Silicon Slopes to Hills
2022 UXpedition to Austin
SXSW Art, Music & Interaction Design Conference
I just returned home from a trip to Austin, TX with a group of 3rd/4th year interaction and experience designers from Utah Valley University. A much anticipated trip since COVID forced us to cancel it back in 2020. It was worth the wait.
The first couple of days we explored the downtown area of silicon hills, toured local tech companies, learned from design teams and networked with talented product and UX designers.
“Don’t design FOR, design WITH”
- Kate Swindler, Innovation Design Strategist, Allstate
Over the weekend we spent three days at SXSW, a film/art & tech conference with an entire learning track focused on interaction design. Classes were focused on collaboration and team building in remote work settings, effective design thinking tools, diversity and inclusivity, how to set yourself up for inspiration, leadership skills and maintaining intellectual curiosity — not to challenge, but rather to listen and understand your users and team. While, exhibits afforded creative inspiration and the opportunity for professional industry connections. We got to sneak into the last day of the EDU portion of the conference and had some really great conversations with companies who are trying to create change with users who are the most likely to impact the world…children.
The purpose of the trip was experience, exposure, and inspiration. At the end of the day, a designer needs input to create output and I want to thank all of those who made this trip possible, and memorable. Dan for his excitement for design and making it all happen. Sam Harper from imaware for allowing us to experience his detailed design process hands on.
“Design is basically the process of solving problems”
- Daniel Fu, Lead Designer, USAA
Summer, Rob, Daniel, Dylan, Rochelle and Emilio and the rest of the design team from USAA who took a big chunk out of their day to share their CDO space and knowledge of effective collaboration and strategy, processes, and the importance of diversity of thoughts and perspectives. I appreciate the openness and authentic stories coming from the Q&A that were shared. I asked about the use of specific design tools and was given a list: Sketch, Envision, Zoom for meetings and testing, Mural, Figma, Rally for tracking, Jira, Slack, where do we want to go? what don’t we know? Then work backwards, and the importance difficulty matrix.
Kasey, Jason, Tony, William, Opeyemi and the rest of the UX clan in Austin who went out of their way to offer advice and valuable professional insight.
And finally, my UX designer/student traveling companions whom I have had the privilege of getting to know and share this experience with. There is something about finding your people, your tribe. I have found designers have superpowers, they are some of the most thoughtful, empathetic, open-minded and fun people around.
Thanks, team!
Steven, Abby, Jaycee, Dylan, Seth, Jocelyn, Jenna, Matt, Adrinn and Ysabel.
Thank you,
Utah Valley University
UXpedition March 2022
SXSW Austin
USAA Design Lab
imaware Health
Delta Airlines
Elizabeth is currently studying Interaction Design at Utah Valley University. The following article relates to skills and lessons learned in the Digital Media Program UXpedition Austin| March 2022