Getaway

Design leaders: alpine edition

Join the adventure as 50 UX leaders head to the Tyrolean Alps for 2.5 days of soaking up exclusive content from top-notch international experts.

Sept 2024

23rd - 25th

Kaiserlodge

Tyrol, Austria

50 spots

available

Request booking

About this getaway

Further your career as a UX leader in an atmosphere that's as chill as it is inspiring and join design leaders - alpine edition. The meaningful retreat for (emerging) UX leaders in the heart of the Austrian mountains.

To empower you in discovering fresh solutions for your everyday challenges, we've crafted a program featuring:

Applicable & actionable input by experienced UX leaders

Relatable & personal facilitated conversations

Meaningful & hands-on focus sessions

We’ll make sure to make the most of our surroundings, where there’s plenty of opportunity to take part in guided (outdoor) activities, like hiking and yoga. Our wonderful hotel also has great indoor sports facilities as well as a spa area (it even has its own lake!), all while offering stunning mountain views.

Coaches

Learn from passionate speakers from around the globe.

James
Lang

Together By Design

James is a founder at Together By Design and Hopeful Futures.

Christian
Gonzalez

Google

Christian is a senior UX Research leader at Google Workspace.

Indi
Young

Indiyoung.com

Indi is a research pioneer, book author and coach with 30 years of experience.

Elizé
Leborgne

Elizé Presents

Elizé is UX designer, agency founder, educator and speaking coach.

Giles
Colborne

cx partners

Giles is CEO of cx partners, business mentor and author.

Molly
Stevens

Booking.com

Molly is an experienced leader and senior director of user experience at Booking.com.

Topics

Here's what we're gonna dive into.

Your role as a leader

Juggling leadership transition, business savvy, diverse communication, and strategic UX integration and defining the ways of working for UX crafts.

UX governance

Crafting a supportive environment for design team success through strategic alignment, effective communication, resource clarity, agile adaptation, and improved working conditions.

Authentic leadership

Embrace your authentic leadership style: lead with passion, vulnerability, and your true values, turning weaknesses into strengths, thriving in the spotlight, and empowering your team to flourish.

People management

Navigating people management and organizational challenges, encompassing project allocation, career planning, recruitment, team dynamics, and operational tasks like meeting management.

When & Where?

Kaiserlodge in Tyrol, Austria

Monday Sept 23rd - Wednesday Sept 25th, 2024

This is right after uxcon vienna, which will take place in Vienna, on Sept 19th & 20th, 2024.

All the magic happens at fantastic Hotel Kaiserlodge, nestled in the northern limestone Alps in the Eastern Alps. This place has it all, including a rooftop spa and pool. It's the ultimate spot to let your thoughts wander, get creative, and simply unwind. We can host a maximum of 50 attendees and it would be wonderful if you were one of them.

Request booking

For who?

After talking to a whole bunch of new and more experienced UX leaders, we realised many of you have been facing the same questions:

How do I handle changing relationships with peers and stakeholders?

How can I proactively shape strategy and UX maturity, while juggling so many ad-hoc tasks and asks?

How can I redefine success, purpose and personal growth, now that my tasks have changed?

Do you work in UX in a leadership role and are you facing these challenges? Then this retreat is for you.

Request booking

Program

Explore our tailor-made content.

Monday

Sept 23rd

1.00pm

105min

Arrival & check-in

Make yourself at home.

2.45pm

15min

Official start & welcome

by uxcon vienna

3.00pm

105min

Your role as a leader

with Molly Stevens, Senior Director of User Experience at Booking.com

Transitioning from IC to Leadership: a balance act
Understanding the business perspective
Exploring management styles
Building connections with other leaders within your organization
Communicating UX to C-level executives
Inclusive leadership in the context of diverse backgrounds and cultures
Positioning and selling UX within the organization

4.45pm

20min

Coffee break

Recharge your caffeine tank.

5.05pm

55min

UX Governance: How to create an environment where our design team can succeed? (Pt I)

with Giles Colborne, CEO at cxpartners

Aligning design with business goals for a stronger impact
Talking about our design ideas in a way that convinces everyone
Making it clear what our design team can handle (and what we can't)
Figuring out how to work with tight schedules and budgets
Strategies for design teams to get their ideas heard
Is our organisation agile? Reality-Check and possible solutions
Finding ways to create better conditions for designers in the team

6.00pm

120min

Spare time / wellness

Time to chill.

Feel like going for a walk, getting steamy in the sauna, or taking a dip? You can do all that (and then some, or even nothing at all) - just go with the flow and see where the day takes you!

8.00pm

Dinner / Get-together

Good food and conversations.

You're invited to come hang out with us at the hotel, enjoy a tasty meal, followed by some relaxed socializing to get to know each other better.

And hey, if you feel like taking a breather on your own, go for it - no pressure at all!

Tuesday

Sept 24th

7.30 - 9.00am

Breakfast

...not at Tiffany's, but at the lovely hotel Kaiserlodge.

8.00 - 8.30am

Yoga - Morning flow

For early birds.

Not a fan of sleeping in (or loving the rare chance to stay in bed a little longer with the kids away)? Feel free to join our morning yoga session!

9.00am

75min

UX Governance: How to create an environment where our design team can succeed? (Pt II)

with Giles Colborne, CEO at cxpartners

Aligning design with business goals for a stronger impact
Talking about our design ideas in a way that convinces everyone
Making it clear what our design team can handle (and what we can't)
Figuring out how to work with tight schedules and budgets
Strategies for design teams to get their ideas heard
Is our organisation agile? Reality-Check and possible solutions
Finding ways to create better conditions for designers in the team

10:15am

20min

Coffee break

We've got tea too.

10.35am

85min

Defining the ways of working for UX crafts

with Molly Stevens, Senior Director of User Experience at Booking.com

Creating influential longer term product visions 
Collaborating with other crafts to multiply your impact
Developing frameworks and capabilities
Answering the ROI question
New tech and UX

12.00am

90min

Lunch break

After feeding the brain, it's time to feed the belly.

1.30pm

90min

Unlock your authentic leadership: outdoor session

with Elize Leborgne, UX designer, educator & speaking coach at Elize Presents

Lead with passion, vulnerability, and your true values
Define your unique leadership style: Build a vision that aligns with your values and strengths
Turn "weaknesses" into superpowers: Discover how embracing your vulnerabilities can foster trust and inspire others
Thrive in the spotlight: Navigate the discomfort of being the center of attention and learn techniques to embody authentic confidence
Empower your team: Discover ways to build a real and connected environment that helps everyone flourish

3.00pm

20min

Coffee break

Grab a snack and take a break.

3.20pm

100min

Unlock your authentic leadership (indoor part)

with Elize Leborgne, UX designer, educator & speaking coach at Elize Presents

Lead with passion, vulnerability, and your true values
Define your unique leadership style: Build a vision that aligns with your values and strengths
Turn "weaknesses" into superpowers: Discover how embracing your vulnerabilities can foster trust and inspire others
Thrive in the spotlight: Navigate the discomfort of being the center of attention and learn techniques to embody authentic confidence
Empower your team: Discover ways to build a real and connected environment that helps everyone flourish

5.00pm

120min

Spare time / wellness

Time to unwind.

Enjoy the hotel's wellness area, surrounded by Tyrolean mountains... have you discovered the swimming pond yet?

7.00pm

120min

Dinner

Treat your taste buds like a Kaiser.

Great food and drinks - that's all you need to know.

9.00pm

60min

Fireside chat

with research pioneer & book author Indi Young, indiyoung.com

Join us for a cozy chat with research pioneer and book author Indi Young!

Wednesday

Sept 25th

7.30 - 9.00am

Breakfast

What's your jam?

8.00am - 8.30am

with Elizé Leborgne

Morning Meditation

What's your jam?

9.00am

180min

People management & organisational challenges

with Christian Gonzalez, Senior Research leader at Google Workspace & James Lang, Research Leader

Effective project allocation and team management
Career planning & goal-setting
Recruiting and hiring
Team management & defining ways of working together
Dealing with organizational & operational taks: e.g. meeting management

10.15am

20min

Coffee break

Time to let your mind wander.

10.35am

85min

People management & organisational challenges

Christian Gonzalez, Senior Research leader at Google & James Lang, Research Leader

Effective project allocation and team management
Career planning & goal-setting
Recruiting and hiring
Team management & defining ways of working together
Dealing with organizational & operational taks: e.g. meeting management

12.00am

120min

Check-out & lunch

It's time to pack those bags!

To make up for it, we've got a delicious lunch waiting for you...

2.00pm

300min

Excursion (optional)

If you still have some time and feel like joining us for a little adventure.

Since we're already in beautiful Tyrol, we want to make the most of it!
If the weather's good, we'll go for a short hike to a cabin and enjoy a few drinks there.
Feel free to join us!

6.15pm

Individual journey home

All good things must come to an end...

Time flies when you're having fun!

We'll have a shuttle bus to the train station. And if you need any help with your journey back home, just ask - we've here to help!