Opening Remarks
Summary
Bria Alexander hosts the second day of the Design at Scale 2021 conference, setting the tone for a day focused on tools for success in enterprise design, led by Kit Unger. She acknowledges the contributions of speakers, facilitators, and audience feedback in shaping the event. Bria provides detailed guidance on how attendees can navigate the conference website, make use of time zone conversions, and engage with optional, high-quality sponsor sessions from companies like Adobe, Fable, and Shopify. She highlights the importance of participation in Slack channels for live discussions, speaker Q&A, and cohort interactions. To support attendees, Bria explains the availability of recording, decks, and sketch notes created by David Nicholson and MJ Broadben, reducing the need for note-taking. Lastly, she underscores the community’s code of conduct to ensure respectful and safe participation.
Key Insights
-
•
The conference theme shifts from scaling craft to providing tools for success in enterprise design, curated by Kit Unger.
-
•
Sponsor sessions are optional but high-quality and run during conference breaks, with no sales pitches.
-
•
Time zone conversions are integrated into the conference website to help global participants.
-
•
Community interaction via Slack channels, including specific help and cohort channels, is a key pillar of the event.
-
•
Recording, deck downloads, and professional sketch notes by David Nicholson and MJ Broadben are provided quickly after talks.
-
•
A digital swag bag offers attendees exclusive sponsor deals, accessible through a QR code or URL.
-
•
The code of conduct emphasizes kindness, respect, and creating a safe environment despite the virtual format.
-
•
Event organizers monitor Slack and email channels actively to support participants throughout the conference.
-
•
Cohort facilitation receives high praise from attendees as a standout feature of the conference experience.
-
•
Sponsors range from tech giants like JP Morgan, Verizon, and Adobe to UX-specific companies like Optimal Workshop and Muriel.
Notable Quotes
"Yesterday was a lot of fun, but today is going to be even more fun."
"All of this content would not have been possible without your support and your feedback."
"If you want to take notes during this presentation, there’s really no need — we’ve got you covered."
"Sponsor sessions are incredibly high quality but completely optional; there’s no sales pitch."
"If you are not on Slack, you are missing out on one of the biggest and most interactive parts of our conference."
"Please be nice, respect each other, and carry yourself as if you were at your day job."
"We have many breaks, and sponsor sessions usually take place during those."
"The official time zone of this conference is Pacific time."
"Our cohort facilitation sessions are one of the best parts of this conference."
"You can access our digital swag bag by scanning the QR code or visiting app.everthere.co/e/d-a-s."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"We stuck with NPS because it was a pure metric with a long history we could trend, instead of muddying things with loyalty or revenue."
Shipra KayanHow we Built a VoC (Voice of the Customer) Practice at Upwork from the Ground Up
September 30, 2021
"When we understand organizations as ecosystems, we recognize the need for organic simplicity."
Peter MorvilleThe Architecture of Understanding
May 13, 2015
"I was kind of wandering around aimlessly trying to find the next job."
Renee ReidBecoming a ResearchH.E.R (Highly Enterprise Ready)
June 3, 2019
"Language can be vague, imprecise, and even contradictory, but the body can be a bridge to understanding."
Dane DeSutterKeeping the Body in Mind: What Gestures and Embodied Actions Tell You That Users May Not
March 26, 2024
"The four Cs—consistency, convenience, confidence, and customizability—are not just good for accessibility, they make a great experience for everyone."
Sam ProulxOnline Shopping: Designing an Accessible Experience
October 3, 2023
"Sometimes vocal feedback reveals problems that digital behavior can’t see—like offline factors affecting perception."
Andrew Custage Michael MallettThe Digital Journey: Research on Consumer Frustration and Loyalty
March 29, 2023
"You can’t have a hackathon without free food."
Shelby SwitzerMaking Space for Community Knowledge-sharing in a Distributed World
December 10, 2021
"The choices we make about AI are about much more than speed versus quality — they define how we value research and our relationships."
Llewyn PaineCoexisting with AI: A practical guide for researchers to navigate tools, ethics, and integration
March 11, 2025
"The machine lens gave us hierarchy, bureaucracy, and a focus on efficiency and control, but it sidelines holistic thinking."
Robin BeersNavigating organizational systems: Rethinking researcher’s role in driving change
March 13, 2025
