Ahead of the first ever Talk UX, a one day usability conference in Manchester, we had an exciting opportunity to catch up with co-founders of Ladies that UX and Talk UX event organisers Georgie Bottomley and Lizzie Dyson.
We wanted to know what inspired them to set up Ladies that UX, and then go on to organise Talk UX.
🎙 What was the driving force behind founding Ladies that UX?
Georgie: Lizzie and I went out one night, and over a glass of wine realised that we didn’t have any female role models within our careers. Personally I had not worked with another female UX-er, and I had never worked with a female in a more senior position to myself.
Georgie: We thought it would be fab to simply know some more women in the industry. Share stories, ask for advice and see if we weren’t the only ones. We wanted a support network of people like us that we could learn from. So Ladies that UX was born!
Lizzie: I think Georgie has summarised it really nicely. I also found that other networking groups were sometimes dominated by men and it was all about who shouted the loudest. We wanted to create a collaborative community for women that could come along and feel relaxed after a long day at work. It’s about learning more about UX and creating friendships within the community, whilst also being comfortable enough to ask for advice.
🎙 Why did you decide to set up Talk UX?
Lizzie: A few people had asked us if we were planning a conference due to the success of Ladies that UX. Due to the rate it started to grow, at the time we realised that we were in a position that hosting a successful conference was possible.
Georgie: Ladies that UX has grown exponentially over the past 14months. We now have groups in 30 cities across 4 continents. Each group runs slightly differently depending on its community. But there are still themes that we find between them. A big theme is speaking. We have a lots of ladies at our monthly meet ups that are really keen to speak, and share their ideas.
Lizzie: We found that other conference organisers were struggling to find women to speak at their conferences. As we organise Ladies that UX we know the women are out there, you just need to ask them. We have proven that there is no reason not to have a balanced line up.
Georgie: There are fantastic women out there, doing amazing work, it is just that they are not being invited to speak. We wanted to debunk the myth, and create a platform for women to share the phenomenal work they are doing with the wider community.
🎙 How do you hope Talk UX is different to other UX events and conferences?
Georgie: Lizzie and I have worked really hard to make sure that we are putting the attendees at the heart of the day – much like UX! We have concentrated on the detail, as well as ensuring the content is fabulous.
We really want to bring the atmosphere of a Ladies that UX meet up (welcoming, informal, friendly) to Talk UX. We have done a lot to encourage people to talk to each other, and play.
Oh, and there is cake 🙂 Lots of cake!
Lizzie: As professionals in the UX industry we know that the finer details make all the difference. We have organised the day around the delegate and not just the speakers. The talks are 20 minutes long with plenty of tea and cake to enjoy while they process the information that has been shared. By keeping the day short we hope to avoid that death by PowerPoint feeling and have people leaving with happy faces.
🎙 What has been your highlight so far?
Lizzie: There have been so many that it’s difficult to pick just one. Ladies that UX has grown at such a fantastic rate, it has allowed me to introduce people to each other and make connections around the world. Knowing that Ladies that UX has had a fundamental part in it makes me feel so proud.
Georgie: The whole experience of setting up Ladies that UX has been so wonderful. We never thought we would get this far, and have such wonderful support from the community.
I get such pleasure from going to our monthly meet ups, and seeing the friendships that are being forged, and the women that are gaining the confidence to progress in their chosen field. It feels incredible to know that if it wasn’t for Ladies that UX these women would have never met each other.
We have created a community, and I couldn’t be prouder.
People for Research are proud sponsors of Talk UX, and enjoy working with, and supporting the usability and user testing industry as a whole. Our knowledgeable team are happy to provide advice and consult on any participant recruitment needs. This service is free of charge, and we can provide practical guidance on how best to approach the recruitment of participants for any UX project.
If you would like to find out more about our in-house participant recruitment service for user testing or market research get in touch on 0117 921 0008 or info@peopleforresearch.co.uk.
At People for Research, we recruit participants for UX and usability testing and market research. We work with award winning UX agencies across the UK and partner up with a number of end clients who are leading the way with in-house user experience and insight.
