Must-attend UX research conferences in 2026 and 2027
This guide covers the best conferences to attend in late 2026 and into 2027. It’s for researchers, designers, and anyone who runs as part of their role—whether you want to sharpen your methods, hear how other teams work, or grow your professional network.
We’ve listed events with announced dates first, in chronological order. After that, you’ll find recurring conferences whose next editions haven’t been announced yet, with a note on when they typically run.
The top UX research conferences to attend
Expand your skills and network with other research professionals at the following events:
UXPA International 2026
The User Experience Professionals Association’s annual conference opens with a full day of hands-on workshops, followed by three days of keynotes and practitioner-led sessions. It’s a strong pick for who want practical, methods-focused content alongside plenty of networking.
Date: June 22–25, 2026
Location: Las Vegas, US (in-person)
uxcon vienna
uxcon vienna calls itself Europe’s friendliest conference for UX research and design, and it lives up to the name—the event mixes talks from researchers at major product companies with hands-on workshops and lots of community time. The 2026 edition takes place at the University of Vienna.
Date: September 16–17, 2026
Location: University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Insight Out 2026
Insight Out is our own conference, built for people who turn into decisions. The 2026 edition is designed for senior leaders in research, design, product management, product operations, and CX, with hands-on workshops and sessions on scaling customer intelligence across the enterprise.
Date: September 29–30, 2026
Location: Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, US
EPIC2026
EPIC is the conference for ethnography in industry—researchers who use ethnographic methods to shape products, services, and strategy. The 2026 edition explores large-scale computation and how we model and interpret context to create value for people and businesses. It alternates between the US and Europe each year.
Date: October 25–27, 2026
Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, US
CHI 2027
CHI is the ACM’s flagship conference on human factors in computing systems and the best place to hear about new research before it filters into practice. The 2027 theme is “Bridges,” and the program spans paper sessions, workshops, and keynotes.
Date: May 10–14, 2027
Location: David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, US
axe-con
Hosted by Deque, axe-con is the world’s largest digital accessibility conference—and it’s completely free and virtual. Sessions cover accessible design, development, and organizational success, with live captions and ASL throughout, and recordings available on demand afterward. It runs annually, typically in February.
Date: runs annually, typically in February
Location: virtual
Price: free
QRCA Annual Conference
The Qualitative Research Consultants Association’s annual conference is dedicated to qualitative methods—moderating, analysis, and the business of qualitative research. It ’s especially useful if interviews and focus groups are central to your practice. The conference runs annually, typically early in the year; the 2026 edition was held in San Antonio.
Date: runs annually, typically early in the year
Location: varies (US)
UX360 Research Summit
UX360 runs a virtual research summit each year covering the full research journey—planning, execution, analysis, and turning insights into action—plus in-person regional editions. The 2026 lineup included a virtual summit in February and a North American edition in Atlanta; check the organizer’s site for the next dates.
Date: runs annually; the virtual edition is typically in February
Location: virtual, plus in-person regional editions
Advancing Research
Advancing Research, from Rosenfeld Media, is a virtual conference focused on the practice and future of user research—think research strategy, democratization, AI, and the evolving role of the researcher. It runs annually, typically in March.
Date: runs annually, typically in March
Location: virtual
UXinsight Festival
UXinsight Festival is an international conference made by and for UX researchers, known for practical talks, a strong community feel, and a hybrid format that welcomes both in-person and online attendees. It runs annually, typically in April, in the Netherlands—the 2026 edition was held in Leiden.
Date: runs annually, typically in April
Location: the Netherlands, and online
Research Week by Learners
Learners, one of the largest UX research communities, hosts Research Week each year—a multi-day program of talks and networking for researchers, designers, and product people. The 2026 edition ran at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco with an online option; keep an eye on the community’s site for the next dates.
Date: runs annually, typically in May
Location: San Francisco, US, and online
Our top tips for getting the most out of conferences
Once you’ve selected the best conferences for your team’s learning and networking needs, here are a few extra tips to ensure you get the most out of your time and trip:
Plan in advance
Conference days are always packed with sessions, booths, and keynote speakers to listen to and learn from. Before attending, do your best to roughly figure out your plan for each day.
You might want to write down the times of the speakers and other time-specific events you don’t want to miss. It’s the best way to ensure you hit the highlights and get the most out of your time. Plus, it prevents you from accidentally missing any great content.
Don’t be afraid to network
Whether you attend the conference solo or in a group, networking with other UX professionals can feel overwhelming. You might find it daunting if you’re not used to it.
To make the process easier, we recommend mingling during cocktail hour and food breaks when people are more open to chatting. You may even make new friends—a win-win for everyone.
Know how to pitch your skills and services
Conferences are a great place to practice pitching, either for yourself or your company.
Before attending any conference, practice a short, minute-long “elevator pitch” about yourself, your skills, and what your company does (if applicable) to use when chatting with other industry professionals. The goal is to be short, sweet, and to the point while still sounding like a human being.
Practice makes perfect, so be sure to work on this before you attend to get the most out of your time there.
Improve your UX skills by attending high-quality conferences
Conferences are a concentrated source of fresh ideas, industry leaders, and networking opportunities for anyone looking to expand their knowledge and skills in and beyond.
Use this list to select the most impactful conferences for you or your team—and you never know, maybe we’ll see you at our very own Insight Out.
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