Enjoy presentations you missed, or watch one you loved again from our collection of recorded online speakers. All presentations are organized by date and by topic. We’ll be adding to this list, so check back often!

By Date

2026

Feb 2026 – Emily Ogle “Making AI a ‘Good Place’: Usability and Accessibility” https://bit.ly/4qQmkM6

Jan 2026 – Anne Cantera “The ABC’s of Conversation Design” https://bit.ly/4sSB52U

2025

Oct 2025 – Carianne Tuckley “Sexy vs Scrappy Tech: Using IA and AI to Help Real People Do Everyday Things” https://bit.ly/3WUZkie

Sept 2025 – Michele Oliver “Beyond Personas: Designing with Jobs-to-be-Done in Mind” https://bit.ly/3IGrf1Z

July 2025 – Thomas Stokes “Calculating ROI in UX Research: Quantifying the Value of UX to Business Leaders” https://bit.ly/4fbtkik

June 2025 – Sean Van Tyne “Moving from Product-centric to Customer-centric” https://bit.ly/46iG6ci

May 2025 – Dee Sadler “Measuring and Managing Success: For the Individual, Team, and Leadership” https://bit.ly/4kCPMCm

March 2025 – Amit Sathe and Marina Lin “The Experience Scorecard” https://bit.ly/3QOq5lv

2024

June 2024 – Dennis Cheatham “Translating Theory to Designing for Memorable Experiences” https://youtu.be/jwHwc_I-zfU?si=nJW8zyAi68REZd3F

May 2024 – Kelsey Thomson “Augmenting Human Insight: Enhancing Listening in Qualitative Research with AI” https://youtu.be/7vxlfNSyNuU?si=aBv6OBI67iDSts0I

By Topic

Accessibility

Feb 2026 – Emily Ogle “Making AI a ‘Good Place’: Usability and Accessibility” https://bit.ly/4qQmkM6

AI

Feb 2026 – Emily Ogle “Making AI a ‘Good Place’: Usability and Accessibility” https://bit.ly/4qQmkM6

Jan 2026 – Anne Cantera “The ABC’s of Conversation Design” https://bit.ly/4sSB52U

Oct 2025 – Carianne Tuckley “Sexy vs Scrappy Tech: Using IA and AI to Help Real People Do Everyday Things” https://bit.ly/3WUZkie

May 2024 – Kelsey Thomson “Augmenting Human Insight: Enhancing Listening in Qualitative Research with AI” https://youtu.be/7vxlfNSyNuU?si=aBv6OBI67iDSts0I

Business Side of UX

July 2025 – Thomas Stokes “Calculating ROI in UX Research: Quantifying the Value of UX to Business Leaders” https://bit.ly/4fbtkik

June 2025 – Sean Van Tyne “Moving from Product-centric to Customer-centric” https://bit.ly/46iG6ci

May 2025 – Dee Sadler “Measuring and Managing Success: For the Individual, Team, and Leadership” https://bit.ly/4kCPMCm

Conversation Design

Jan 2026 – Anne Cantera “The ABC’s of Conversation Design” https://bit.ly/4sSB52U

Information Architecture

Oct 2025 – Carianne Tuckley “Sexy vs Scrappy Tech: Using IA and AI to Help Real People Do Everyday Things” https://bit.ly/3WUZkie

Personas

Sept 2025 – Michele Oliver “Beyond Personas: Designing with Jobs-to-be-Done in Mind” https://bit.ly/3IGrf1Z

Product Design and Managment

June 2025 – Sean Van Tyne “Moving from Product-centric to Customer-centric” https://bit.ly/46iG6ci

May 2025 – Dee Sadler “Measuring and Managing Success: For the Individual, Team, and Leadership” https://bit.ly/4kCPMCm

March 2025 – Amit Sathe and Marina Lin “The Experience Scorecard” https://bit.ly/3QOq5lv

June 2024 – Dennis Cheatham “Translating Theory to Designing for Memorable Experiences” https://youtu.be/jwHwc_I-zfU?si=nJW8zyAi68REZd3F

Surprise and Delight

June 2024 – Dennis Cheatham “Translating Theory to Designing for Memorable Experiences” https://youtu.be/jwHwc_I-zfU?si=nJW8zyAi68REZd3F

Usability

Feb 2026 – Emily Ogle “Making AI a ‘Good Place’: Usability and Accessibility” https://bit.ly/4qQmkM6

June 2024 – Dennis Cheatham “Translating Theory to Designing for Memorable Experiences” https://youtu.be/jwHwc_I-zfU?si=nJW8zyAi68REZd3F

UX Research

July 2025 – Thomas Stokes “Calculating ROI in UX Research: Quantifying the Value of UX to Business Leaders” https://bit.ly/4fbtkik

March 2025 – Amit Sathe and Marina Lin “The Experience Scorecard” https://bit.ly/3QOq5lv

May 2024 – Kelsey Thomson “Augmenting Human Insight: Enhancing Listening in Qualitative Research with AI” https://youtu.be/7vxlfNSyNuU?si=aBv6OBI67iDSts0I

Don’t see your presentation on this list? Reach out to us via our Contact Form!

Last month, UX Akron was honored at Greater Cleveland Partnership’s Annual Best of Tech Awards as a leading Tech Community Group / Ecosystem Amplifier.

Partnership representatives said, “We’re thrilled to recognize UX Akron as one of Greater Cleveland’s 2025 Best of Tech! You’re part of a remarkable group of 108 innovators helping shape the future of our region’s tech economy.“

Nearly 300 tech leaders from the Greater Cleveland area gathered at the Great Lakes Science Center for the ceremony.

Learn more about this year’s event, see photos and a list of all the honorees at Greater Cleveland Partnership’s website.

World IA Day Akron took place on March 7, 2025 at the Blu-tique Hotel in Downtown Akron, OH. Learn more about the presenters and event details here.

Thanks to all our presenters and attendees. We had great discussions and learned so much from each other! It’s great to be in community.

Special thanks to photographer Jessica Collura Gardner for capturing this event.

Photos from World INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE DAY 2025 in AKron

Stay in the loop

Stay up to date about upcoming events and what’s new in UX for Northeast Ohio by subscribing to our monthly newsletter.

WOrld IA DAY in Akron is Friday March 7, 2025

Join us for WIAD25 for Friday, March 7th at the Blu-tique Hotel at 1 S. Main St. in downtown Akron, Ohio. Breakfast and lunch are included, as well as breaks and opportunities for networking with the local tech & design community.

We’re planning a full day of speakers and activities — check back here for the schedule of events. This year’s global theme is the Challenges of Change. Learn more about the global event at worliaday.org.

An accessible, covered parking deck is located next to the library at 40 S. High Street and has an access corridor along the west wall that leads directly out to Main St.

AGENDA

10:00 – 10:15 – Check in, Continental Breakfast

10:15 – 10:30 – Welcome, opening remarks

10:30 – 11:30 – UX at a Crossroads – Joshua Randall

11:30 – 12:00 – Co-Creation Workshops: What Role Do They Play in Effective Design? – Richard Douglass

12:00 – 12:15 – BREAK

12:15 – 12:45 – Protection by Design – Ben Woods

12:45 – 1:15 – AI or IA? – Marc Majers

1:15 – 1:45 – LUNCH

1:45 – 2:00 – GIVEAWAYS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

2:00 – 3:00 – Untangling Supply Chain Systems – Nick Dauchot

3:00 – 3:30 – Beyond Design: Positioning UX as a Business Solution in Times of Change – Alina Bengert-Lombardi

3:30 – 3:45 – BREAK

3:45 – 4:15 – Affecting Change in Your Organization: Five Methods I Use to Change the Minds of Business Leaders About Digital Accessibility – Stephen Morrisey

4:15 – 4:45 – The Only Constant Is Change: How to Thrive in an Ever-Evolving Product World – Kim Kastner

ABOUT THE PRESENTATIONS

Joshua Randall on “UX At A Crossroads”

User Experience stands at a crossroads: will we live up to our potential to design a better world? or will we be co-opted by “product management” or another business buzzword?

Looking backwards, this talk will show how UX has repeatedly failed to create a better world, drawing on industry data from Nielsen Norman Group, Baymard, MeasuringU, WebAIM, and others.

Looking forwards, this talk will argue that UX must resist hype, say no more often and collaborate less often (you read that right), and become a true profession — in order to be able to design a better world.

Richard Douglass on “Co-Creation Workshops: What Role Do They Play in Effective Design?”

Co-creation workshops are becoming more prevalent in the product lifecycle. Typically, they are employed early on in the discovery process. Attendees will learn more about Co-Creation workshops: what they are, who is involved, what outputs/deliverables to expect, and how they can best use them.

Ben Woods on “Protection by Design”

The world continues to change, and so do the demands of UX professionals. 20 years ago, we wanted to ‘make things easier’ for the user. Then in as a ‘product’ and ‘agile’ mindset took hold, we turned to the idea of ‘delighting the user’. Today, in the shadow of anxiety around Artificial Intelligence, abuses of personal data, and rising rivalries between corporations, criminal enterprises, and nation-states, we are called to new purpose – ‘protect the user’.

Marc Majers on “AI or IA?”

Discover how Artificial intelligence (AI) is having a big effect on information architecture (IA) by influencing how information is organized, accessed, and utilized. Learn how to use AI to improve the user experience and make content easier to find.

Nick Dauchot on “Untangling Supply Chain Systems”

Supply chains are complex systems that are constantly impacted by internal and external forces, and are, in effect, a complex information architecture beast to tame. This session will dive into the weeds about designing for supply chain, its people and metrics, with real world examples from designing for a company delivering medical around the world. Outcomes from this session will include an understanding of designing for supply chain control tower usability, lessons and risks associated with supply chain design in complex organizational structures, and the need for co-design in supply chain related projects.

Alina Bengert-Lombardi on “Beyond Design: Positioning UX as a Business Solution in Times of Change”

Change is inevitable—layoffs, mergers, and reorganizations are part of today’s business landscape. In this talk, I’ll share insights and practical guidelines on how to position UX as a business-critical function rather than a design luxury. By reframing UX in terms of business impact, you can strengthen its role during times of uncertainty and ensure it remains a key part of strategic decision-making.

Stephen Morrisey on “Affecting Change in Your Organization: Five methods I use to change the minds of business leaders About digital accessibility”

UX professionals strive to positively impact their organizations. Yet we must realize that our projects are just one of many priorities leadership must contend with. How can you best champion your cause?

Few undertakings are as difficult and frustrating as our desire to integrate accessibility into our digital products. In this talk I discuss five methods I have used to persuade organizations, along with my results and lessons learned.

Kim Kastner on “The Only Constant Is Change: How to Thrive in an Ever-Evolving Product World”

Product roles are never static. From shifting business priorities and changing stakeholder expectations to new methodologies, emerging technologies, and the unpredictability of the job market, nothing stays the same for long. This reality can feel exciting at times but overwhelming or even disheartening at others.

And change isn’t just happening in product roles—it’s happening in how we design experiences and solve problems. For designers, this means continually re-evaluating decisions, iterating on solutions, and balancing evolving user needs with shifting business priorities.

In this talk, we’ll explore how to embrace change as a competitive advantage and build the adaptability required to succeed in a product career.

Be a sponsor

World IA Day is an annual event under the World Information Architecture Association.

It’s a one-day global celebration with locations all over the world, and serves to:

• Build and connect a global community of IA advocates and practitioners
• Promote the role of IA in different fields
• Provide resources for learning and professional development
• Engage IA academics and professionals in research and development

Sponsorships are a great way to communicate your organization’s value and attract visibility to your brand, products, or services.

Interested in sponsoring WIAD 2024? Visit our Sponsors Page to explore opportunities, or use our Contact Us form to connect with UX Akron. We’re happy to reply promptly and answer any questions you might have.

BE A VOLUNTEER

Want to help out on the day of the event? Let us know you’d like to volunteer.

Let’s Stay in Touch

Stay up to date about upcoming events and what’s new in UX for Northeast Ohio by subscribing to our monthly newsletter.

Elizabeth Gould, User Experience Designer, Kent State University

What drew you to study User Experience Design?

I was drawn into UX when trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I graduated with my undergraduate degree, at Kent State University, with a BFA in Installation Sculpture. At that time, trying to survive and pay bills with an arts degree was not realistic. So, I spent some time doing odds and ends until I happened to do some digging in Kent State’s School of Information graduate degrees and saw UXD. After doing some research trying to figure out what User Experience Design was, I learned it was a good blend of Technology along with the bits of an artist’s background. 

Tell us about your experience working in the University Library at Kent State. How  does your library experience inform your UX work?

Working at University Libraries prepared me for the difficulties that come with most front-facing service jobs, along with learning how to manage back-end operations simultaneously.I feel like I have been practicing UX during my entire career at University Libraries, just not from the typical digital standpoint that most people associate UXD with.
When Patrons come to the desk, or call over the phone, they have a general idea of what they want, but sometimes have no idea how they need to access what they need. In my various roles, I have had to troubleshoot and problem-solve all these different issues. Sometimes the Patron was not at fault for being unsuccessful, it was the flow of information that was confusing. Those situations sometimes resulted in having to connect with units who oversaw those operations, figure out their point of view, tell them about the Parton experience, and figure out of path forward that worked for all parties involved. 

What’s something you wish more people understood about design in general or about your day-to-day work?

I wish people understood that it is not always about them when it comes to design. I think the heart of the problem they are trying to solve is about making something better, but there are times when it is not presented in that manner. There are so many different threads that feed a final product and for many reasons, not everyone is aware of those threads. We do not need to understand how to do someone else’s job, but we should become more aware of these threads and how a decision could influence another thread.   

What do you wish more designers understood? Or what do you think the dialog in our community of practice is missing?

In some regard, think our community is missing simplicity. UX is constantly evolving, and evolution is great. Things are constantly being re-evaluated and adjusted to keep up with the market and big enterprises, but it feels like some areas of UX are moving too fast. Is UX evolving for the sake of trying to constantly chase enterprises and stay afloat or is it evolving because there is a functional need for it to change?  The hardest thing I am trying to keep up with is the constant shifting of the names of what we call things.  It feels like every year and a half the names are being updated and now I have to play catch up with my own terminology.

What are you working on learning now, or have just heard about that fascinates you? What would like to learn next?

I am currently learning how to lead and direct as a UXD. In some ways, it is the same as a manager role, but in other ways also very different. Depending on the team, the target goal, the day even, there are so many pieces of the puzzle that I am trying to learn how to keep afloat until I need a specific piece. It is very overwhelming, but I am trying to focus on one element at a time. I am very grateful to my mentors who have coached me and were there to just let me talk through things. I would not be where I am without them.  

UX Akron is a 501(c)(3) organization that runs on the generous support of individual donors and sponsors. Your donations allow us to offer in-person events that are free and open to the public. The majority of the money we receive goes directly to these events. A portion is also used to serve day-to-day overhead and operational needs, such as monthly costs for website hosting and development, online meeting software, etc.