2022 Speaker
Dean Schuster
Dean Schuster is owner of the UX firm truematter in the USA. They’re a UX-only shop of 15 people who specialize in UX for complex digital products. Dean believes deeply in the power of great UX, he loves people, and really enjoys speaking. It’s really as simple as that.
What the Soviet Space Program Taught Me About Digital Product Design
The space race between the USA and USSR was one of the great dramatic stories of the 20th century. Our very industry was born as Washington and Moscow relentlessly competed to master the stars.
For space nuts, this era is utterly compelling. It’s also highly instructive for digital product teams today. The space race pushed teams to design quickly, iterate under enormous time pressure, and solve completely novel problems. The fascinating issues will hit uncomfortably close to home.
This is a tale of two entirely different approaches. Of course, the Soviet side of the story tends to be less understood. And that’s exactly what we’ll explore. It’s unbelievable stuff, and a cautionary tale for as we make apps, sites, and software today.
Culture Change is a broad topic, encompassing everything from inclusivity and accessibility to profound process change. Dean’s talk centers on the latter.
“UX professionals have long argued for organizational culture change when it comes to the role of UX, especially in the development process and in decision-making circles. I’ve certainly always sought this. But knowing something and feeling it deep in your soul are two different things. The space race metaphor moved me from theory to action. It helped me greatly and I think it will similarly help attendees.”
This will be a visually powerful talk that challenges UX professionals to change organizational culture from within, a talk that attendees remember and will talk about.
