8 Best UX Conferences To Attend in 2026-2027
Got the buy-in from leadership to attend a UX conference this year? I'm glad you stopped here first! The following is a summary of the world's best UX conferences for product designers and UX professionals to attend this year. I’ve included a mix of conferences focused on UX, product design, and service design, which can help you connect with industry peers and learn new technologies and trends in the industry.
Best UX Conferences Shortlist
Here's my list of the best UX conferences I think are worth attending in 2026-2027:
- UX Australia 2026 - Sydney, Australia (August 27-28, 2026)
- SmashingConf Freiburg 2026 - Multiple locations and dates
- DDX Innovation & UX Conference 2026 - Multiple locations and dates
- UX Healthcare 2026 - Multiple locations and dates
- UXCON26 - Silver Spring, MD (October 8, 2026)
- World Usability Congress - Graz, Austria (October 13-15,2026)
- UX Sofia 2026 - Sofia, Bulgaria (November 11-13, 2026)
- CHI 2027 - Pittsburgh, PA (May 10-14, 2027)
Find more details about each conference below.
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Best UX Conferences Of 2026-2027
Below are my summaries of the best UX conferences that made it onto my shortlist. My reviews offer a look at each event’s dates, location, pricing, and unique offering.
1. UX Australia 2026 - Sydney, Australia (August 27-28, 2026)
- Dates: August 27-28, 2026
- Location: NSW Teachers Federation Conference Centre
- Pricing: From $395 (virtual)-$2,395 (in-person)
- Social Media: LinkedIn
UX Australia is a two-day UX, product, and service design conference held in Sydney since 2009. It's organized by Steve Baty and Web Directions, and features a single-track format with renowned speakers.
Why attend? UX Australia covers research, content, operations, and management alongside core UX—making it one of the broader design events in the region. In 2026, it runs alongside Design Research 2026 and UX Week, giving you more value from a single trip to Sydney.
2. SmashingConf 2026 - Multiple locations and dates
- Dates: Multiple dates (see table below)
- Location: Multiple locations (see table below)
- Pricing: Varied (see table below)
- Social Media: Instagram
SmashingConf: Locations, Dates, & Pricing
| Location | Date | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Freiburg, Germany | September 7-10, 2026 | Starts at €589.05 |
| Antwerp, Belgium | October 12-15, 2026 | Starts at €725 |
| Amsterdam, Netherlands | 2027 | TBA |
SmashingConf is an engaging conference for front-end developers and designers. It offers 12 speakers and 6 in-depth workshops, fostering a friendly and inclusive environment. Organized by Smashing Magazine, it includes unique experiences like morning runs, yoga, and a Smashing Party.
Why attend? This event skips slide decks and brings live coding, design challenges, and audience interaction to the stage. You'll see how others solve interface problems in real time and pick up tips you can apply right away.
Talks cover design systems, usability testing, and performance, often with a creative or technical twist. If your team cares about building inclusive, fast, and thoughtful digital products, this conference is worth the trip. You can attend virtually or check out their online workshops if you can't make it in-person.
3. DDX Innovation & UX Conference 2026 - Multiple Locations and Dates
- Dates: Multiple dates (see table below)
- Location: Multiple locations (see table below)
- Pricing: Varied (see table below)
- Social Media: LinkedIn, X, Instagram
DDX Innovation & UX Conferences: Locations, Dates, & Pricing
| Location | Date | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego, California | September 17, 2026 | Starts at $495 |
| London, UK | Late 2026 | TBA |
| Tokyo, Japan | Early 2027 | TBA |
| Dubai, UAE | Early 2027 | TBA |
| Munich, Germany | May 2027 | TBA |
The DDX Innovation & UX Conferences bring together UX designers, product leaders, and digital strategists to explore design’s role in driving innovation. The conference started in 2023 and has quickly gained traction across Europe’s product and design communities. It blends design, tech, and business, with a focus on how teams can build meaningful digital products.
Why attend? DDX offers a mix of keynotes, practical sessions, and interactive panels across product design, UX research, and innovation strategy. The format encourages real conversations, not just lectures.
It’s a space where you and your team can meet peers from startups and enterprises, compare challenges, and rethink how you approach your own product work. If you're looking for a design event that brings cross-functional insights to the table, this one's worth your time.
4. UX Healthcare 2026 - Multiple locations and dates
- Dates: Multiple dates (see table below)
- Location: Multiple locations (see table below)
- Pricing: Varied (see table below)
- Social Media: Facebook
UX Healthcare: Locations, Dates, & Pricing
| Location | Date | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Rotterdam, Netherlands | September 17-18, 2026 | From €720 |
| Berlin, Germany | October 7-8, 2026 | From €890 |
| Singapore | November 11-12, 2026 | TBA |
UX Healthcare is a global conference series running since 2018, organized by Theo Sauls. It brings together UX designers, healthcare professionals, and researchers to advance patient-centered design in healthcare systems.
Why attend? This is one of the only UX conferences dedicated entirely to healthcare. It focuses on clinical workflows, patient experience, and data-driven design—and its community feel, with speakers like Mayo Clinic's Kristelle Jose, makes it a strong fit for healthcare UX practitioners.
5. UXCON26 - Silver Spring, MD (October 8, 2026)
- Dates: October 8, 2026
- Location: Silver Spring Civic Center
- Pricing: From $190-$265
- Social Media: LinkedIn
UXCON26 is a one-day UX conference organized by UX University, held annually in Silver Spring, Maryland. In 2026, it features Don Norman—the godfather of user experience—as its headliner speaker.
Why attend? UXCON26 is built for UX professionals, product managers, and engineers who want to design collaboratively, not in silos. Past sessions have covered research democratization, human-centered design, and navigating uncertainty. The day blends keynotes, panels, and networking in an energetic, community-driven atmosphere.
6. World Usability Congress - Graz, Austria (October 13-15,2026)
- Dates: October 13-15,2026
- Location: Messe Congress Graz
- Pricing: From €440-€1,140 (excl. VAT)
- Social Media: LinkedIn
World Usability Congress is an annual three-day UX strategy and management conference held in Graz, Austria. Organized alongside Elizabeth Rosenzweig, founder of World Usability Day, it brings together 70+ speakers from across industries for keynotes, masterclasses, and workshops.
Why attend? One ticket unlocks five co-located conferences under the Graz Connects umbrella. WUC also offers official certification—something few UX conferences provide. Add the Schlossberg Networking Dinner, Leaders Exchange, and a Connect Area built for real conversation, and it's a genuinely immersive experience.
7. UX Sofia 2026 - Sofia, Bulgaria (November 11-13, 2026)
- Dates: November 11-13, 2026
- Location: Planet Schwarz Tech Theater & Virtual
- Pricing: From €40 (online access)-€1,350 (all workshops + live seminar)
- Social Media: Facebook, LinkedIn
UX Sofia is an international UX conference organized by Lucrat. Now in its 16th edition, it brings together designers, researchers, developers, and business owners in Sofia, Bulgaria, with confirmed speakers including Filip Rusev and Ayan Bihi.
Why attend? UX Sofia 2026 focuses on "Automation and Meaning"—specifically how AI is reshaping UX practice. The three-day format blends hands-on workshops (Nov 11–12) with a full lecture day (Nov 13), and covers topics like cognitive sovereignty, systemic design, and authentic expertise in an AI-saturated world.
8. CHI 2027 - Pittsburgh, PA (May 10-14, 2027)
- Dates: May 10-14, 2027
- Location: David L. Lawrence Convention Center
- Pricing: TBA
- Social Media: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook
CHI is ACM's flagship HCI conference, running since 1982 and organized by ACM SIGCHI. Chaired by Amy Ogan and Anind Dey, CHI 2027 heads to Pittsburgh, PA—a hub for tech and research—bringing together researchers, practitioners, students, and creators worldwide.
Why attend? CHI is the premier academic HCI conference globally. The 2027 theme, "Bridges," centers on connecting disciplines, research, and practice, and communities. With paper sessions, workshops, panels, interactive demos, and a student research competition, it's a strong fit for UX researchers and academics.
More Conferences
Here are some other lists of product management conferences:
- Exciting design conferences and web design conferences showcasing the latest trends and innovations in design
- Informative PM conferences and product marketing conferences focusing on product management strategies and best practices
- Engaging UX research conferences dedicated to user experience and usability testing
- Conferences for Chief Product Officers and product leaders designed to address the unique challenges and opportunities of high-level decision-makers.
Summary
That's a wrap on my top picks for UX conferences. If you've got suggestions for other great events that UX pros shouldn't miss, I'm all ears. Sharing is caring, after all. Let's help each other stay ahead in the UX game by pointing out more can't-miss learning opportunities.
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Pro Tip: You can gain a lot from the sessions and workshops at these product management conferences, too.
