IMPULSE #8

The Long Night of Application: A Life-Changing Event for Job Seekers

On November 27th, 2023, I had the privilege of participating in the Long Night of Application (Lange Nacht der Bewerbung), an event that proved to be a turning point in my UX career. Hosted in Graz, this unique gathering felt like speed dating, but instead of looking for romantic connections, participants engaged in rapid-fire interviews with potential employers. The concept was simple yet powerful: give job seekers and companies a chance to meet, interact, and discover mutual opportunities – all in one night.

What Makes It Special?

The event is designed to connect job seekers with a wide array of companies, breaking down traditional barriers of recruitment. It’s fast-paced, dynamic, and highly engaging. For someone exploring career opportunities, it’s an unbeatable way to maximize exposure and connect with employers in a condensed timeframe.

In just a few hours, I had eight interviews with different companies. Each interaction provided a unique insight into the companies‘ cultures, expectations, and potential roles. This variety allowed me to refine my preferences and approach for future interviews. What’s more, the event isn’t just about ticking off interviews – it’s about genuine connections. Employers are there because they’re actively seeking talent, which creates a good opportunity for job seekers.

A Life-Changing Experience

Both my colleague Kathi and I walked away from the Long Night of Application with something extraordinary: job offers! It’s remarkable to think that one evening, filled with back-to-back conversations, could lead to such a significant outcome for both of us.

Tips for Future Participants

If you’re considering attending, here’s my advice:

  • Bring your portfolio on your laptop: Visuals can say more than words, especially if language is a concern.
  • Stay open-minded: You never know which company or role might resonate with you until you’ve had that conversation.
  • Prepare for a fast-paced evening: It’s exciting and intense, so bring your energy and focus.

Final Thoughts

The Long Night of Application isn’t just another job fair; it’s a transformative experience that can open doors you didn’t even know existed. Whether you’re a local or an international job seeker, this event is a must-attend for anyone looking to jumpstart their career.

https://www.langenachtderbewerbung.com/

IMPULSE #7

A Creative Evening: My Experience at the Vierter Stammtisch of Kreativ Kammerl Österreich

On November 29, 2023, I attended the Vierter Stammtisch, an event hosted by Kreativ Kammerl Österreich (KKO). It was a relaxed and friendly gathering where people from the creative industry came together to share ideas, stories, and enjoy some drinks.

What is KKO?

The idea behind Kreativ Kammerl Österreich is simple:
What if creatives could meet without the stress of work and just enjoy talking to each other over a cup of Glühwein?

From this thought, four professionals in the creative field built a platform for connection and conversation. KKO aims to bring together not only experienced professionals but also students and newcomers eager to learn and grow.

In an industry where schedules often clash and meetings are rushed, KKO offers a rare chance to meet others in a relaxed and informal setting.

The Evening’s Highlights

The Stammtisch was full of engaging conversations and a great exchange of ideas. Attendees ranged from seasoned professionals to students just entering the creative world. Topics covered industry challenges, creative trends, and personal experiences.

For me, this wasn’t just about meeting new people – it was a real opportunity to gain insights that connected with my academic work. As I’m working on my thesis, Developing the UX Playbook: A Research-Driven Approach to Optimizing Digital User Journeys, I saw strong parallels between the event’s goals and my research questions:

  1. How can a UX Playbook serve as a practical tool to bridge the gap between designers and stakeholders?
    • The Stammtisch reflected how important it is to have open, informal spaces for dialogue. This mirrors the need for UX Playbooks to act as a shared language between designers and stakeholders, fostering better understanding and collaboration.
  2. What are the key steps in a research-driven UX design process?
    • Hearing how other creatives approached problem-solving gave me valuable insights into their processes. It reinforced the importance of collaboration and user-centric approaches, two pillars of a strong research-driven UX methodology.

A Suggestion for the Future

One idea discussed during the event was to host future gatherings in English. While most conversations were in German, having an English option would make the event more inclusive for international creatives in Austria. This simple step could broaden the scope of conversations and invite diverse perspectives, much like how UX research benefits from a range of user inputs.

Final Thoughts

The Vierter Stammtisch was a fantastic experience, both personally and professionally. It showed me the value of community and the role that open conversations play in bridging gaps – whether between professionals in a room or designers and stakeholders in a project.

I left inspired and excited about the next steps in my thesis and the potential of future KKO events. Whether you’re a creative professional or just starting, I highly recommend joining these gatherings. Let’s continue building a more connected, collaborative creative community.

https://kreativkammerl.at/

https://www.facebook.com/kreativkammerl.at

IMPULSE #6

Conducting a Preliminary Group UX Survey Activity for My Master’s Thesis

Introduction
As part of my Master’s thesis, Developing the UX Playbook: A Research-Driven Approach to Optimizing Digital User Journeys, I conducted a group UX survey during class to gather valuable insights from my peers and colleagues. The goal was to explore the challenges designers face in advocating for UX research, assess the demand for a UX Playbook, and understand preferences for its format and features. This collaborative exercise not only provided critical feedback but also validated the relevance of my research questions and objectives.

Why Conduct a Group Survey?

The survey aimed to address these key objectives:

  1. Identify the obstacles UX professionals face when integrating research into workflows.
  2. Determine the value of a structured UX Playbook for improving processes and stakeholder communication.
  3. Gather insights into preferred formats, features, and real-world applications for the Playbook.

Conducting the survey in a classroom setting allowed for immediate feedback and a diverse range of perspectives, with participants varying in experience and professional roles, from designers to developers and researchers.

Key Findings from the Survey

The survey highlighted several critical pain points and needs, summarized as follows:

  1. Challenges Advocating for UX Research
    – Difficulty convincing stakeholders of the value of UX research due to time, budget, and resource constraints.
    – Misconceptions that UX is primarily aesthetic rather than research-driven.
  2. Demand for a UX Playbook
    – Participants expressed strong interest in a tool offering structured guidance and templates for UX research.
    – The Playbook was seen as a valuable aid for advocating research’s ROI to stakeholders.
  3. Current Tools Fall Short
    – Tools like Figma and Miro help with collaboration but lack step-by-step guidance.
    – Many existing tools are theoretical and fail to provide practical application steps.
  4. Preferred Formats
    – Most participants favored a combination of cards, PDFs, and interactive web tools, suggesting flexibility and adaptability to different project types.
    – Other innovative suggestions included digital games and books for increased engagement.
  5. What Makes the Playbook Stand Out
    – Key features desired include customizable templates, real-world case studies, and persuasive arguments tailored to stakeholders.
    – Participants emphasized bridging the understanding gap between designers and clients as a critical success factor.

How These Findings Shape My Thesis

  1. Refining the UX Playbook Concept
    The feedback confirmed the demand for a structured, actionable Playbook that simplifies UX research processes while providing persuasive arguments for stakeholder advocacy.
  2. Designing for Flexibility
    The preference for multiple formats (cards, PDFs, web tools) will guide the Playbook’s development to ensure it meets a variety of use cases and user preferences.
  3. Addressing Stakeholder Challenges
    The Playbook will incorporate ROI-focused arguments and evidence-backed insights to help designers communicate the long-term benefits of UX research.
  4. Iterative Testing and Validation
    The survey results highlight the importance of usability testing during the Playbook’s development to ensure it aligns with real-world needs and workflows.

Takeaways from the Group Survey

The group survey underscored the critical role of user research not only in UX design but also in developing tools like the Playbook. The diverse input from participants helped validate the need for a practical and persuasive resource that empowers designers and bridges communication gaps with stakeholders.

This experience demonstrates the power of collaborative research in shaping actionable solutions for real-world problems. With these findings, I am excited to move forward with prototyping and testing the UX Playbook, ensuring it becomes a valuable tool for designers and businesses alike.

Link to presentation and survey:
https://www.figma.com/deck/8000GnnIX79i1Pe36UXpe4/Playbook-11.12?node-id=1-635&viewport=-92%2C-108%2C0.51&t=4CsTYHWDSlChpfLD-1&scaling=min-zoom&content-scaling=fixed&page-id=0%3A1

Link to Survey Summary:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E6TcYw1Bd-nZGiDtmZVfJuY7BYG5qX_y/view?usp=sharing

IMPULSE #5

Reading activity: Applying Insights from Lean UX to My Thesis: Developing the UX Playbook

Lean UX: Applying Lean Principles to Improve User Experience by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden offers a modern, collaborative approach to UX design, particularly suited for fast-paced, agile environments. The book emphasizes continuous feedback, cross-functional collaboration, and focusing on outcomes rather than deliverables—principles that align seamlessly with the goals of my thesis, Developing the UX Playbook: A Research-Driven Approach to Optimizing Digital User Journeys.

In this blog post, I’ll explore how key ideas from Lean UX can inform and enhance my research questions and the development of the UX Playbook.

Core Themes of Lean UX

  1. Outcome-Oriented Design:
    Lean UX prioritizes designing for measurable outcomes rather than static deliverables. This aligns with my thesis objective to define key steps in a research-driven UX process by identifying metrics like user retention, satisfaction, and conversion rates as core success indicators.
  2. Collaboration Across Teams:
    The book emphasizes cross-functional collaboration to ensure that all stakeholders—designers, developers, and business teams—are aligned. This directly informs my research question on how the UX Playbook can bridge the gap between designers and stakeholders, promoting shared understanding and decision-making.
  3. Iterative Processes:
    Lean UX advocates for building and testing ideas in small increments, a concept that can guide the iterative development of the UX Playbook itself. This approach ensures that the Playbook is refined based on real-world feedback from both designers and stakeholders.

How Lean UX Contributes to My Thesis

  1. Bridging the Gap Between Designers and Stakeholders
    One of my core research questions is how the Playbook can act as a tool to connect these groups. Lean UX provides a framework for creating shared understanding through collaborative techniques like problem framing, hypothesis generation, and shared outcomes.

    Application: The Playbook can include sections on conducting collaborative workshops inspired by Lean UX, helping designers and stakeholders jointly define goals and solutions.
  2. Key Steps in a Research-Driven UX Design Process
    The book emphasizes iterative cycles of research, design, and validation—steps that will form the backbone of my Playbook.

    Application: Each step in the Playbook can be structured around Lean UX’s Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop, ensuring research is integrated throughout the process.
  3. Simplifying UX Advocacy
    One challenge I’m addressing is the difficulty designers face in advocating for UX research. Lean UX stresses focusing on outcomes that stakeholders value.

    Application: The Playbook can include „killer arguments“ derived from Lean UX principles, such as demonstrating the ROI of iterative testing or the cost-saving benefits of early research.

Research and Playbook Development Inspired by Lean UX

Practical Tool Design

To align with Lean UX’s collaborative ethos, the Playbook will be designed as an interactive, modular tool:

  • Steps and Techniques: Each module will provide actionable steps for key UX activities (e.g., journey mapping, prototyping, usability testing).
  • Flexibility: The Playbook will allow users to start at any point in the process, similar to Lean UX’s adaptable workflows.

Validating the Playbook

  • Inspired by Lean UX, I’ll test the Playbook iteratively, collecting feedback from designers and stakeholders to refine its usability and impact.
  • Surveys and usability tests will ensure the Playbook addresses real-world challenges and improves communication between teams.

Conclusion

Lean UX offers invaluable insights into creating agile, outcome-focused UX tools. Its principles will guide the structure and content of the UX Playbook, ensuring it not only helps designers navigate the research-driven process but also equips them with persuasive arguments to engage stakeholders. By embedding Lean UX ideas, the Playbook will become a practical, collaborative, and impactful tool for optimizing digital user journeys.

https://contentsquare.com/guides/ux/lean

https://medium.com/10x-curiosity/lean-ux-a-summary-from-the-ground-floor-bc195341dbea

https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/ux-design/lean-ux-for-beginners

IMPULSE #4

Studying ProtoPie – A No-Code UX Tool

Creating an Interactive Bouquet for January’s Exhibition

When our group began brainstorming for an upcoming exhibition in January, we wanted to create something truly unique and interactive – something that would leave a lasting impression. The idea we landed on was both creative and ambitious: an interactive flower bouquet where visitors could personalize and create their own virtual bouquets.

The concept was simple in theory: an app running on a screen would let users design their bouquet, while a 3D sculpture would serve as the physical centerpiece. Flowers would then be projected onto the sculpture, turning it into a dynamic, evolving artwork.

However, as exciting as the idea was, the execution quickly became a challenge. None of us were particularly skilled at coding, and when we began developing the app using Angular, we ran into roadblocks almost immediately. Progress was painfully slow, and we were stuck trying to figure out how to integrate live projection or connect the app with tools like Resolume software. It felt like we had hit a dead end.

That’s when Michi stepped in with a fresh perspective and a bunch of new ideas. „We need to change the strategy,“ he said, introducing us to ProtoPie -a no-code UX design tool. At first, we were skeptical. Could this tool really solve our problems?

Discovering ProtoPie

To our surprise, ProtoPie turned out to be exactly what we needed. Its intuitive and user-friendly interface made it accessible, even for a team like ours with limited coding experience. We quickly got the hang of it and realized how much fun it was to use.

One of the most helpful features was its integration with Figma. This meant we could take our designs directly from Figma and import them into ProtoPie without any hassle. From there, we „coded“ interactions using simple triggers, buttons, and actions-no complicated programming required.

ProtoPie’s component-based design system was another game-changer. We could build modular elements and reuse them across the project, making the process much faster and more efficient. And perhaps the most exciting feature was the ability to preview our work at any time, which made testing ideas and iterating on them incredibly easy.

Progress at Last

With ProtoPie, we made rapid progress on our interactive bouquet project. Suddenly, tasks that felt impossible just days ago became achievable. We could focus on creativity and user experience instead of getting bogged down in technical challenges.

This journey taught us the value of adaptability and the importance of finding the right tools for the job. ProtoPie empowered us to bring our vision to life without requiring deep coding knowledge, and it opened the door to possibilities we hadn’t even considered before.

As the January exhibition approaches, we’re thrilled to see our interactive bouquet take shape, and we can’t wait to share it with the world. If you’re ever looking for a no-code solution to create interactive prototypes or experiences, we can wholeheartedly recommend giving ProtoPie a try.

Stay tuned for updates on our project – and if you’re attending the exhibition, make sure to stop by and create your own personalized bouquet!

https://www.protopie.io/learn/docs/cloud/sharing-prototypes

IMPULSE #3

Recap of World Usability Day Austria 2024

UX Graz Meetup event offered me a unique chance to connect theoretical knowledge with valuable, real-life perspectives from the UX community. The event, provided me with the opportunity to examine how casual meetings among industry professionals can influence the development of UX design strategies.
World Usability Day Austria 2024 was held online on November 14, centering on accessibility and usability in design. The agenda featured engaging presentations about how iPhones assist visually impaired individuals in their everyday activities, the #A11yFans initiative that promotes effective accessibility design, and conversations regarding typographic selections for better accessibility.

Various UX communities throughout Austria took part, including notable speakers like Claudio Zeni and Oliver Schöndorfer. The event was wrapped up with an open networking session, allowing participants to share insights and connect with each other. This event was free and open to attendees from around the world.

UX Community Engagement – Insights for my thesis

One of the most significant takeaways from the event was understanding the importance of community engagement in UX. The Meetup’s informal, open format encouraged dialogue between UX professionals, developers, and researchers, highlighting the role of such events in refining UX strategies.
While my thesis emphasizes a structured UX process—through stages like “Understanding the User” and “Mapping the User Journey”—the Meetup demonstrated that community-driven interactions often spark new insights into user needs and challenges.

While World Usability Day Austria 2024 was a pleasant experience with excellent networking prospects and a well-structured agenda, I personally thought it fell short in delivering innovative, impactful insights. The presentations and sessions were educational, but most of the material seemed repetitive and didn’t offer any unexpected or revolutionary findings. For those already knowledgeable about UX and usability, the event may not present many new viewpoints. Nevertheless, if you’re a beginner in the field or looking for a casual introduction to usability subjects, it could still be worth your while for the community aspect and general understanding.

https://www.meetup.com/uxgraz/events/304402433
https://worldusabilityday.at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=mZ_O0eSX8GM&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fworldusabilityday.at%2F

IMPULSE #2

Reading exercise – Jamie Levy „Ux Strategy„.

Inspired by Jamie Levy’s speech and personality during the UX Conference in Graz last year, I finally decided to purchase her book in my native language and audiobook – both for my personal development and master’s thesis. I was surprised to hear her voice while listening to her audiobook on Audible. (no product placement.) We get not only UX but also tips on business and marketing approaches.

UX Strategy is a book that guides us through the whole UX process step by step, incorporating real-life storytelling into the plot. As the author explains, „UX Strategy starts with the product vision and ends on a roadmap on how to tactically get there.“ The Strategy is to bring the product to the market.

„UX Strategy = Business Strategy + Value Innovation + Validated User Research + UX Frictionless“
UX Strategy = Delivering Value to users and achieveing business goals.

Jaime Levy’s UX Strategy provides a clear framework for designing digital products that not only meet user needs but also align with business goals.

The book emphasizes four core tenets of UX strategy:

  1. Business Strategy: A successful product must align with the business’s overall goals. Understanding market trends, business models, and competitive positioning is key.
  2. Value Innovation: To stand out, products must offer unique solutions that address real user problems in ways competitors do not.
  3. Validated User Research: Gathering insights directly from target users ensures that the product is solving the right problems for the right audience.
  4. Killer UX Design: An engaging, intuitive, and aesthetically pleasing design is critical to user satisfaction and product success.

The process for creating a UX strategy includes several steps:

  • Market Research: Analyze competitors to identify market gaps and opportunities. This helps teams avoid “reinventing the wheel” and focus on delivering unique value.
  • User Research: Understand the target users‘ identities, needs, and behaviors. Tools like personas and customer journeys clarify these insights.
  • Value Proposition Design: Brainstorm and refine innovative ideas that differentiate the product while solving core user problems.
  • Prototyping and Validation: Create prototypes or mockups to test the product’s concepts with real users. Feedback from usability tests and business viability checks helps refine the idea.
  • Iterative Design and Improvement: As the product evolves, it should continuously be tested and improved based on user feedback and market dynamics.

Throughout the book, Levy uses real-world case studies to demonstrate how companies have successfully implemented these strategies.
In summary, UX Strategy is a step-by-step guide for teams looking to create digital products that are both user-friendly and strategically positioned for success in competitive markets. It equips designers, product managers, and business leaders with tools to innovate, validate, and deliver exceptional user experiences while achieving business objectives.ols to innovate, validate, and deliver exceptional user experiences while achieving business objectives.

Applying the book into my Master Thesis:
1. Business goals: I would like to mirror her strategy for identifying measurable goals to guide UX decisions. Value proposition mapping or competitive research.
2. User behavior: Use her techniques for identifying gaps in the market or user frustrations to create a solid foundation for analyzing pain points and opportunities.
3. Understanding the user: Incorporate her strategies for synthesizing user insights to prioritize actionable outcomes, such as defining personas and refining user needs.
4. Killer UX Design: An engaging, intuitive, and aesthetically pleasing design is critical to user satisfaction and product success.
5. Ideation: Use her tools like the “Value Proposition Canvas” or prioritization frameworks to evaluate and refine ideas based on their potential to fulfill both business and user needs.
6. Prototyping: Adopt her methods for testing hypotheses through prototypes, ensuring they align with your defined business goals and user needs.
7. Continous Improvement: Align her approach to tracking KPIs and post-launch analytics with your matrix’s emphasis on continuous improvement and stakeholder collaboration.

https://www.audible.de/pd/UX-Strategy-Hoerbuch/B09B4GMXPX?qid=1732812601&sr=1-1&ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&pf_rd_p=e54013e2-074a-460e-861f-7feac676b789&pf_rd_r=DQRH41N4Z0DHTRAFRMBZ&plink=76Uz5k6N9hWarsL8&pageLoadId=RM3tSP0fPhtA46yg&creativeId=41e85e98-10b8-40e2-907d-6b663f04a42d&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1
https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/ux-strategy-en
https://worldusabilitycongress.com/

Evaluation of Master’s Thesis

Evaluation of Master’s Thesis related to own research area ( UX, Eye tracking, User testing, improving conversion rates)

Title: The Role of Visual Attention and Eye Movements in Product Purchases on Websites
Author: Tommaso Ceroni
University: Utrecht University, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Master’s Degree Course: Applied Cognitive Psychology

  1. Level of Design: The design is straightforward and effective but lacks creativity and complexity, which might have added interest or depth to the reader. The structure is clear and has predictable composition which may feel overly simplistic and even a bit dry for readers familiar with the field. The design quality could be significantly enhanced by incorporating more detailed schemes and sketches, which could increase its visual appeal.
  2. Degree of Innovation: The research is original to the extent that it goes further with how visual attention and decision making has been researched previously by looking at e-commerce situations. Nevertheless, the contribution could be increased by including different consumer characteristics (for example: how used they are to shopping online) or by manipulating other web page elements beyond product labels.
  3. Independence: The thesis shows a high level of of independence, as the author has designed the study, collected data, analyzed results, and interpreted findings. The author demonstrates the ability to manage the research process and and make reasoned deductions from the results obtained.
  4. Outline and Structure: The thesis is well-organized and follows a clear, logical structure. It includes all essential sections (introduction, methods, results, discussion) and maintains coherence throughout, and there is no inconsistency that would make it difficult to follow the content.
  5. Degree of Communication: The author communicates ideas effectively, with clarity in the description of methods and findings. Pertaining to the relationship of cognitive psychology to eye tracking, relevant concepts are well covered, however some terminologies used in this area (i.e. fixation duration, AOI) might require more explanations and/or pictures.
  6. Scope of the Work: The study scope is appropriate for a master’s thesis, focusing on a specific aspect of consumer behavior through a manageable experiment. In as much as the sample is rather small, the research scope is in harmony with the goals of the project and provides relevant information.
  7. Orthography and Accuracy: The thesis has a few minor grammatical errors. Despite these minor issues, the thesis demonstrates overall good orthographic standards and accuracy.
  8. Literature: The author draws on a strong foundation of relevant literature, particularly focusing on studies related to eye-tracking, attention, and decision-making. The references are appropriate and support the research questions, although including more recent studies on e-commerce or consumer behavior would strengthen the review.

IMPULSE #1

Key Insights for my thesis from two-day Conference in World Usability Congress, Graz 16.10 & 17.10

As a student and UX Designer, I’m happy and thankful for the opportunity to attend one of the world’s biggest UX events. These two days consist of inspirational speeches, delicious food (!), and networking. I also found some interesting input to my thesis topic, which is related, among other things, to User Behavior in Digital Contexts, Conversion Rates, and the Importance of User-Centered Design.
Many interesting topics were discussed during the event from the importance of transparent AI systems to accessible design and UX practices. The lesson from these two days focused on how businesses and designers can collaborate to improve UX while acting ethically and involving everyone.

Transparency, Problem Solving, and Storytelling in UX
During the first day of the World Usability Congress, many important elements regarding UX research were emphasized, particularly in respect to the need for making AI systems more interpretable and practical for the end user. Another important issue dealt with the matter of the transparency of AI and the importance of building systems which are not black boxes to the user. Users, however, seem to mainly use AI systems without knowing how decisions are reached most of the time, which is quite annoying, distrustful and can even lead to users’ apathy. This observation is in line with the objective of my thesis, which states that user-centered design can positively influence the user experience. This is where incorporating transparency as well as user feedback in AI features is very important for designers to build trust and enhance control, attributes which help increase conversion rates. Systems that are understandable and trusted are more likely to be patronized by the users.

Another key focus of the first day was how to effectively communicate research findings to business stakeholders. Change can only be achieved by UX research when its results are shared in a manner aligning with the interests of those making decisions. The importance of storytelling as a bridge between research and commercialism emerged. This is where UX designers turn UX insights around in a radical way; they explain the business value of user-centered design by showing the advantages of this approach—i.e. better customer satisfaction, retention, and conversion rates. This teaching is significant for my thesis as I assert that stakeholders will only be persuaded to embrace UX enhancements if they correlate these improvements with business metrics.

Accessibility, Ethical Design, and Future-Focused UX
The second day of the congress built upon these ideas, exploring more detailed aspects like inclusive design, applying ethics in UX, and the paradox of designing for the users that are not yet there. One of the most significant lessons was the stress put on accessibility within design systems. I got familiarized with design systems, and I understood the importance of being accessible for all users at almost every stage, beginning with primary styles and components, and even to full-page designs. Making sure that design systems are accessible is not just the case in many parts of the world that it is a statutory issue, like in the case of the European Union’s accessibility requirements, but is the essence of diversity designing. A considerate design allows for the end product to be used by a mix of people, irrespective of the functional ability of their bodies or minds.
This insight is highly relevant to my thesis, as it underlines how accessibility directly impacts user satisfaction and conversion rates. By making products more inclusive, businesses can tap into a broader user base, improve trust, and increase user engagement. Accessibility issues are often tied to general usability problems, meaning that addressing these concerns can improve the overall experience for all users, not just those with disabilities. This holistic approach to design is central to the concept of user-centered design that my thesis advocates for, showing that businesses can boost their bottom line by prioritizing accessibility.

In addition to accessibility, I learned about the challenge of designing for users who don’t yet exist. This is especially relevant for businesses developing products for emerging markets or future users whose needs and behaviors may not yet be fully understood. While personas are useful, they cannot always account for future trends or changes in user behavior. For businesses, it is important to balance innovation with best practices in UX design to create products that are adaptable to future user needs. This anticipatory approach is crucial for ensuring that digital products remain relevant and effective as user needs evolve, ultimately improving conversion rates as the user base grows.

One of the most thought-provoking discussions on day two revolved around dark patterns—deceptive design practices that manipulate users into taking actions they might not otherwise choose. While dark patterns can lead to short-term gains, such as higher conversion rates or more sales, they often result in long-term damage to a brand’s reputation and user trust. This raised important ethical questions about how far designers should go to influence user behavior. For businesses, the key takeaway is that ethical UX design leads to sustainable success. Respecting user autonomy and focusing on transparency and honesty will result in more satisfied and loyal customers, which in turn boosts long-term conversion rates and brand loyalty.

The day concluded with a session on shifting from cycles of failure to delivering quality and value in UX processes. Many UX initiatives fail because teams don’t engage in tough conversations about quality, or they struggle to align their work with broader business objectives. This insight reinforces the importance of translating UX improvements into business language. For UX designers, speaking in terms of metrics that matter to stakeholders—such as increased customer retention, reduced churn, or higher conversions—is essential for gaining support for user-centered design initiatives. This lesson is particularly useful for my thesis, as it highlights the need for UX designers to demonstrate how their work drives tangible business outcomes.

Integrating These Insights into My Thesis
The World Usability Congress provided insights that will greatly inform my thesis, which explores how UX design can improve both user satisfaction and business outcomes. Across both days, the emphasis on transparency, accessibility, ethical design, and alignment with business goals highlighted the importance of a user-centered approach.
By incorporating these principles into product design, businesses can create digital experiences that are not only more satisfying for users but also more effective at driving conversion rates and customer loyalty.

LINKS:
https://worldusabilitycongress.com/
https://www.twn.ee/en
https://uxpa.org/