Theme 1: Intro
Summary
The speaker opens the talk by framing the unique difficulty of being a newcomer or change leader in century-old companies and traditional industries. Seb Mallow from Canadian Railways shares his experience of feeling removed from the core business and facing distinct challenges compared to UX teams at tech-first companies. Inspired by these stories, the conference team aims to spotlight how UX can grow and transform mature enterprises. Rob Meetzel, a 30-year veteran at Ford, provides the insider perspective of evolving UX within a legacy automotive giant, while Seb offers the fresh viewpoint of a newcomer navigating steep learning curves at Canadian National Railways. The second part of the talk shifts to government UX transformation, featuring speakers like Mykelaan, who designed US satellite interfaces and managed complex stakeholder dynamics, Sherbiney Stonk from Australia Post illustrating how to build an agile UX team in an old organization, and Ivana Stok discussing product operations focused on scaling UX impact rapidly and broadly from day one. Throughout, themes of patience, perseverance, stakeholder management, adaptive strategies, and scalable solutions surface as keys to success. The talk encourages professionals from all backgrounds — consultants, tech startups, and enterprise UX teams — to learn from these tangible stories of transformation in challenging environments.
Key Insights
-
•
UX transformation in century-old companies requires different approaches than in tech startups.
-
•
Seb Mallow's experience reveals how being two layers removed from core business changes UX challenges.
-
•
Rob Meetzel's 30-year tenure at Ford shows how UX evolves alongside a legacy company's culture.
-
•
Fresh perspectives from newcomers like Seb can drive innovation even in conservative companies.
-
•
Government UX transformation demands managing high-level stakeholders with complex interests.
-
•
Sherbiney Stonk built one of the most effective agile UX teams in an old institution, Australia Post.
-
•
Scaling UX in large enterprises benefits from strong product operations from day one, as Ivana Stok explains.
-
•
Patience and perseverance are critical traits to lead change in slow-moving traditional industries.
-
•
Stories from old industries inspire UX practitioners working in any environment to believe in transformation.
-
•
Consultants supporting legacy enterprises must design scalable, adaptable solutions suited to bureaucratic contexts.
Notable Quotes
"What is it like to be a new kid on an old block?"
"Leading change in a century-old company is a very different challenge."
"Seb said his function supports the function that supports the main business – making his work twice removed."
"If they can do it, so can I – that’s the takeaway from these transformation stories."
"From fast-paced tech worlds, you will appreciate the patience and perseverance it takes to move an old champion."
"Rob Meetzel knows Ford as the back of his hand after nearly 30 years."
"Seb is career UXer fresh at Canadian railways with a steep learning curve."
"Mykelaan’s story is a playbook on dealing with very difficult high-rank stakeholders."
"Sherbiney built a well-functioning agile train in one of the oldest organizations."
"Ivana will teach you how to scale fast and big from day one through product operations."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Pay transparency within organizations is critical for enabling good work and healthier working conditions."
Sarah Auslander Betsy Ramaccia Gordon RossInsights Panel
November 18, 2022
"With Draw Dream, the AI acts as a muse, giving inspiration but not the final outcome."
Lukas Moro“Feels Like Paper!”: Interfacing AI through Paper
June 11, 2025
"We used virtual sketching where users could move components into spaces representing their actual workflows on the platform."
Andreas Huebner Amy Takata Craig BrookesWhat Is It Like To Be Part of The UX Team at Compass?
March 11, 2021
"We finally instead of using the compass and the map we finally were able to build a GPS."
Benjamin RealMaturity Models: A Core Tool for Creating a DesignOps Strategy
October 1, 2021
"When we’re mobilized or immobilized, our IQ literally drops by half and our peripheral vision narrows."
Alla WeinbergDesign Teams Need Psychological Safety: Here’s How to Create It
September 8, 2022
"When hiring, we want candidates who know the product well — both what works and what doesn’t."
Meredith BlackScaling Design Culture
November 6, 2017
"We are drowning in an endless sea of data yet we are stuck in an insight desert."
Jill FruchterInconvenient Insights: The Researcher's Role is to Stay Curious
March 29, 2023
"You don't want to hide away for six months and try to build the perfect documentation. It won't work."
Gabrielle VerderberDocumentation Your Team Will Actually Use
October 3, 2023
"It’s been a really challenging year for the design profession with layoffs continuing in 2025."
Llewyn PaineDay 1 Using AI in UX with Impact
June 10, 2025
