IxDA

Where are you actually finding community? We asked 20 people in UX and design roles (from our research panel) which in-person and virtual communities they’re part of and why they keep showing up. From local meetups to Slack groups and other virtual communities, here are some of the communities that came up again and again 👇 IRL Communities / Meet-ups 🌍 Global: Friends of Figma Ladies That UX Product Tank - Mind the Product IxDA UX Meet-ups 🇪🇺 EU: Pizza Design UX Vienna Asociace UX Dublin UX 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 North America: UX Researchers NYC Austin Tech & UX UX Speakeasy Product Hive UX Wizards 🇦🇺 🇳🇿 APAC UX Meetup Wellington Shopify Meetup – Melbourne Newy Design Meetup UX-BNE 💻 Virtual Communities Design Buddies Dovetail Slack ReOps Slack Health Tech Nerds Uxcel community Memorisely Slack MondayGirl 💬 Did we miss one you love? Drop it in the comments.

🇬🇧 Design conversations happen where slides don’t Last week I went to the 3rd edition of Designers no Boteco (Summer Edition), at Lagoa da Conceição in Florianópolis. This was already the second time I joined, and once again it was incredible. Lots of laughs. Knowledge exchange. Networking. A bit of nonsense talk too. Good food and drinks. Events like this remind me that the best opportunities in design rarely come from formal settings. They come from community moments where people are relaxed and open to share. Since I started attending gatherings like this, my career has genuinely moved to another level. New perspectives, new connections, and unexpected opportunities. Huge thanks to Designers no Boteco and IxDA for organising it. Happy I could contribute a few cents to support the initiative. If you’re in design and have the chance to attend events like this, go. It’s worth it. ⸻ 🇧🇷 As melhores conversas de design não acontecem em slides Semana passada fui na 3ª edição do Designers no Boteco (edição de verão), lá na Lagoa da Conceição em Florianópolis. Já é a segunda vez que participo e, de novo, foi incrível. Muita risada. Troca de conhecimento. Networking. Papo furado também. Comida e bebida boas. Esses momentos de comunidade lembram que as melhores oportunidades em design raramente surgem em ambientes formais. Elas aparecem quando as pessoas estão relaxadas, conversando e trocando experiências. Depois que comecei a ir em encontros assim, sinto que minha carreira realmente alcançou outros níveis. Novas perspectivas, novas conexões e oportunidades inesperadas. Obrigado ao Designers no Boteco e ao IxDA Florianópolis pela organização. Fico feliz de ter conseguido ajudar com alguns centavos para apoiar a iniciativa. Se você trabalha com design e tem chance de ir em eventos assim, vá. Vale muito a pena. #Design #UXDesign #DesignCommunity #IxDA #Florianopolis #Networking #DesignEvents

I recently heard from a 10x Y Combinator founder say that: “You only grow at the speed of your network.” Recently, I’ve been spending more time intentionally plugged into Cincinnati’s business and entrepreneurship ecosystem, including recently checking out The Marketer Collaborative. While building AI Answered, one thing that’s become clearer to me is how much growth comes from proximity. Being around people who are curious, building, and willing to share what they’re learning. Not in a transactional way, but just by showing up, listening, and improving faster together. Now that I’m back from Europe, I’m excited to continue spending time with groups like Cintrifuse, CincyAI for Humans (CincyAI), AMA Cincinnati - American Marketing Association Cincinnati, and IxDA. Each of them brings together people who are genuinely interested in learning, building, and pushing their work forward. I’ll also be heading to Columbus soon for the Split Social Business Hop and back to SparkHaus with Side Hustle Club now that construction has wrapped up. It’s always interesting to see how these spaces evolve alongside the communities using them. If you’re looking to grow, learn faster, or just meet thoughtful people working on interesting problems, Cincinnati has no shortage of solid groups doing real work. Grateful for the conversations so far and focused on continuing to show up and learn. #entrepreneurship #business #ai #aianswered #cincinnati #marketing #learning

💼 Design creates value — not just in products, but in how organisations think, plan, and evolve. In business case development, it becomes a tool for aligning innovation with real-world impact. The Glorious 42 experts are redefining how design supports decision-making, drives transformation, and strengthens the case for future-ready investment. 🌍 Meet four experts shaping this pillar: 🔹 Alok Nandi — Founder of Architempo  and Professor at Institut Lyfe (Ex-Institut Paul Bocuse). Alok works at the intersection of design, innovation, and narrative — helping organisations craft strategic roadmaps that connect technology, culture, and storytelling. He’s also active with IxDA  globally and founded PechaKucha Night Brussels. 🔹 Prof. Dr. Andrea Augsten — Professor of Management & Design at New Design University. Andrea bridges design research and organisational transformation — developing participatory, systemic approaches to innovation across industry, policy, and education. 🔹 Enrico Priora — Freelance Consultant and Adjunct Professor at Politecnico di Milano. Enrico helps public and private organisations redesign services using emerging tech and design thinking — always focused on real-world impact and inclusive systems. 🔹 Jeremy Hugh Aston — Professor at Escola Superior de Artes e Design,  Matosinhos, and COO/Treasurer of AIDDEA (Laboratório de Design Avançado). Jeremy brings 30+ years of experience across sectors to rethink how design, technology, and society intersect — from mobility to healthcare to sustainable innovation. 🔗 Discover all the G42 experts here: https://lnkd.in/d4wj5XPb #BusinessCaseDevelopment #StrategicDesign #DesignForTransformation #impactbydesign Co-funded by the European Union | Powered by BEDA | Supported by Creative Europe 

It was great reconnecting with 8 Cincinnati organizations across the marketing and technology spaces last night at the Holiday Hangover! Catching up with familiar faces and meeting new people is such a great way to kick off the new year and hear what everyone’s excited about for 2026. It was also wonderful to meet organizations I don’t always get the chance to chat with. I’m even more excited to check out the upcoming events and opportunities they have coming soon. Shout-out to SuperSeed, the beneficiary of the night, and the incredible work they’re doing to support children and career development in their community. 8 Orgs: Ad Club Cincinnati, AMA Cincinnati - American Marketing Association Cincinnati, CincyAI for Humans (CincyAI), Together Digital, Cov Creates, getWITit Cincinnati, IxDA, Cincinnati PRSA