Past Events

• When and how they realized they needed to form better relationships at work
• The mindset shifts they needed to make to break through habits of avoidance
• Techniques for starting difficult conversations about expectations, boundaries, feedback, and conflict
• How they’ve learned to move through fear, get past the awkward part, and just say it

We’ll close with sharing a tool for starting hard conversations, and facilitating a self-reflective activity designed to help you transform what you heard into practical next steps for yourself.

Our panel

• Jane Davis, user research leader
• Shannon Leahy, senior content design manager, Adobe
• Clara Kuo, principal UX researcher, Vivian Health
• Shawna Hein, VP of experience, Code for America

This is a free, virtual event. To RSVP, use the LinkedIn event link. That link also gives you the video conferencing details we'll use day of.

🚀 Event date

Friday, March 15, 2024

🕒 Time:

10:00 am to 11:00 am ET

7:00 am to 8:00 am PT

8:00 am to 9:00 am MT

9:00 am to 10:00 am CT

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm GMT

4:00 pm to 5:00 pm CET

9:00 pm to 10:00 pm IST

2:00 am to 3:00 am AEDT Saturday

In a talk that is itself trauma-informed (no jump scares or over-explicit language), Jessica Smith, an inclusive and accessible design specialist, will talk about the basics of trauma science, its implications for experience design, and where you can integrate this into your work.

About Jessica:

Jessica's a UX leader and longtime content strategist. For the last 7 years, she's specialized in UX content. When she's not evangelizing Object-Oriented UX (OOUX) or doing trauma-informed design trainings, you can find her in her working on a novel, watching stand up clips, or delighting in the mountains of Colorado. You can find her online on LinkedIn.

Join Shannon Leahy and Jane Ruffino for Tacos and Tiaras to get hyped about each other’s unsung victories. Did you nail a project—sort of? Give your first workshop? Get promoted? Take your job and shove it? Push your desk into a sunnier spot? Get a pet (can we meet it?)? Have you simply survived?

There’s no win too small or too weird. There’s no cheer too loud. Everyone’s a winner, and everyone gets a crown. Well, a Zoom-filter crown at least.

If you’ve never been to one of our “un-meetups” before, just come as you are. Bring a taco or two, or other snack of your choice. No prep necessary, other than being ready with your best victory dance.

Event time:

1 pm ET (Richmond, Virginia, US)

1 0 am PT (San Francisco, California, US)

1 2 pm CT (Chicago, Illinois, US)

6 pm BST (London, UK)

7 pm CEST (Stockholm, Sweden)

5 am AEST on Wednesday, December 20 (Sydney, Australia)

Don't know how to use layers in Figma? Still looking up the spellings for common words? Can’t follow the “product versus UX” discourse? Stumbling through life with a tattered survival manual of “righty tight-y, lefty loose-y” hacks?

We're all Googling under the table; it's the human condition. The problem is that we're looking around, thinking everyone else has it all figured out.

This is a chance for us to spill it all and go back into the world, knowing we're all flying by the seat of our pants. In fact, we’re gonna celebrate just how far we’ve all come without learning some of the most basic things imaginable. Way to go, us! We do not got this!

As usual, we'll have a short welcome from Shannon and Jane, who will introduce the theme, and then we'll let loose. There will be laughter. There might be tears (of validation). And there will definitely be cake (or a snack of your choice). If you want to share anonymously, you can fill out this form. But you’re welcome to share publicly, too.

Grow your design career: Wrangling influence, ambiguity, and autonomy...without losing yourself!

“Leadership.” “Leveling up.” It’s not always clear what these terms mean, or how they might manifest in your career. Or, it might feel like you have to change who you are or what you value to fit into some stereotypical mold of a “design leader.”

To help you chart your path, we’ll explore three key skill areas to grow in: establishing influence, navigating ambiguity, and working autonomously. And, we'll talk how to build these skills while honoring what makes you, you!

Also expect some real talk about the roles privilege, power dynamics, sponsors, and how luck plays into your career journey, too.

Enjoy delicious coffee or a mimosa, light breakfast foods, and design-centered discussion.

This is a LinkedIn Live (audio only) event.

You scream

We all scream

* cue screaming into the void *

We’re back! After your excitement and glowing feedback for our pizza and affirmations hangout, we’ve decided to bring content folks together again for a lil’ community building. We’re all screaming into the void, but what if we pretend the void has a sundae bar?

This time, join hosts Shannon Leahy and Jane Ruffino for a virtual ice cream party! We’ll dish out the compliments, alongside a healthy side of hot takes, real talk, sweet ideas, and a dash of arm waving and screaming. Bring your favorite treat to enjoy, don an ice-cream-themed outfit or Zoom background, whatever feels right and authentic for you.

See you soon! Yours in solidarity,

Shannon and Jane

Event time:

1 pm ET (Richmond, Virginia, US)

10 am PT (San Francisco, California, US)

12 pm CT (Chicago, Illinois, US)

6 pm BST (London, UK)

7 pm CET (Stockholm, Sweden)

3 am Friday AEST (Sydney, Australia)

We see you. We feel you. And we offer a humble night of community for a little respite from all the chaos. 

So, let’s eat our feelings together. Personally, our feelings taste like pizza right now, but you can bring whatever food best represents *waves arms around* and we'll just hang out and be each other’s biggest fans.

Join hosts Shannon Leahy and Jane Ruffino for a virtual pizza party to laugh, vent, commiserate, and nerd out about pizza and each other. We invite you to share a fun fact about pizza (or, a weird story involving pizza). Pizza-themed outfits and accessories are also encouraged. 

We hope to see you soon!

Event time is:

11:00 am PT (San Francisco, CA, USA)

1:00 pm CT (Chicago, IL, USA)

2:00 pm ET (Richmond, VA, USA)

7:00 pm GMT (London)

8:00 pm CET (Stockholm)

6:00 am AEDT (Sydney) 

Laura Smith will moderate the discussion. Panelists include Terry Peters, John Runberg, and Lindsay Spencer from Veracity Consulting...plus a special mystery guest.