UXcamp Europe 2023: Europe’s leading unconference for UX professionals once again captivates attendees with an inspiring exchange of knowledge

This year’s UXcamp Europe was once again a huge success. With inspiring sessions, one-on-one conversations, and a unique atmosphere, UXcamp Europe provided the perfect platform for UX enthusiasts. 

The UX&I team was proud to participate as the event’s main sponsor. With a team of ten, UX&I offered engaging sessions on a variety of topics and provided insights into the diverse world of UX, ranging from strategies for tackling UX challenges to UX&I’s sociocratic circle-based organization.

UXcamp Europe also stood out for its focus on social issues and challenges. Topics such as mental health in the workplace, inclusion, and sustainability were at the heart of the weekend.

Best practices for successful UX design

In the sessions led by Christian Korff and Eric Reiss, the importance of learning from one another was emphasized. Christian Korff highlighted the significance of social skills and empathy for effective UX projects. Eric Reiss encouraged participants to acknowledge their limitations and inspire one another.

Other sessions covered general best practices. Holger Eggert linked business and UX KPIs, while Katja Paar highlighted the benefits of workshops and collaborative methods.

Martina Mitz emphasized the similarities between psychotherapy and UX design, highlighting research, empathy, and the testing of potential solutions. In his session titled “Human user-centric transformation,” Kay Spiegel presented the importance of a human-centered mindset at both the organizational and individual levels.

Markus Brendel and Jessica Berger led a session titled “From Criticism to Growth: Navigating the Waters of Negative Feedback.” In this group therapy-style session, they shared personal experiences and demonstrated how they’ve learned to handle negative feedback and grow from it. Participants were encouraged to foster a positive feedback culture and to use constructive criticism as an opportunity for personal growth. The open and honest exchange allowed participants to gain valuable insights and strengthen their skills in handling feedback.

Another panel discussion on best practices took place with Nadine Pieper. Here, participants had the opportunity to share their experiences in the area of “skill- and joy-based staffing.” The panel offered a mix of insights into the work at UX&I and open discussion. 

Rainer Sax shared his personal experiences and insights from a year in enterprise architecture. The discussion about the specific perspective, artifacts, and working methods of enterprise architects provided valuable insights for evaluating the role and potential of UX in larger corporate contexts.

Mental health in uncertain times

A key topic was mental health and how to cope with it in times of uncertainty.

In his session titled “The 7 Habits of Highly Depressed Designers,” Clive K. Lavery discussed the challenges and difficulties designers face regarding their mental health. He emphasized the importance of acknowledging these issues and finding ways to cope with them.

In her session “Burnout: There’s an App for That,” psychologist Nina Löwen focused on the increasing stress many UX professionals face. She even offered participants an initial consultation for psychological support.

In addition, in his session “Why How What: The Golden Circle Helping with Post-Burnout,” Henning Grote shared his personal experiences with burnout and how Simon Sinek’s concept of the Golden Circle helped him find his path to recovery.

Another session on the topic of uncertainty and how to deal with it was “The Definition of VUCA and Strategies on How to Deal Better with Uncertainty” by Hias Wrba. His keynote presentation not only provided background knowledge but also helped participants ask the right questions in these uncertain times and avoid being caught off guard.

Focus on artificial intelligence

Another key focus was on the topic of artificial intelligence. Experts such as Holger Eggert explored the user experience in the context of AI. Filippos Petridis provided an overview of “AI Design” and the integration of creativity and animations. Robert Sinda, in turn, discussed the interaction between UX research, generative AI, and collaboration with managers and clients in his session titled “AI versus UX Research.” Additional sessions helped deepen understanding and foster dialogue about the role and impact of AI on the user experience.

UX and sustainability combined

As was the case last year, the intensive exchange was used to connect the topic of sustainability with the world of user experience. Numerous sessions were dedicated to this important topic and highlighted how UX can contribute to sustainability.

In the session “Sustainable UX: How UX Can Hopefully Save the World,” Thorsten Jonas presented ways in which UX can help save the world. The lively participation and interest in these sessions underscore the growing importance of sustainability within the UX community. By combining UX and sustainability, new opportunities arise to shape our future in a positive way. Kris Ghesh, an impressive 15-year-old participant, spoke about the sustainability of UX and AI and encouraged everyone to work together toward a sustainable world. 

Practical approaches to accessibility

Another key topic at UXcamp Europe 2023 was accessibility. In his session “Sport for the Many,” Ralf Hartmann presented concrete approaches for implementing accessibility on the website www.decathlon.de. Various tools, such as the Lighthouse Score and the Wave add-on, were used to check the website’s accessibility and identify elements with accessibility issues. The discussions and insights shared during these sessions helped raise awareness of accessibility within the UX community and fostered the exchange of best practices and solutions.

In closing, Kay Spiegel, Senior UX consultant at UX&I, looks back on UXcamp Europe 2023 and emphasizes: “I came home with more energy than I left with. Of course, I’m exhausted after a weekend like that, but all the connections, insights, and impressions I was able to take away really inspire me.” 

We’d like to thank the organizing team and are already looking forward to UXcamp Europe 2024, which will take place May 18–19. Next year, too, leading topics in the industry and society will be discussed with UX enthusiasts from around the world. Participation is free, but tickets are limited.

Appendix

• Photos from UXcamp Europe 23
• UXcamp Europe (website)