2026 PhillyCHI UX Community Conference (DesignPhiladelphia Festival)
Independence Blue Cross Innovation Center | 1901 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
For the first time ever, as part of DesignPhiladelphia Festival, PhillyCHI is bringing Philadelphia’s UX community together for a community conference! Join us PhillyCHI UX Community Conference—an afternoon of learning, connection, and celebration for designers, researchers, students, guest speakers, local organizations, and UX professionals from across the Philadelphia region.
TICKETS: $30USD + platform fee | Your ticket includes conference admission, all programming, the networking happy hour, and light food and drinks.
Currently enrolled students can use promo code STUDENT05 at checkout to receive $5 off admission. A valid student ID must be presented at check-in to redeem the student discount.
This event is open to attendees ages 18 and older. A valid government-issued photo ID is required for entry.
Conference Agenda (All Sessions)
Once you have purchased a $30 conference ticket, select your preferred session by clicking Sign up for this session.
SESSION 1 (3:30 - 4:30PM)
What is Service Design? Workshop
This interactive workshop introduces participants to service design and how it connects with disciplines like UX, graphic, product, spatial, and participatory design. Participants will explore how service design brings together people, processes, systems, and touchpoints to create more cohesive experiences, while connecting with Philadelphia’s service design community.
Put Your Best Work Forward Portfolio Workshop
Join AIGA Philadelphia for an in-person, hands-on portfolio workshop designed to help you strengthen your design portfolio. Get practical guidance, work on your portfolio alongside fellow designers, and leave with ideas for better showcasing your work, process, and skills.
SESSION 2 (4:30 - 5:30PM)
Growing Through UX: Lessons from Different Roles, Industries, and Career Stages
What does it look like to grow through a career in UX? Three practitioners at different career stages reflect on the roles, pivotal projects, and hard-won lessons that have shaped how they approach their work. Drawing from experience across government, finance, consulting, healthcare, automotive, education, and emerging technology, they’ll discuss navigating complex organizations, moving between individual contributor and leadership roles, influencing stakeholders, and hiring and developing UX practitioners. Together, they’ll offer an honest look at how the work changes throughout a UX career and how practitioners can make intentional choices about where they want to grow next.
AI Is Not the Answer (It’s Just Practice)
AI isn’t going away, but that doesn’t mean it’s the answer to everything. This talk cuts through the hype to explore AI’s real role in UX and product design, from ethics and equity to workplace pressure, and how designers can use AI as a tool without letting it replace critical thinking, creativity, or craft.
UX/HCI: Student Lightning Talks
Hear from Philly-based Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD students as they showcase innovative UX/HCI projects, research, and case studies in lightning talks. Discover emerging ideas, fresh perspectives, and exciting work from the next generation of UX and HCI practitioners and researchers.
SESSION 3 (5:30 - 6:00 PM)
Got the Sunday Scaries? Culture Is a Design Problem, Not a Mood Problem
Sunday night dread isn't a personal failing, it's a signal. Most organizations respond to it with a values poster, an all-hands deck, or a tee shirt drop, and wonder why nothing changes. This talk breaks down the order that actually works: principles specific enough to guide a real decision, leaders who live them before they communicate them, and only then, a visual and experiential system that reinforces what's already true. Using a real enterprise case as proof, you'll leave with a framework for building culture in the order that makes it real, not the order that makes it look good on day one.
The Visibility Advantage: Personal Branding and Career Strategy for UX Professionals
Learn how to build a strong personal brand, showcase your value, and stand out in a competitive UX job market. Walk away with practical strategies to increase your visibility and create new career opportunities.
Meet A11y Philadelphia: Designing for Accessibility
Meet A11y Philadelphia and learn about the organization’s history, mission, and role in Philadelphia’s accessibility community. The team will share practical insights on creating more inclusive digital experiences and how UX professionals can make accessibility a more intentional part of the design process