Shaping what's next

The 2027 theme

The world around us is changing. New technologies are reshaping how we live, work and interact with the services and experiences around us. Expectations are evolving, familiar ways of working are being challenged, and new possibilities are emerging.

For those of us working to understand people and improve their experiences, this raises some important questions.

At UX Scotland 2027, we want to explore the future of human-centred work through three connected perspectives: People, Practice and Purpose.

We'll look at how we understand the people we serve, how our approaches and disciplines are evolving, and how we can use our collective skills and influence to create meaningful change.

We're interested in new ideas and emerging technologies, but also the enduring principles that make our work valuable. We want to hear about experiments and successes, difficult decisions and lessons learned, fresh perspectives and established practices worth protecting.

Because the future isn't simply something that happens to us. It's something we can help shape.

People: who are we here for?

As the world changes, so do people's needs, expectations and experiences. How can we continue to understand people deeply, challenge our assumptions and ensure their voices shape the things we create?

We'd love to hear about:

• User research, ethnography and understanding human behaviour
• Accessibility, inclusion and designing for diverse needs
• Participatory design, co-design and lived experience
• Changing expectations and relationships with technology
• Trust, privacy, transparency and digital wellbeing
• The opportunities and limitations of AI in understanding people
• Research methods that challenge conventional thinking
• Designing for people who are overlooked or excluded

Practice: how do we work?

The tools, methods and environments we work in are evolving. How can we adapt our practices, develop our craft and discover better ways to work together?

We'd love to hear about:

• New approaches to research, design and content
• AI and emerging technologies in everyday practice
• Prototyping, experimentation and learning through making
• Interaction design, information architecture and design systems
• Collaboration across disciplines and organisational boundaries
• Balancing speed, quality and thoughtful decision-making
• Building skills, developing careers and supporting the next generation
• Lessons from things that didn't go to plan
• Approaches and techniques that have stood the test of time

Purpose: why does it matter?

When we have more tools, more data and more possibilities than ever before, how do we decide where to focus our efforts? What responsibilities do we have, and how can we make a meaningful difference?

We'd love to hear about:

• The changing role and influence of human-centred disciplines
• Ethics, responsibility and the unintended consequences of technology
• Moving beyond outputs to meaningful outcomes
• Strategy, leadership and influencing decisions
• Challenging assumptions and deciding what not to build
• Systems thinking and tackling complex problems
• Demonstrating the value and impact of our work
• Creating more equitable, sustainable and inclusive futures
• Finding optimism, agency and purpose in uncertain times

Everyone has something to share

You don't need to be working with emerging technology to have something valuable to share. Some of the most important lessons come from understanding people, improving established services, questioning familiar practices or finding better ways to work together.

Whether you're a researcher, designer, content specialist, product practitioner, technologist, strategist, leader or working somewhere between disciplines, we'd love to hear your perspective.