Community Building-Events I Spoke At

As I continued through the progression of my career and gained more expertise, I had the opportunity to start speaking at events as an invited speaker and share my knowledge in the field of UX to others. I feel grateful to be able to share and connect with others in the field and also learn from others during these events. I hope to continue doing so as I become a UX professional. Check out some of the events that I have spoken at!

Agenda of what the presentation covered

Accessibility - Beyond Requirements

May 2023

The good news is that many companies are getting the accessibility memo. They eagerly work to list their issues in a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template), and covet compliance with requirements.

But, is that enough to make products that really work well for people with disabilities? And how can designers and researchers contribute?

Join Margaret Kuo and Serena Tran as they share some thoughts on what it means to be truly accessible, why that is important, and what YOU can do. Our goal is to have you leave with some new tools for your belt!

Link: https://www.meetup.com/uxwaterloo-p2p/events/293299841


Organized Events

Throughout the beginning of my career, I helped organized and hosted events around UX design and research at UW/UX, a student design community at the University of Waterloo.

What motivates me to organize and host these events is my innate desire to help bridge the gap between those just starting out or looking to transition to UX with industry designers and researchers. I believe that part of becoming a UX professional and leader is not just lifting yourself but also uplifting those around you and this includes openly sharing resources and providing a platform for people to ask questions and grow. Check out some panel events, workshops, and events that I have led below!

Portfolio Workshop 101

September 2022

Looking for co-op opportunities for the winter, or spring terms? Want to know what a portfolio is and how you can stand out? 💡

Join us in-person or online to learn more about design portfolio building and upcoming opportunities at Meta. ✨✨

Link: https://portfolioworkshopmetaandwaterloo.splashthat.com/

Acing your next App Critique

July 2022

The app critique interview is a common type of interview during the job hunting process for product design roles. During this workshop, you will learn the app critique frameworks with real-world examples, and tips and tricks to ace the app critique session. And you will get chances to critique the apps and get actionable feedback from Minjun Chen (a product designer at Microsoft) on how you can pass your app critique session.

Video Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNYBJWuWQyQ

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgN08oTgtMS/?hl=en

Designing for Security with McAfee

June 2022

Learn about the intricacies of designing for security applications from end user's fears, objectives, and emotional response to safety, as well as how McAfee is redefining the idea of safety as a journey from 2 Senior Design Managers at McAfee.

This event is a collaboration between McAfee and UW/UX!

Video Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dhrgNwjoMg

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CekQEmHg4jM/

UX Research Q&A: Working in the Industry Panel Event

March 2022

Join us for our Q&A panel event to hear from five UX researchers who come from a diverse range of backgrounds and levels of experience ranging from startups to corporations. Learn about what user research means to them, their personal journeys, and tips for getting started in the industry! Come with questions!

This event is a collaboration between UW Blueprint and UW/UX!

Video Recording: https://youtu.be/1JHqFJWZY3E

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CbbUcEUgFQ2/

Introduction to UX Research Event

March 2022

Interested in learning more about UX Research and how a deep understanding of end users can inform the design-thinking process? 🔍

UW UX and UW Blueprint are excited to announce the one of the events in our collaborative workshop series, “Intro to UX Research”! This first workshop will be structured to help you better understand the importance of UX Research and the value it adds to product teams! 🚀

Video Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ4yj5R1hpk

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CavgSo4AAQQ/

Using Visual Design as a Strength, not a Weakness

December 2021

Kristen is a Toronto-based senior product designer at Shopify. She previously worked for SuperHi, Nike and Huge. Visual design is at the core of her product design practice and she advocates for the crafts not to be looked at as separate. 🎨 🤲 💫

Join us to learn more about how to infuse unique branding into expressive design systems!

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CWwyw9SAzs5/

Pathways to UX Research Panel

July 2021

UX Researchers focus on the why behind building great products—understanding peoples' behaviours, needs, and motivations to advocate for the best user experience 🔍

This panel spotlights industry researchers from backgrounds in design, engineering, global development, arts, and computer science 🤩 No matter your background, drop by to learn about their unique pathways into UX research and get inspired for your own career path! 🌱

Video Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysv7pMAJOJY

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CRSWQjDADvs/