Design Leadership Demystified
Pre-Conference Workshop • September 24
621 Hillsborough St., Raleigh
Workshop Description:
While to be a great UX/design practitioner is to be a remarkable craftsperson and problem-solver, to be a great leader shifts the focus on relationships, communication, and business-savvy.
Peter Merholz draws from extensive personal experience, operating within a range of companies, as well as deep interviews with dozens of design leaders, and shares actionable steps to help you succeed in your leadership journey.
You will learn how to better navigate your stakeholder ecosystem, develop and plan for your change agenda, establish quality standards, cultivate trusting relationships with your team, peers, and executives, connect the work of your team to business value, and what's expected of you as you evolve in your career.
All attendees receive:
Speaker Information
Peter Merholz has worked at the intersection of design, technology, and humans for over 25 years. Currently, he’s an independent consultant focused on improving the effectiveness of design organizations. His clients include JP Morgan Chase, Contentsquare, The New York Times, Roblox, and Target. He co-founded Adaptive Path, the premier user experience consultancy, acquired by Capital One in 2014. After leaving Adaptive Path, served as a design executive, leading teams at Groupon, OpenTable, Capital One, Snagajob (now Snag), and Kaiser Permanente. He co-wrote Org Design for Design Orgs, still the premier book on building in-house design teams, and co-hosts Finding Our Way, a podcast exploring design leadership. Oh, and, yeah, he coined the word “blog”.
Waitlist
If the event fills up, you can join the waitlist. Two days before the event if there are spots available, we'll notify those on the waitlist. Any available spots will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Location
621 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27603
Time
8:00AM - 11:50AM
If you have questions or issues with your registration, please reach out to info@uxyall.org.
Yes, And AI: Boost UX Ideation with Improv and Gen-AI
Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh
[This workshop is available for in-person UX Y’all 2025 ticket holders only.]
What happens when you mix improv techniques with generative AI? You get a creativity engine that helps UX professionals break through blank-page paralysis, generate richer ideas, and navigate ambiguity with confidence. This session introduces improv-inspired, AI-supported methods like “Yes, And,” “World’s Worst Feature,” and “Genre Swap Personas.” Learn how these fast, flexible techniques spark better brainstorming, improve collaboration, and bring clarity to early-stage UX work, from workshops to sprints to classrooms.
Speaker Information:
Shannon Zenner is an assistant professor of Communication Design at Elon University, where she teaches courses in UX, graphic design, art direction, and web/mobile publishing. Her research explores how visual design, politics, and AI shape public perception, and she presents nationally on typography, creativity, and emerging technologies. With a background in advertising and a Ph.D. from UNC-Chapel Hill, she blends improvisational techniques and tech tools to help students and professionals embrace uncertainty as a creative asset. A proud Texan, she also believes proper nachos require individual chip architecture, with beans, cheese, and a single pickled jalapeño per chip.
Marbles Kids Museum
201 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States
9:00AM - 11:50AM
| SOLD OUT EVENT | SOLD OUT EVENT | SOLD OUT EVENT |
UX Y’all 2025
September 24-25 • Raleigh NC
We are SOLD OUT!
Our event has officially hit capacity — thank you for the amazing support!
But don’t worry, a waitlist is now open. Add your name for a chance to join if spots open up.
About UX Y’all
UX Y’all is a user experience conference that blends the latest UX trends with Southern hospitality, creating an unforgettable experience for attendees. The event celebrates the vibrant and diverse design and tech scene of the North Carolina Triangle area, showcasing the talent and expertise of local UX practitioners.
The conference will take place on September 24–25, featuring local UX speakers and keynote presentations sharing their knowledge and experience.
For the latest updates, subscribe to our newsletter or visit uxyall.org
While this is primarily an in-person event, we also plan to support attendees with access to all conference recordings. If you have any questions about conference options, feel free to contact us at info@uxyall.org
You can request a refund until Friday, September 12 (one week before the conference). Refunds requested after 9/12 will only be honored if we are able to fill the seat from our waitlist.
You may also choose to:
To request a refund or ask questions about the process, please email info@uxyall.org
Copyright © Triangle User Experience Professionals Association
