Events
UX Akron is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) user experience community. We host a variety of events supporting the UX community throughout the year.
Our events are free and open to the public, and we do not charge membership fees.
As a non-profit, we rely on donations from people in the community like you! Donations are tax-deductible, always appreciated, and help support our mission to connect, educate, and grow the UX community in Northeast Ohio. Click here to visit our Donations page.
Upcoming Events
AI in Action: Real Stories from Our Community
Monday, April 20, 2026
5:30 PM to 8:30 PM ET [ In-Person ]
AI is moving fast, and our community is moving with it. Right now, across Northeast Ohio, people are testing, building, and applying AI in their everyday work.
That’s why we’re excited to announce:
AI Success Stories: Practical AI from Our Community
Monday, April 20, 2026
In-person
Free, registration required
Food & beverages served
This evening event brings together professionals, students, and practitioners from across disciplines to share practical, real-world AI experiences.
We’re hosting this event in collaboration with PMI Northeast Ohio and Cleveland AI and Data. AI Success Stories will take place at Cuyahoga Community College, School of Creative Arts, whose generous support helps make this evening of networking and shared stories accessible to our regional tech community.
▣ This isn’t a conference.
▣ It’s not a vendor showcase.
▣ It’s not a theoretical discussion about the future of AI.
It’s a room full of people sharing what they’ve actually tried and what they’ve learned.
Why You Should Attend
AI adoption doesn’t happen because of big announcements or trend reports. It happens when:
- You see someone like you use it successfully
- You understand the workflow, not just the tool
- You hear what worked and what didn’t
- You leave with ideas you can try tomorrow
Across UX, project management, engineering, data, marketing, and education, professionals are integrating AI into daily practice. But those stories often stay inside teams or organizations.
If you’ve been curious about AI but unsure how it applies to your work, this event is built for you. If you’re already experimenting and want to deepen your thinking, you’ll find peers doing the same.
AI Success Stories are about skill-building, perspective, and practical momentum.
What to Expect
The evening runs from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM and includes:
- 30 minutes of networking and refreshments
- 6 fast-paced, 10-minute lightning talks
- A closing group Q&A
- Dedicated networking time afterward
Each speaker will follow a simple storytelling structure:
- The problem or opportunity
- The AI tool(s) or approach used
- The outcome or result
- A key lesson learned
Short talks keep the energy high and the insights focused. You’ll hear a range of applied examples across industries and roles.
A Community Effort
At UX Akron, our mission is focused on advancing user experience education and building strong professional connections across Northeast Ohio.
AI adoption is cross-disciplinary. We’re excited to partner with PMI Northeast Ohio and Cleveland AI and Data to learn, share, and grow in AI skills and collaborations.
We’re also grateful to Cuyahoga Community College, School of Creative Arts for serving as our event sponsor and venue partner. Their support helps make this learning opportunity accessible and community-centered.
Join Us on April 20, 2026
AI is already shaping how we design, manage projects, analyze data, and build products. The question isn’t whether it matters. The question is how we engage with it thoughtfully and practically.
On April 20, we’re creating space for that conversation.
If you have a story to share, we invite you to send a speaker proposal.
If you want to learn, connect, and gain practical insight, we invite you to attend.
We look forward to seeing you there!
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Haven’t attended a UX Akron event before? This is a perfect time to get to know some amazing User Experience people, ask questions if you are interested in UX as a career, and learn about UX happenings in Ohio (and beyond!)
This is an In-Person event.
Are We Having Fun Yet? Strategies for A Design Career
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
7:00 PM to 8:15 PM ET [ Online ]
2025 didn’t kill the design career… but the situation does feel so much more challenging. Burnout, constant adaptation, and quiet exhaustion have become part of the job.
In this session, Rodney Echols explores how designers can build resilience, practice shifts in mindset, and practice making work lovable, sustainable, and even enjoyable work again. Expect clarity, energy, and ideas you can actually use Monday morning!
This is an online event.
Other Events of Interest
UX Akron curates events happening in the greater UX community (Akron and beyond) and shares those that may be of interest to our community. Sharing events does not imply endorsement.
If Design Had a Heart [Online]
Thursday, April 16th, 2026
Event by: Rosenverse Live
Most products work, but only a few are loved. When people love a product, they return to it, forgive it, and champion it. Usability gets people in. Joy keeps them smiling, but love makes them stay.
And yet we rarely talk much about the softer aspects like love, joy, and other emotions in design, leadership, and business. This is an invitation to design with warmth, so what we build is not just used, but loved.
The Frontier of AI: Weatherhead's Annual Symposium on Digital Innovation [In-Person]
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Event by: Weatherhead School of Management
Discover the future of artificial intelligence at the Weatherhead School of Management’s Annual AI Symposium, Cleveland’s premier event for business leaders and innovators. This full-day conference explores how artificial intelligence is transforming business, leadership, and society.
This is a full day event.
Registration: $149/person
Strategic Foresight for UX Researchers: Methods to Anticipate the Future [Online]
Wednesday, April 29th, 2026
Event by: Condens
We often forget that in times of change, there is also great opportunity. And UX researchers today have an unprecedented opportunity to become the strategy leaders within their organizations who identify and solve the highest-risk problems.
Strategic foresight is a set of methods devised to anticipate and create the future.
Join Sam Ladner, PhD as she explores these methods, based on research from her upcoming book, Practical Foresight.
