The big list of UX research conferences and events in 2022

12 best annual UX conferences and networking events

1. Nielsen Norman Group’s Virtual UX Conference

• When: Jun 18–24; July 16–22; Aug 13–26
• Where: Online
• Good for: User researchers and designers

You’re probably already familiar with NN/g, the world-leading organization for user experience research. Their live, Virtual UX Conference offers training courses with industry experts, hands-on practice with collaborative exercises, and networking opportunities in the NN/g UX Slack community. 

Each UX Conference offers a variety of courses for UX design, research, and management, and these courses are eligible for credits toward the UX Certification. 

Here’s what Ian Anderson of the European Commission in Brussels said about the UX Conference: 

“At the NN/g seminar, it is like letting a breath of fresh air into your head. My conference notes look like an action plan for what to do when I get back to my desk.”

2. ProductSchool’s Quarterly ProductCon

• When: TBD (typically in February)
• Where: Online
• Good for: Product designers and managers

Product School is a global leader in Product Management training with a community of 1,000,000+ product professionals. They host ProductCon, the world’s largest product management conference, four times a year. 

The conference features a mix of keynotes, breakout sessions, and panel discussions providing actionable insights into all aspects of developing products that users love. The 2022 ProductCon agenda includes topics like the future of product management, how to build diverse product teams, leading through times of crisis, and more. 

Here’s what Maryam Shittu, Senior Product Manager at TD Bank, had to say about a previous ProductCon event: 

“I attended #ProductCon in NYC to hear top industry veterans speak about the future of Product. The incredible speakers covered several topics including advancement in machine learning, the future of product personalization, building habit-forming products, purpose-driven products, product research techniques, and so much more.“

3. Tech Circus’s UX Live Conference

• When: TBD (typically in February)

• Where: Online
• Good for: Anyone and everyone in UX

UX Live is an annual UX event coordinated by Tech Circus, an independent company that produces educational events for the digital design, product, and UX community. It provides opportunities for networking with fellow UX professionals, interactive learning experiences, Q&As and presentations by industry experts, and on-demand access to conference recordings and materials post-event. 

This event is great for anyone and everyone interested in the UX field, with a varied speaker line-up of user researchers, UX designers, product managers, content strategists, and leadership coaches. 

Here’s what Jenny Grove, UX Research Lead at Google, said about the UX Live Conference:

“The Global Experience Summit provided a great forum for meeting and learning from interesting people active in UX business, academia, and public services in the UK and beyond. Highly recommend!”

4. Qual360 and the UX360 Research Summit

• When: TBD (Typically in the Spring and Fall)
• Where: Online and in person
• Good for: UX researchers

The virtual UX360 Research Summit and QUAL360 global in-person conference series are both organized for UX researchers by the Merlien Institute. With presentations from top UX researchers, interactive panel discussions, and 1–1 networking meetings, each event showcases the latest in UX research and design. 

QUAL360 is held in person in North America, Europe, and the APAC region, while UX360 is fully digital. UX360 sessions include topics like creating a culture of constant learning, inclusivity in UX design, upskilling your way to a successful UX research career, and more, while QUAL360 covers a wide range of topics related to qualitative market research. 

Here’s what a Director of Consumer and Market Insights said about a previous QUAL360 conference:

“You don’t walk away from every conference hearing something new. The speakers at Qual360 spoke about truly relevant topics and started me to think about how I could apply these hearings in my role.”

5. Rosenfeld Media’s Advancing Research Conference

• When: TBD (Typically in March)
• Where: Online
• Good for: UX researchers

Rosenfeld Media is a highly trusted resource for those interested in user experience research and design. Their annual Advancing Research Conference offers diverse, high-quality presentations and workshops designed by experts in user research, as well as fun networking events and a conference Slack workspace. 

This year, User Interviews is proud to sponsor the Advancing Research Conference. Check out this sponsor spotlight interview with our VP of User Research, Roberta Dombrowski, to learn more about why we’re excited for this year’s event. 

Here’s what Susan Mercer, Senior Manager of Research & Usability at TripAdvisor had to say about the Advancing Research Conference:

“I’m super-psyched for this conference because Rosenfeld Media thoughtfully curates its programs to answer the most pressing questions, provides diverse opinions, and coaches speakers so that the presentations are of high quality. I know I will leave with several burning questions that will drive me forward to conducting better research, and I’m aware of no other conferences at this level.”

P.S.—If you’re a full-time student or currently unemployed, Rosenfeld offers full scholarships to attend the conference. Apply here and they’ll let you know within one week if you’ve qualified. 

6. The Women in Product Conference

• When: TBD (Typically in May)
• Where: Online
• Good for: Female product managers and executives

Women in Product is a global community with the goal of inspiring, educating, and connecting women in the product field while advocating for a more diverse workplace. Their annual conference offers interactive sessions, 1–1 networking, access to post-event recordings, and more. 

Previous sessions have covered topics like the intersection between product management and AI, embracing diversity and inclusion, and how the tech industry can influence large-scale social change. 

Here’s what a 2020 Women in Product attendee had to say about the event:

“The mix of career, leadership, and deeper product content made this conference extremely valuable.”

7. UXInsight’s Annual Festival 

• When: TBD (Typically in May)
• Where: Hybrid—online and in-person
• Good for: UX researchers

UXInsight is an international organization dedicated to UX research and Europe’s first and largest UX community. Their annual UXInsight Festival attracts UX researchers from all over the world to discuss trends in UX research, case studies, emerging methods and technologies, research maturity, and more.

Each year, the conference centers around a different theme. This year’s theme covers different perspectives on UX research growth—including personal growth for UX professionals, growth in the UX field, and growth in the UX community. Past themes have included learning by failing, creativity in research, and UX research maturity. 

Here’s what one 2020 UXInsight speaker had to say about the Festival: 

"The organizing committee pays special attention to emerging and interesting topics, and are keen on embracing new ways of looking at both new and existing problems. Many thanks to the organizers for curating an environment that is open, curious and collaborative!"

8. The UX STRAT Conference

• When: Sept 12–14; Nov 1–2
• Where: Hybrid—online and in person
• Great for: UX researchers, designers, and product professionals

UX STRAT brings together experienced design and product professionals from around the world to discuss trends and best practices in product design strategy. Because UX STRAT is offered online and in-person in the United States, Europe, and Asia, attendees have control over their experience and can participate no matter their location or comfort level with in-person events. 

Previous UX STRAT sessions have covered topics like the current state of strategic design, frameworks for mixed methods product design research, designing for human-centered AI, and more. You can view highlight reels from past presentations here or view presentation slides here. 

Here’s what some preview UX STRAT attendees have had to say about the conference:

9. UXPA International Conference

• When: Jun 21–23
• Where: San Diego, CA
• Good for: Anyone and everyone interested in UX

User Experience Professionals Association (UXPA) is an international organization that supports people who research, design, and evaluate the user experience of products and services. Their annual conference brings together UX professionals from all over the world to discuss new and important UX topics. 

The conference format consists of short talks, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and more. In the past, topics have included things like gaining buy-in for UX requests, fostering psychological safety on your teams, and journey mapping tools and techniques. 

Here’s what Luana Ramcharran, a speaker and attendee at UXPA 2021, said about the event: 

You can also check out this UXPA 2021 highlights article by UX Strategist Katherine Martineau for more insight into what you might learn from the conference. 

10. IxDA’s World Interaction Design Day Conference

• When: Sept, exact date TBD
• Where: Online
• Good for: Interaction designers and researchers

World Interaction Design Day is an annual interactive design conference presented in partnership with Adobe XD and the Interaction Design Association (IxDA). Taking place in September every year, the conference offers presentations, workshops, and design showcases focused on celebrating and elevating the work of interaction designers. 

Past workshops have covered topics like ethical and inclusive design, measuring and communicating the value of UX, culture and sustainable product development, and more. 

Here’s what one UX researcher had to say about the 2019 World Interaction Design Day Event: 

11. The Service Design Days Conference

• When: Sept, exact date TBD
• Where: Hybrid—in-person and online
• Good for: Product designers, service designers, and business strategists

Service Design Days is a cross-disciplinary conference for professionals involved in product and service innovation, organizational transformation, and value creation through design. By bringing together business and design, the event’s organizers hope to challenge and inspire attendees to innovate in a design-led way. 

The multi-day event offers both live and digital masterclasses, case studies, workshops, and networking opportunities. In previous years, the event’s theme has centered on staying fit for the future, delivering value, adapting to change, and more. 

Here’s a recap video from a previous Service Design Days event with reviews and impressions from attendees:

12. UXRConf Anywhere

• When: TBD
• Where: TBD
• Good for: User researchers

UXRConf Anywhere is an annual conference built by the UXR Collective with the goal of celebrating and advancing UX research. The 3-day event attracts thousands of researchers from over 60 countries. 

Past talks have included topics like: Coaching the researchers of tomorrow, how colorblind user research produces racist design, setting up a research repository that will actually be useful to your team, and strategies for better quant-and-qual collaborations. You can view past talk recordings on Learners. 

Here’s what a previous attendee had to say about the conference:

“This was one of the best conferences I’ve taken part in. Well produced. Great content. Good vibe. Positive but not syrupy. Also loved the critical voices. Important to challenge norms and move beyond the status quo.”