Jessica is a Philadelphia-based User Experience (UX) designer and researcher who speaks, writes, and volunteers for many things UX. She's spoken internationally at conferences such as SXSW, IA Summit, UX Camp Ottawa, and UX Cambridge (UX). She is currently a senior UX designer/researcher at AWeber; prior to AWeber, she worked at Happy Cog as a designer UX designer.

We all strive to create positive user experiences, but reality often gets in the way. Maybe you lack a seasoned UX designer; maybe you're facing tight budgets and timelines; or maybe you encounter too much resistance from clients and colleagues.

But what if you make your team a part of the UX process? You’ll gain a mutual understanding of each others’ needs. And importantly, inviting them on board will help you understand their needs. A core value of user experience is empathy: understanding the needs of users as well as the needs of colleagues and clients.

We’ll participate in a collaborative UX activity and talk about ways that you can incorporate the activity into your work. Whether you’re a seasoned UX practitioner, or someone who’s new to UX, there’s something in this session for you.