Summary
Lou Rosenfeld, founder of Rosenfeld Media, welcomes attendees to Enterprise UX 2023, marking the eighth iteration of this specialized conference. He recounts the history and evolution of the event and discusses the persistent challenges enterprise UX professionals face, such as navigating organizational silos and complex transformations like Six Sigma and Agile. Lou shares his personal journey working with large enterprises including Ford and PayPal, using information architecture to improve user experiences, before stepping away due to frustration and founding Rosenfeld Media to tackle new challenges. He highlights the current environment where powerful, affordable tools like AI and systems thinking expand possibilities for enterprise UX. Lou stresses the critical role attendees play in applying these capabilities ethically and humanely. The conference themes—systems thinking, information architecture, AI and machine learning, and designing with data—are introduced alongside logistical notes about the event, including sponsor sessions, social activities like Cozy Juicy Reel, and ways to engage through Slack channels and cohorts. Lou encourages ongoing connection among participants to build strength in numbers and collective progress in enterprise UX.
Key Insights
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Enterprise UX remains a difficult field characterized by slow progress and large organizational barriers, akin to pushing a heavy stone up a steep hill.
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Systems thinking and information architecture continue to be foundational tools for making sense of complex enterprise environments.
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Affordable and practical AI and data-driven design tools now offer new opportunities for enterprise UX practitioners.
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Ethical, thoughtful, and humane application of these tools is crucial as enterprise UX grows in scale and impact.
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Community and peer support are essential to overcoming the loneliness traditionally associated with enterprise UX work.
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Sponsor sessions at the conference are educational and valuable, distinctly separated from sales pitches.
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The conference promotes active engagement through organized Slack channels, cohorts, and innovative social activities like Cozy Juicy Reel.
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Visual facilitation and sketch notes, provided by MJ Broadband, offer accessible documentation that enhances participant understanding.
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A strong code of conduct helps cultivate a safe and inclusive environment for all participants, even in virtual settings.
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Lou Rosenfeld’s transition from practitioner to media founder exemplifies a shift from individual intervention to enabling community-driven knowledge sharing.
Notable Quotes
"Enterprise UX is about delivering strong experiences in an enterprise setting, which ain’t easy."
"You’re the ones who’ve weathered digital transformations, Six Sigma initiatives, agile and lean, and you might have even thrown up on or twice on a product manager."
"I was more than an information architect, I was an information therapist."
"Silos were a problem then, and I have a feeling silos are still a problem today."
"Affordable, powerful AI and data-driven design have become shockingly practical for enterprise settings."
"If you don’t do this work ethically and thoughtfully, nobody else may."
"There’s strength in numbers, and together you might get that very large stone over the top of that very steep hill."
"Sponsor sessions are not sales pitches, they’re people like you, really knowledgeable, sharing great things."
"Our code of conduct is not window dressing; it’s the front end of a process to keep everyone safe."
"This conference is more than a snapshot; it’s a part of a year-round conversation and community."
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