Searching for great online conferences to attend this year? Look no more – this article has got you covered. Keeping up to date with the latest developments, tech and skills can be hard in our industry, but it should not be lonely or boring.
Due to COVID-19, IRL UX conferences seem to be a thing of the past, however that did not slow down conference companies from organising virtual ones and engaging amazing speakers too. The online conferences listed here include speakers from Fortune 500 companies, such as Amazon, Facebook and Google, with organised online workshops, intensive Q&A sessions and amazing opportunities to discuss important questions with a multitude of professionals within the industry of design, UX and product development.
It goes without mentioning that, in past IRL conferences, mingling and networking might have come more natural to some of us, however, fruitful human interaction and collaborations should not wane at the mention of online. Let’s (try to) look at it this way: we just got the chance to join conferences in bigger numbers with tickets at cheaper prices, while staying safe within the comfort of our favourite place to work and learn.
February 2021
UXR Conf Anywhere 2021
When: 24 – 26 February 2021
With attendees from over 50 countries and more than 30 professional speakers including UX experts from Linkedin, Google, Shopify and Booking.com (to mention a few), it is worth making sure you do not miss this online user experience event.
March 2021
The UX Conference
When: 1 – 2 March 2021
The School of UX has spiced up its speaker line-up for the 6th year of its user experience design online conference, by including UX professionals from InVision, Amazon, Discovery, Dropbox, Google and many other prominent companies. Apart from the expected workshops and Q&A sessions, the organisers also thought about our need to unwind after a long day of learning and inspiration: how do you feel about signing up for optional online yoga classes?
UXDX APAC Conference
When: 4 – 9 March 2021
With speakers from Ebay, Adobe, Twitter and Visa – amongst many others – the UXDX online conference is set to impress. There are over 25 sessions and 8 workshops planned around delivering your very best in UX, product design and development.
UX Copenhagen
When: 25 – 26 March 2021
UX Copenhagen online conference in Denmark is promising more than 15 speakers, interactive workshops, round tables and also chat rooms. What’s more – you can register for FREE for Conversations with UX Copenhagen hosted by the one and only Helle Martens, where you will get to know what might be in store for next year’s conference and also get to pitch in with your ideas and questions. Talk about being a part of it!
April 2021
An Event Apart – Fall Summit 2020
When: Available on Demand until 26 April 2021
This conference took place in October of last year, however the content is made available on demand to view at the comfort of your home and at your convenience until the last week of April 2021. Including speakers such as the UX legend Luke Wroblewski and UX experts from Adobe, Shopify, Google and Mailchimp, make sure you add this to your calendar while you are still in time!
May 2021
From Business to Buttons Conference 2021
When: 7 May 2021
One of User Experience’s (UX) greatest dilemma for the business implementing it is quantifying it in terms of return on investment (ROI) . Scandinavian From Business To Buttons (FBTB) Conference is all about generating business value through great User Experience and Service Design, and as our jobs are becoming more and more complex, this is being reflected in the level of difficulty in investing to create products for user delight. With a classic line-up of great speakers such as Brad Frost – author of Atomic Design – and Schinichiro Tamaki from Nintendo, attending this online event is a must.
CHI 2021 – ACM CHI Virtual Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
When: 8 – 13 May 2021
For those of you who are more into the technical, interactive field of HCI (Human Computer Interaction) in user experience, CHI 2021 might just be the online conference for you. CHI (pronounced ‘kai’) – usually held in Yokohoma, Japan – covers the latest updates in interactive technology, which is considered the most prestigious in the field of HCI. Thousands of internationals attend annually, and this year’s online virtual version seems to be heading in the same successful direction.
June 2021
UX Fest
When: All of June 2021
Once called the ‘Glastonbury of UX’, UX Festival London is going online, starting off with a mini-conference spread over three afternoons (mornings US time). Aware of our frustration with continuous online calls, this virtual conference has been organised as a combination of dozen-plus short talks, live Q&A sessions and panel discussions, virtual book signings and also good number of breaks away from the screen. There will also be masterclass sessions each Tuesday of the month, and talks every Thursday. The flexible schedule gives you the freedom attend your favourite sessions live, and catch up on those you missed at a click of a replay button. There are several ticket options to fit your budget, so take your pick and make sure you do not miss out.
App Design & Development (ADD) Conference
When: 23 – 25 June 2021
For all iOS and Android app designers, developers and UI/UX designers out there: ADD Conference online is the one for you this year. Software Engineers, Tech Leads, Designers and Developers from companies such as Spotify, Monzo and Strava (more speakers to be announced soon), this line-up is only the start. ADD strives to create a space for Developers, Product Owners and Designers to work together and discuss a better, more balanced system of work and processes within the digital product and app development industry.
July 2021
SIGGRAPH 2021
When: Exact Date TBA
It is always good to keep up with the latest advancements in technology, whether just for your own curiosity and knowledge, or with plans to make the most of tech in one of your future big projects or collaborations. This year, SIGGRAPH is celebrating 48 years of advancements in computer graphics and interactive techniques. It will look into advancements in computer graphics, digital art, animation, visual effects, machine learning, artificial intelligence, immersive and mixed realities, scientific visualisation and more, through amazing exhibitions, talks and workshops.
September 2021
MobileHCI 2021
When: 27-30 September 2021
Originally, MobileHCI takes place in Toulouse, France, which boasts 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites. However, in the light of circumstances brought around by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is going to take place online, virtually. It provides insight into all areas of mobile human computer interaction, including user experience and design, and it is where eye-opening discussions about the future of people interacting with and through technology take place. More information on the line-up is going to be released on their website soon.
Design Matters 2021
When: 29-30 September 2021
Copenhagen-based Design Matters Conference is a designer-focused hybrid event: prospective attendees can decide to purchase an in-person or live stream ticket at a discounted price. They are guaranteeing a refund to those going for in-person options, and also an amazing speaker line-up: Pablo Stanley, Yesenia Perez-Cruz from Shopify and Lisa Apers from UNDO, to mention a few.
October 2021
UXDX EMEA
When: 6 – 8 October 2021
Apart from their APAC online conference in March, UXDX also have another great virtual conference planned for us this October, with the line-up boasting speakers from Twitter, Google, Uber, Verizon, Buzzfeed and GitHub, to mention a few. UXDX is all about shifting from project to product to build better products, more efficiently and more collaboratively; if you are a designer, developer or product owner who agrees with their mission, this is a conference you would not want to miss.
Hope you found at least a couple of online conferences which wetted your appetite for more knowledge, learning, and most of all, better User Experience. There are also other great non-virtual conferences happening around the world, such as An Event Apart in Orlando between August and September 2021, and the CANUX this November in Canada, so if you are lucky (and plucky) enough to be able to travel or live close to these destinations, try to fit them in your calendar as well (it is TOUGH, I know!), and share your experience with your peers in the field. To great UX!
Roberta Scerri 