Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
A UXer’s 12-Month Journey from Climate Concern to Climate Credibility
This video is featured in the Climate UX Case Studies playlist.
Summary
Climate change demands action, but many UX professionals feel stuck between deep climate concern and uncertainty about making meaningful impact in their current roles. At this session, UXer Sara Conklin will share how she transformed from climate-anxious and feeling “climate-stuck” at work to driving climate impact through industry credibility without changing jobs. Key insight: UX skills alone aren't enough. You need technical climate knowledge to add real value. Sara will share the strategies she used to shift from climate-stuck to focused contributor, plus concrete tools to build climate clarity, confidence, credibility, and contributions whether or not you stay in your current role.
Key Insights
-
•
Adding specificity to the climate Venn diagram by defining what specific work needs to be done is crucial for effective climate action.
-
•
Reading and decoding a company’s ESG report is a valuable first step to understanding how one can contribute to climate goals internally.
-
•
Using a double diamond design process helps to navigate ambiguous climate problems by iterating between exploring problem spaces and focusing on solutions.
-
•
Focusing too broadly on multiple climate problems can lead to floundering; narrowing down to one well-defined problem accelerates impact.
-
•
Self-directed learning combined with structured, niche climate classes provides both foundational knowledge and practical skills.
-
•
Building a network of people who know just slightly more than you (‘one notch above’) makes networking conversations more productive and less intimidating.
-
•
Freelancing or pro bono projects offer hands-on experience to apply climate knowledge even without a formal climate job.
-
•
Even if your current job isn’t climate-focused, you can bring climate action into it by reading ESG reports, finding allies, and applying climate design principles.
-
•
Strategic networking for climate work involves targeted outreach with specific questions, not generic cold contacts.
-
•
Making a disciplined learning plan and blocking time for ‘flat food learning’ helps overcome the common excuse of ‘not having enough time’.
Notable Quotes
"Many UXers do feel stuck and care about climate, but they’re really not sure how to contribute professionally."
"I started at absolute zero with climate knowledge and now I have clarity, confidence, credibility, and ability to contribute."
"What I realized is you need to add one word to the climate Venn diagram: specific, what specific work needs doing."
"Reading my company’s ESG report overwhelmed me with words I didn’t understand but was crucial for knowing where to focus."
"You have to get super specific about the climate problem you want to solve and why it's important for you."
"Don’t cold reach out to people with ‘let’s connect’; instead, ask very specific questions about topics they care about."
"Network with people who know just one notch more than you, not the CEO right away."
"Self-directed learning is hard and busy, but you have to make time and schedule learning religiously."
"I applied my unique skills in UX strategy, behavior design, and innovation facilitation to help climate tech reduce adoption barriers."
"Every job is a climate job. Wherever we are, the climate needs us to address it in our role."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"It’s surprisingly easy to bring in your own UX or marketing personas to run simulated testing with VO Pulse."
Gillian Salerno-Rebic Mark MicheliFrom Insight to Impact: How JourneySpark Used WEVO Pulse + Pro to Drive a 50% Lift in Ad Engagement
June 11, 2025
"Root cause analysis helps identify not just what is happening, but why it's happening, especially when more people have access to data."
Jen Cardello Dr. Shadi Janansefat Alex WrightCurating insight: Strategies for integrating knowledge across research functions
March 11, 2025
"Sometimes the solution perceives the problem in the eyes of users, especially in enterprise spaces."
Alexandra SchmidtEnterprise UX Playbook
December 1, 2022
"The idea of one designer to 12 PMs is dead on arrival; either design isn't valued or the company is short on designers."
Christian Crumlish Wendy Johansson Rich Mironov Aditi Ruiz Adam ThomasAfternoon Insights Panel
December 6, 2022
"Sponsor sessions are not just salesy sessions; they’re actually really fantastic sessions put on by your peers."
Uday Gajendar Louis RosenfeldDay 1 Welcome
June 4, 2024
"Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable. You have to keep moving forwards even if the destination keeps changing."
Silke Bochat5 Antifragile Strategies for a DesignOps 2.0
September 23, 2024
"If you’re managing over 100 design practitioners, it makes sense to start looking at a chief of staff role."
Isaac HeyveldExpand DesignOps Leadership as a Chief of Staff
September 8, 2022
"A story lets people assign the meaning that's powerful to them and then think about the decisions they need to make and align."
John CutlerThe Alignment Trap
November 29, 2023
"If folks can't find the information, it doesn't matter how well it is written."
Gabrielle VerderberDocumentation Your Team Will Actually Use
October 3, 2023
