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PRODID:-//Web Directions//UX Australia 2026//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:UX Australia 2026
X-WR-CALDESC:UX Australia 2026 — 2026-08-27 to 2026-08-28\, Sydney\, Australia
X-WR-TIMEZONE:Australia/Sydney
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:Australia/Sydney
BEGIN:STANDARD
DTSTART:19700405T030000
TZOFFSETFROM:+1100
TZOFFSETTO:+1000
TZNAME:AEST
RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=4;BYDAY=1SU
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BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
DTSTART:19701004T020000
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TZOFFSETTO:+1100
TZNAME:AEDT
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BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:67ca6009-b0f9-4e3c-b465-82969f526bdc@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T090000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:How Do We Design Vibrant Communities?
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nila Rezaei (RK Collective)\n\nAs designers\, We have
  never had more tools\, more methods\, more frameworks\, And yet the feeli
 ng of collective life\, of shared prosperity\, of genuine community\, has 
 been slowly slipping. The feeling of collective prosperity\, of participat
 ion\, of belonging\, has narrowed\, and is almost fading. This keynote beg
 ins by asking what a vibrant community actually is: not as an aspiration\,
  but as something with real characteristics that can be named\, protected\
 , and designed toward.\n\nDrawing on community-led projects built through 
 reclaimed materials\, participatory storytelling\, and shared cultural mem
 ory\, Nila argues that designers carry more agency in this moment\, so how
  can we use that agency? A call to return design to its original purpose: 
 creating the conditions for people to feel prosperous\, connected\, and pa
 rt of something larger than themselves.\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.org/
 ux-australia/sessions.json#67ca6009-b0f9-4e3c-b465-82969f526bdc
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:ce984a78-902d-4f94-a6f8-78368a3ee44a@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T100000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Design Shapes Context\, Context Shapes Design
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Cornel Steyn (Versent)\, Jess Witt (Versent)\n\nOver 
 five years of working together across multiple projects\, we've accumulate
 d real\, practical learnings about what it means to bring genuine context 
 awareness into your design process\, and this talk is the distillation of 
 that. Through working case studies drawn from our own practice\, we walk t
 hrough the five dimensions of context\, showing not just the theory but ho
 w we actually apply it day to day. People love to see how others work\, an
 d we pull back the curtain on that in a way that's honest\, practical\, an
 d immediately useful. It's a technical design talk at heart\, but it leave
 s you with something more: a redefinition of the designer's role in a worl
 d increasingly shaped by AI. You'll leave with tools you can use tomorrow\
 , a renewed sense of purpose\, and a completely ruined relationship with p
 esto.\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#ce984a7
 8-902d-4f94-a6f8-78368a3ee44a
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:5efdff8a-4bc1-4530-ada5-df055ecb7b9d@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T103000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:The architecture of human mental health support: re-designing Reach
 Out PeerChat for on-demand support
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nadine Raydan (ReachOut Australia)\, Emily Smith (Rea
 chOut Australia)\n\nYoung people’s expectations of the services they engag
 e with are shaped by their experiences of the broader digital world. In an
  era defined by hyper-personalised and near-instant online experiences\, m
 ental health services are evolving to be just as responsive.\n\nReachOut A
 ustralia intentionally redesigned its PeerChat service model and product t
 o better support changing help-seeking behaviours and address the high-fri
 ction entry-point that failed to meet users at their peak moment of need. 
 PeerChat is a text-based one-to-one support service in which young people 
 aged 16–25 can connect with a trained peer worker who has lived experience
  of mental health challenges. The service was designed to provide an evide
 nce-based offering to young people who lack connection and want to feel he
 ard and understood by someone who can relate. By transitioning PeerChat fr
 om a traditional booked model to an on-demand service\, the interdisciplin
 ary team removed the barriers of ‘scheduled support’ in favour of ‘in-the-
 moment’ connection.\n\nJoin ReachOut’s Senior Product Manager\, Nadine Ray
 dan and Emily Smith\, Peer Work Manager\, as they discuss PeerChat’s strat
 egic pivot and transition from a booked service to an on-demand model and 
 share the impact of these changes. They’ll share insights from the end-to-
 end journey of this transition\, detailing the initial drivers for change\
 , co-creating with frontline mental health workers and young people\, and 
 the outcomes and lessons from the first year of service.\n\nhttps://data.w
 ebdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#5efdff8a-4bc1-4530-ada5-df055e
 cb7b9d
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:992ba738-41fa-4371-8f95-ad70ceee8d43@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T110000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T120000
SUMMARY:Brunch
DESCRIPTION:https://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#992ba
 738-41fa-4371-8f95-ad70ceee8d43
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:018ddda8-0ec9-4c79-a092-ff2daec6dfbe@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T120000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:What is the role of design in a product-led world
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: MC Monsalve (ABC)\n\nOver the past three months\, I’v
 e gone deep into AI—not as a theorist\, but as a design leader trying to m
 ake sense of how this technology is reshaping our practice in real time.\n
 \nIn this talk\, I share that journey.\n\nFrom setting direction within my
  own team to speaking with peers across the industry\, I’ve taken a delibe
 rate discovery-led approach: asking questions\, running experiments\, and 
 creating space for exploration while still delivering real work.\n\nInside
  my team\, this meant defining three clear focus areas—and then stepping b
 ack to give designers autonomy in how they engage with AI. Outside the tea
 m\, it meant actively seeking out others—designers\, product thinkers\, te
 chnologists—to understand how they are navigating the same shift.\n\nWhat’
 s emerging (currently) is not a neat answer\, but a set of tensions:\n\n-B
 etween speed and depth\n-Between augmentation and erosion of craft\n-Betwe
 en possibility and unintended consequence\n-Between transformation and est
 ablished craft\n\nThis talk brings those threads together—offering a groun
 ded view of how AI is actually showing up in our design practice today\, w
 hat we’re learning so far\, and what we need to be intentional about as we
  move forward.\n\nWhat I will leave you with…\n-A case study as to how we 
 are using AI at the ABC in the Design practice\n-Some insights as to where
  we are exploring the use cases of AI in other areas of our practice\n-Hop
 efully a sense of optimism\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/
 sessions.json#018ddda8-0ec9-4c79-a092-ff2daec6dfbe
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:8ba62520-7abf-4d16-a028-8bf5634a9a3a@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T123000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Why most Mobile UX increases risk — and how to reduce it
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Emma Buckland\n\nMobile UX is obsessed with speed.\n\
 nFewer steps. One-tap actions. Flows so smooth you barely notice them.\n\n
 The problem is that mobile design inherited desktop assumptions and disgui
 sed them as mobile-first.\n\nWe design for focus\, continuity and attentio
 n. Yet mobile exists in a world of interruption\, distraction and fragment
 ed attention.\n\nWhat if mobile isn’t a smaller desktop at all?\n\nWhat if
  it requires its own design principles?\n\nDrawing on years of mobile desi
 gn experience—and leading UX for one of Australia’s most-used financial ap
 ps—Emma Buckland explores why many of the patterns we celebrate in mobile 
 design can increase risk\, and what changes when we start designing for th
 e reality of mobile use.\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/se
 ssions.json#8ba62520-7abf-4d16-a028-8bf5634a9a3a
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:38a863bb-2ab6-48e4-8885-fc9c4f83e789@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T130000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Enjoyment as a Design Principle and Metric
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sakib Jalil (UTS & Central Queensland University)\n\n
 For years digital design has focused on efficiency. Faster systems. Leaner
  services. Tighter workflows. Organisations measure success through reduce
 d clicks\, task completion rates\, and time saved. These measures are usef
 ul\, but they do not always explain why people value an experience. On the
  other hand\, some of the most meaningful moments in human life are ineffi
 cient when viewed through a purely operational lens. Long conversations\, 
 shared meals\, slow rituals\, provide richer experience. Research in psych
 ology and behavioural science shows that these are the moments people reme
 mber. Yet design practice continues to optimise primarily for efficiency.\
 n\nThis talk explores what happens when we look at digital experiences thr
 ough a different lens -- the lens of enjoyment. Drawing on work in Human C
 omputer Interaction\, behavioural science\, and real design research proje
 cts from consulting\, it shows how experiences that intentionally introduc
 e meaning can increase trust\, engagement\, and perceived value. The talk 
 will introduce an approach for making enjoyment measurable via indicators 
 that can complement traditional numeric efficiency metrics.\n\nhttps://dat
 a.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#38a863bb-2ab6-48e4-8885-fc9
 c4f83e789
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:e8d2913f-d1bb-450c-9301-fc1b0aebd928@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T133000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Beyond Designers: Building a Culture of UX Through a Playbook
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sarah Fennelly (Deakin University)\, Rachael Wilson (
 Deakin University)\n\nOur proposed talk will discuss our journey developin
 g a central UX and design resource to support library staff in developing 
 user-centered experiences. Our resource\, the Library Design Playbook\, of
 fers a scaffolded approach to understanding and applying UX concepts\, wit
 h tangible examples and tools to build confidence and capability in applyi
 ng the double diamond approach.\n\nBy reframing UX as a shared responsibil
 ity across all roles\, the Playbook promotes a culture where every staff m
 ember contributes to improving user experiences. It also highlights the va
 lue of specialist design expertise working alongside librarians to elevate
  library services through collaborative\, evidence-based design.\n\nhttps:
 //data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#e8d2913f-d1bb-450c-930
 1-fc1b0aebd928
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:9d226a84-b0a7-4d88-96a8-717728c4cd52@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T140000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T145000
SUMMARY:Afternoon Tea
DESCRIPTION:https://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#9d226
 a84-b0a7-4d88-96a8-717728c4cd52
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:316efd8f-e685-47da-868d-cdcd7917e34a@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T145000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Designing for disappointment
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Patima Tantiprasut (PetRescue)\n\nMost digital journe
 ys are designed with an end destination in mind. Search\, discover\, decid
 e\, convert - done. The experience is considered complete the moment someo
 ne gets what they came for. \n\nAt PetRescue\, that destination is a rescu
 e pet finding a loving home. For a long time\, that's where our efforts fo
 cused. When we examined what actually happens across that journey\, we dis
 covered that the most consequential design moment wasn't only the search o
 r finding a match. It was what happened next. Given that a pet can only be
  united with one household\, something easily neglected was the journey fo
 r the unsuccessful applicant.\n\nSomeone wanting to adopt a pet is emotion
 ally invested and has imagined this pet as a loving companion in their lif
 e. With 100 applications for a single rescue pet not being uncommon\, the 
 unsuccessful 99 people who inevitably miss out are faced with a decision o
 n what to do next\, while feeling heightened emotions often including a fo
 rm of grief and deep disappointment. \n\nThis disappointment can be compou
 nding and lead to a pathway of turning to backyard and unsafe sources - me
 thods which face less barriers - the exact opposite outcome of what the re
 scue sector exists to prevent. Emotion doesn't stop when a journey ends. I
 t fuels whatever comes next.\n\nThis presentation is about how PetRescue i
 s deliberately designing for disappointment - to hold and support people t
 hrough it\, keep them encouraged on the journey\, and protect the decision
  that follows. It's also an acknowledgement to a continued work in progres
 s (it's not completely solved yet!)\, and an invitation to look at your ow
 n products differently: not just at the moment someone succeeds\, but at w
 hat you've designed (or haven't) for everyone who doesn't.\n\nhttps://data
 .webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#316efd8f-e685-47da-868d-cdcd
 7917e34a
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:2b6a4623-f8a7-4453-aa6d-c1c35421b9c4@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T152500
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:The Masking Tax: How Workplace Products Charge an Invisible Cost on
  Disabled Employees
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Josephine Abbatangelo (Movember)\n\nInvisible disabil
 ities affect 1 in 5 people\, yet most UX research processes\, workplace to
 ols\, and design systems are built as if they don't exist. As a product de
 signer at Movember living with an invisible disability\, I've experienced 
 the gap between how products are designed and how people like me actually 
 use them.\n\nThis talk explores what happens when the designer is the unde
 rrepresented user. I'll share how my lived experience has reshaped the way
  I conduct discovery and design\, challenge "standard" assumptions\, and i
 dentify the patterns that consistently fail people with invisible disabili
 ties.\n\nAre we designing for everyone\, or just the users we can see?\n\n
 https://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#2b6a4623-f8a7-44
 53-aa6d-c1c35421b9c4
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:d2ac2521-15d9-4cdf-b437-720f497d5b22@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T160000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T165000
SUMMARY:In conversation
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sam Alderton-Johnson (Impact Policy)\n\nSam Alderton-
 Johnson joins Steve Baty for a fireside chat talking about his work refram
 ing co-design as a decolonising practice–one that recognises sovereignty\,
  redistributes decision-making authority\, and centres communities who hav
 e historically been designed for rather than with.\n\nhttps://data.webdire
 ctions.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#d2ac2521-15d9-4cdf-b437-720f497d5b22
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:df1c50df-065a-48f3-aa60-d4416de0493e@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T170000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Close
DESCRIPTION:https://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#df1c5
 0df-065a-48f3-aa60-d4416de0493e
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:dd6d40f6-f82e-4497-a06e-99e50e8b1493@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T090000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T095000
SUMMARY:The city as interface: What neurodivergent experiences can teach us
  about designing for every mind
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Fatemeh Aminpour (UNSW Sydney)\n\nWhat does a clutter
 ed footpath have in common with a confusing navigation menu? Drawing on in
 -depth walking interviews with neurodivergent adults navigating Sydney's p
 ublic spaces\, this keynote reframes neuroinclusion as a design systems ch
 allenge. The talk explores how predictability\, sensory clarity\, legibili
 ty and opportunities for recovery shape people's ability to participate in
  everyday life\, and what these experiences can teach us about designing m
 ore inclusive environments\, interfaces and systems for every mind.\n\nhtt
 ps://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#dd6d40f6-f82e-4497-
 a06e-99e50e8b1493
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:5a8e88d1-f713-4862-bb21-ed73551027ea@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T100000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:You're Not Designing the Experience. You're Inheriting It
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mina Giang (Oexa)\n\nMost of what shapes a healthcare
  experience was decided before you were in the room – by legislation\, con
 formance requirements\, and the data models beneath the interface. If you 
 don't understand what sits there\, you're not practising healthcare UX. *Y
 ou're decorating risk.*\n \nThe Active Script List was designed to give Au
 stralians control over their own prescription data – portable\, accessible
 \, theirs. But not every risk was visible in the conformance requirements.
  And when the experience falls short\, nobody blames the infrastructure. *
 *They blame the product.**\n \nIn healthcare\, a form is never just a form
 . It is a decision-making tool whose data flows into clinical decisions\, 
 funding models. dispensing systems\, and records stored for years. The wro
 ng simplification doesn't just lose data – *it loses clinical meaning.*\n 
 \nThe most important UX decisions in healthcare are made upstream\, before
  design even begins. The designers who make the biggest impact are the one
 s willing to go there – and **ask to be in the room where those decisions 
 are made.**\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#5
 a8e88d1-f713-4862-bb21-ed73551027ea
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:a305d2c2-b406-497a-b1a2-f346282d5aff@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T103000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Building your inclusive design toolkit
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Maria Sereno\n\nDesigning inclusively is more crucial
  now than ever before. Given the current state of tech -- especially rapid
  advances in artificial intelligence and ever-higher stakes in data\, priv
 acy\, and identity handling -- UX practitioners are poised to make impact 
 on a massive scale. Thus\, we hold a great deal of responsibility for ensu
 ring we account for the full breadth of human experience.\n\nIt can be dau
 nting to think of expanding our scope from accessibility\, which primarily
  accounts for disability\, to consider other aspects of human diversity. W
 ith so many aspects to consider -- gender\, sexuality\, race\, cultural he
 ritage\, language\, geography\, socioeconomics\, literacy\, trauma\, and s
 o much more -- where do we even begin?\n\nIn this talk\, I'll cover founda
 tions and tools to embed inclusive design into your work. I'll discuss key
  concepts like intersectionality and lived experience\, share what approac
 hes have worked with me\, and get real about working within limited constr
 aints.\n\nThe aim is not to get you thinking about taking an inclusive des
 ign course "sometime next year" or to give you a few books to add to your 
 to-be-read list. The aim is to get you started on your toolkit now: with c
 oncrete actions and tools you can use in your current project\, learning a
 nd iterating as you develop your own inclusive design practice.\n\nhttps:/
 /data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#a305d2c2-b406-497a-b1a2
 -f346282d5aff
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:4a2c0e4b-e4e3-4c4b-a8a9-356c2515a1b3@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T110000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T120000
SUMMARY:Brunch
DESCRIPTION:https://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#4a2c0
 e4b-e4e3-4c4b-a8a9-356c2515a1b3
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:828f9d81-cbe5-4160-8574-ddb3d5b08ee7@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T120000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:The Human Margin
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Peter Barber (Airwallex)\n\nDesigning for the Human M
 argin is a talk about the precise\, mappable territory AI cannot take from
  design — and why our discipline has been quietly giving it away for twent
 y years.\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#828f
 9d81-cbe5-4160-8574-ddb3d5b08ee7
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:29e2ff8f-08b3-4593-94f7-f1215835a248@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T123000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:From reactive systems to proactive intelligence
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jessie Pahng (Independent)\n\nFor decades\, we've des
 igned technology to help people react.\n\nAn alert appears. A dashboard tu
 rns red. Teams scramble to investigate\, triage\, and resolve problems aft
 er they've already happened.\n\nBut what if technology could help prevent 
 problems before they even begin?\n\nAs AI becomes embedded into the produc
 ts we build\, UX is undergoing a fundamental shift. Our role is no longer 
 just to design interfaces or simplify workflows. We are designing intellig
 ent ecosystems that understand context\, learn behaviors\, and proactively
  help people achieve their goals.\n\nIn this talk\, I'll share my journey 
 designing AI-powered experiences for complex enterprise environments and t
 he framework that emerged from that work. Rather than adding another AI as
 sistant to the interface\, we'll explore how intelligence can quietly work
  in the background\, reduce cognitive load\, and help people focus on what
  matters most.\n\nThe future of UX isn't about building smarter interfaces
 . It's about designing experiences that help people make better decisions 
 before they even realize they need help.\n\nBecause the best technology is
  deeply human.\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.jso
 n#29e2ff8f-08b3-4593-94f7-f1215835a248
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:b0e6a27d-a084-458a-b4cc-c6025c4d5744@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T130000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Designing for the Mind: Using Cognitive Load to Measure UX Effectiv
 eness
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ben Shelton (The University of Newcastle\, Australia)
 \, Cordelia Prangley (University of Newcastle)\n\nUser experience design o
 ften focuses on usability\, accessibility\, and task success. But even whe
 n users complete a task successfully\, an interface may still be demanding
  unnecessary mental effort.\n\nEvery extra decision\, notification\, uncle
 ar hierarchy\, or fragmented workflow adds to the cognitive load users mus
 t manage. These costs are rarely visible in traditional usability metrics\
 , yet they directly affect attention\, performance\, and user satisfaction
 .\n\nCognitive Load Theory offers a way to make this invisible cost visibl
 e.\n\nIn this talk\, Dr Ben Shelton and Cordelia Prangley introduce how co
 gnitive load can be used as a practical lens for evaluating interface effe
 ctiveness. Drawing on research from educational psychology and calm techno
 logy\, the session explores how mental workload influences user performanc
 e\, decision-making\, and attention.\n\nAttendees will learn:\n\n- How cog
 nitive load affects user performance and decision quality\n- The relations
 hip between perceptual load\, attention\, and interface complexity\n- Prac
 tical techniques for identifying cognitive overload in real products\n- Ho
 w cognitive load insights can lead to calmer\, more effective digital expe
 riences\n\nIf we want technology to feel effortless\, we need to understan
 d the demands it places on the human mind.\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.o
 rg/ux-australia/sessions.json#b0e6a27d-a084-458a-b4cc-c6025c4d5744
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:6d5e8f2d-9930-44da-a3e6-25bd9f31f76c@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T133000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Unplanned Disruption: Mind the Gaps
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Elise Loeuille (Transport for NSW)\n\nUnplanned disru
 ption is where complex systems are most exposed. In transport\, it brings 
 together multiple modes\, fragmented systems\, and teams making decisions 
 quickly with incomplete information. The result is not just operational pr
 essure\, but visible gaps in governance\, processes\, tools\, and communic
 ation that directly impact the customer experience. At the same time\, it 
 creates challenges for both customers and employees\, with frustration oft
 en building between teams that are each working within different constrain
 ts and realities.\n\nThis session explores how human-centred design was us
 ed to make those gaps visible and actionable. Drawing on practical work ac
 ross cross-agency collaboration\, standardised processes\, and shared tool
 s\, it shows how mapping the disruption ecosystem\, visualising customer a
 nd staff journeys\, and establishing a shared definition of disruption can
  support clearer governance\, more consistent decision-making\, and better
  coordination in real-time. This program of work helps stakeholders see th
 e broader system they are operating within and reveal the experiences of o
 thers across it. This created empathy across teams\, reduced some of the f
 rustration that had built up between functions\, and gave people a clearer
  sense of why their work mattered in the bigger picture.\n\nAttendees will
  leave with practical approaches for mapping complex systems\, aligning cr
 oss-functional teams\, and improving decision-making in high-pressure\, re
 al-time environments.\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessi
 ons.json#6d5e8f2d-9930-44da-a3e6-25bd9f31f76c
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:308a6f3c-6dc2-4a7f-bb7d-058e5d980840@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T140000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T144500
SUMMARY:Afternoon Tea
DESCRIPTION:https://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#308a6
 f3c-6dc2-4a7f-bb7d-058e5d980840
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:f427c3fd-a0d1-4ae5-b14c-6a0c7394b263@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T144500
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Getting comfortable with the unknown
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Amanda Pitcher (Versent)\n\nEvery UX-er knows the fee
 ling: You've landed in a new project\, a new role\, or a new organisation\
 , and the brief is vague\, the stakeholders have assumptions baked in\, an
 d nobody seems to agree on what the actual problem is. The instinct is to 
 trust the process - but what if the process is the problem? This talk flip
 s the script on how we navigate ambiguity\, offering eight practical\, imm
 ediately applicable tools for getting comfortable in the grey zone of not-
 knowing. Drawing on experience design\, cognitive science\, and the humbli
 ng realities of working in complex organisations\, you'll leave with a con
 crete framework for naming your unknowns\, challenging your assumptions\, 
 and making better decisions even when the path ahead isn't clear. Whether 
 you're a seasoned practitioner or fresh in your career\, comfort with unce
 rtainty isn't a personality trait - it's a skill. And this talk will help 
 you build it.\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json
 #f427c3fd-a0d1-4ae5-b14c-6a0c7394b263
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:3b9b0102-fce0-4e1e-aec8-08f4cce381cd@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T151500
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Leadership that lasts
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Amir Ansari\n\nAttributes and conversations about UX 
 and Product Design leadership often centre on scale and efficiency: growin
 g headcount\, enabling company growth\, introducing streamlined practices 
 and systems\, refining operating models\, and driving transformation. Acro
 ss 25+ years of leading design in startups\, agencies\, enterprises\, and 
 government\, I’ve done all of that. I’ve taken on those roles believing I 
 could create meaningful\, lasting impact — leaving each organisation stron
 ger than when I joined. But in environments shaped by restructures\, merge
 rs and acquisitions\, pivots\, and strategy resets\, many of those visible
  markers of leadership prove to be fragile and short-lived.\n\nOver time\,
  I’ve come to realise that only one aspect of leadership truly endures bey
 ond tenure. In this talk\, I’ll reflect on both the successes and missteps
  from my journey as a design leader and share what I believe is the one in
 gredient that outlasts growth strategies\, frameworks\, and org charts — a
 nd what leaders should focus on if they want their impact to genuinely tra
 vel beyond them.\n\nhttps://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.j
 son#3b9b0102-fce0-4e1e-aec8-08f4cce381cd
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:b4aaccf3-3169-4460-8d0c-d7457769da18@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T160000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Your Strategic Future
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nathan Shedroff (California College of the Arts)\n\nA
 ll of the most important decisions about a project or company's customers\
 , value\, requirements\, performance\, intent\, and impact are made before
  it's ever given to designers and engineers. That puts developers at a dis
 advantage of improving outcomes\, making change\, and accomplishing their 
 goals. In order to have the impact you want to have\, you need to move up 
 the decision chain and become involved with strategy.\n\nDesigners\, in pa
 rticular\, have all of the skills and perspectives needed to become superi
 or strategist\, whether they stay at the development level or move into an
  organization's leadership. However\, in order to be effective\, they must
  learn why the traditional approach to strategy is the problem and what ne
 w approaches will replace it and give them the influence they desire. This
  talk will cover what is wrong with strategy\, how to fix it\, and how to 
 upskill into more impactful (and\, often lucrative) careers.\n\nhttps://da
 ta.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#b4aaccf3-3169-4460-8d0c-d7
 457769da18
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:01e17423-786f-4f4a-8599-d89db595bd7b@ux-australia
DTSTAMP:20260727T080257Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828T170000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260828TNaNNaN00
SUMMARY:Close
DESCRIPTION:https://data.webdirections.org/ux-australia/sessions.json#01e17
 423-786f-4f4a-8599-d89db595bd7b
URL:https://webdirections.org/ux-australia/
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR