Interview: Paul Bryan and UX STRAT 2013

Pabini: What is the focus of the UX STRAT conference?

Paul: Its focus is on developing a strategic approach to guide the vision, prioritization, and design of user experiences. Speakers will present case studies and frameworks that will enable attendees to implement changes in the programs and products for which they’re responsible, ensuring that they are guided by a solid, data-supported rationale rather than guesswork.

 

Pabini: Who should attend the UX STRAT conference?

Paul: We’re selecting the presentations for UX STRAT based on their relevance to experienced UX professionals—particularly UX strategists, researchers, designers, and leaders. If you’re responsible for creating plans, setting priorities, and budgeting projects related to user experience, the UX STRAT conference is intended specifically for you.

Pabini: What do you hope people will get out of the conference?

Paul: I’m hoping that the people who attend the conference will

• learn about UX strategy methods, tools, and deliverables
• find out how UX leaders are using data to formulate their design strategies
• hear how companies are redesigning their cultures and products around their customers
• discover new ways to communicate UX strategy to your organization
• network with experienced UX professionals whose focus is on UX strategy

Pabini: Tell me about the program that you’ve planned for the conference. What kinds of sessions have you planned?

Paul: The format of the conference will be single-track, plenary sessions, so the attendee experience will be more like a think tank than a series of lectures that attendees passively attend. There will be ample time for discussion. Attendees can interact after the conference, too, since most are members of the UX Strategy and Planning group on LinkedIn.

Pabini: Who will the keynote speakers be?

Paul: There are two keynote speakers:

• Nathan Shedroff—Chair of the groundbreaking MBA in Design Strategy at California College of the Arts
• Aarron Walter—author of Designing for Emotion and Director of User Experience for MailChimp

Nathan is a pioneer of experience design. He speaks and teaches internationally and has written extensively on design and business issues. Nathan’s keynote speech at UX STRAT 2013 will set the tone for the entire conference by addressing the combination of UX design and business strategy.

Aarron will describe how his team at MailChimp collects, analyzes, and uses data to drive their UX strategy in his keynote.

Pabini: Will the conference include workshops?

Paul: Yes, we’ll hold workshops on September 9. Tim Loo of Foolproof is leading a workshop about “Redesigning Business Culture and Thinking Around the Customer.” Josh Seiden, editor of Lean UX: Applying Lean Principles to Improve User Experience, will also lead a workshop, covering the practical aspects of implementing Lean UX. We’ll announce additional workshops once we’ve finished evaluating all of the proposals that have been submitted.

Pabini: What is the venue for the conference?

Paul: The conference venue is fantastic! We’re holding UX STRAT at the Georgia Tech Global Learning Center. It’s a very modern facility with free wireless. Presentations will be in a 250-seat amphitheater. It’s a very intimate setting, and every seat will be a good seat. There will be lots of breaks with free snacks and coffee, so I fully expect people to get to know one another very quickly. The hotels are walking distance from the venue, and there’s also a free trolley attendees can take if the weather isn’t good. But September is usually a very nice month weather-wise for Atlanta.

Pabini: How much will UX STRAT 2013 cost?

Paul: Those who register early can save. The registration fees are as follows:

• Two-day conference, September 10–11:
  
  • Super early registration, through June 30, 2013—$599
  • Early registration, through July 31, 2013—$699
  • Regular registration—$799
• Two-day conference, plus two half-day workshops, September 9–11:
  
  • Super early registration, through June 30, 2013—$949
  • Early registration, through July 31, 2013—$1049
  • Regular registration—$1149

Pabini: What kinds of events are you planning that will offer networking opportunities at the conference?

Paul: Networking will be a major focus of the event—given the experience level of most attendees. Therefore, we are planning numerous breaks to give people plenty of time to meet other attendees. Plus, the single-track, plenary format will naturally create an intimate, professional setting for getting to know other attendees.

Each presentation will include a Q&A session, which will help people to become familiar enough with other attendees to talk with them on breaks and after the scheduled presentations are over. We are planning a Happy Hour for the first night of the conference, with locally brewed beer, giving people another chance to meet people they’ve noticed during the presentations.

Pabini: Who, in addition to yourself, is involved in putting on UX STRAT 2013?

Paul: The UX Strategy Group I mentioned earlier, which includes Mark Schraad, Shane McWhorter, Jenny Sun, and Andrew Schechterman, is the core team that is helping me to organize the conference.

The UX STRAT Advisory Board meets regularly to keep the conference planning on track for excellence. The Advisory Board consists of the UX Strategy Group consultants, plus Tim Loo, Ronnie Battista, Mona Patel, and Cory Lebson, all of whom are well known in UX circles.

I’ve also received an incredible amount of support and advice from mentors and partners who have deep experience organizing conferences. The UXPA has expressed strong support for UX STRAT from the beginning. Amy Kidd, UXPA’s Director of Events, has met with me on a regular basis to share expert advice on organizing the conference, with the full support of the UXPA board. The UXPA has approved my proposal for a presentation and workshop on UX Strategy and UX STRAT 2013 at their national conference in July, in Washington D.C., and we’re planning a number of co-promotion activities.

Organizers of other UX-related events have also been very generous with their time and counsel, including Brad Smith of WebVisions, Dan Szuc of UX Hong Kong, Bruno Figueiredo of User Experience Lisbon, Simon Pulman-Jones of the EPIC Conference, Andrew Hinton and Kevin Hoffman of the IA Summit, and Suzanne El-Moursi of Interaction 13.

As you, of course, know, our primary media partner is UXmatters, and UX Magazine is also helping us to get the word out about the conference.

Pabini: Any final thoughts?

Paul: I’m amazed at the brilliance and creativity of the people I’ve had the privilege of interacting with in the course of planning this conference. My biggest excitement about the conference is the opportunity to spend a few days in the same room with them, taking part in a broader conversation about my favorite topic: UX strategy.