussions on how we can further our progression of user research.
UX STRAT USA 2019
August 26–28 • Boulder, USA 🇺🇸
Focus: User experience research • WebsiteUX STRAT is a conference that continues to bring together experience design leaders, strategists, researchers, and senior professionals to hear about and discuss the latest trends in strategic UX / CX / Product / Service Design. UX STRAT is single track, which promotes a strong sense of community, and provides ample networking opportunities.
UX Designers Camp
October 5–12 • Belgrade, Serbia 🇷🇸
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteThe first multifunctional camp in Europe that provides remote work and education for User Experience Professionals, including workshops, lectures and an unconference over the space of a week.
UX New Zealand 2019
October 30–November 1 • Wellington, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteAotearoa’s biggest dedicated user experience conference. UX New Zealand is a three-day event for anyone wanting to find out more about their users and build engaging experiences. With one day of hands-on workshops and two days of talks from UX leaders, there’s something for everyone.
Interaction Latin America 2019
October 31–November 2• Medellín, Colombia 🇨🇴
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteInteraction Latin America 2019 It is the largest and most important Interaction Design, User Experience, Technology and Innovation conference in Latin America. The theme for Interaction Latin America 2019 will be convergence as a point where geography, people, culture, technology and ideologies meet and evolve.
CanUX 2019
October 31 — November 3 • Ottawa, Canada 🇨🇦
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteA four day showcase of modern experience design trends shaped as Canada’s premier annual UX event, featuring hands-on workshops and a world-class mix of amazing presentations, with plenty of chances to find inspiration, learn, exchange ideas and make new friends.
UX Brighton 2019
November 1 • Brighton, UK 🇬🇧
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteUX Brighton is aimed at designers, developers, project managers, entrepreneurs, copywriters and basically anyone who thinks that listening to users makes them better at their job. The conference brings together a mix of academic and industry experts to curate talks around a single theme.
EPIC 2019
November 9–12 • Rhode Island, USA 🇺🇸
Focus: Ethnography, qualitative research • WebsiteEPIC is the premier international gathering on ethnography in business. Our diverse attendees come from every industry, including Fortune-500 companies, the world’s top technology firms, management consultancies and design studios, universities and NGOs, public policy organizations and think tanks.
UX Live 2019
November 11–13 • London, UK 🇬🇧
Focus: All things user experience • WebsiteSpanning user research, product & service design, emerging technologies and design leadership; UX LIVE 2019 presents three days of practical, actionable insights into the UX methodologies and best practices employed by some of the world’s leading researchers and designers.
Have any other suggestions for events worth checking out? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll add them to the list!
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