Getaway

Design leaders: alpine edition

Name: uxcon vienna 2025
Start: 2025-10-06T09:00:00+02:00
End: 2025-10-08T18:00:00+02:00

Join the adventure as 30 UX leaders head to the Tyrolean Alps for 2.5 days of learning from international experts... and realizing sticky notes don’t stick to pine trees.

Sept 2026

21st – 23rd

Kaiserlodge

Tyrol, Austria

30 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, all while offering stunning mountain views.

Coaches

Learn from international experts who love their craft.

Alison
Gretz

‍

Design by Design LLC

Alison coaches leaders and teams, fostering human-centered, inclusive workplaces where everyone thrives together.

Andy
Budd

Independent

Andy is an investor, advisor and design leadership coach.

Alison
Austin

Independent

Alison is an executive coach & independent consultant.

Morgane
Peng

Societe Generale CIB

Morgane is a design executive blending UX with business strategy in finance.

Giles
Colborne

Made Simple

Giles is a UX strategy leader, author, and keynote speaker shaping design culture, leadership, and inclusive, future-ready organizations.

Molly
Stevens

Amplify.One

Molly is a product leader improving global user experiences, specializing in leadership, research, design, and organizational growth.

Topics

Less moo, more meaning.

Unlocking influence

Your title doesn’t make you a leader – how you show up does. Maybe you’re still shaping your leadership style. Maybe you’re ready to lead with more clarity and purpose. Reflect on what matters, define your leadership mindset and connect with others on the same path.

Navigating feedback

Feedback isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about learning together. Done well, it creates clarity, connection and growth. Done poorly, it breaks trust. Explore how to give and receive feedback in ways that build trust – and handle the tension in between.

Resilient leadership

Leadership becomes especially important during uncertainty – in messy, unclear moments. When change hits, people look for steadiness, empathy and clarity. Practice how to show up when it counts, hold space for others and lead forward – even when the next step isn’t clear.

Quality, metrics & more

Join 1-on-1 coaching and group sessions to define your value through quality, measure UX in meaningful ways and communicate it with impact. Meet fellow UX leaders who share your challenges, all in a space that lets you breathe, away from the daily rush.

When & Where?

Kaiserlodge in Tyrol, Austria

Monday Sept 21st - Wednesday Sept 23rd, 2025

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 30 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

A curated experience designed for you.

Monday

Sept 20th

1.00pm

105min

Arrival, check-in & lunch.

Make yourself at home.

2.30pm

60min

Official start & leadership roadmap

by uxcon vienna

3.30pm

60min

Unlocking influence: Elevate your impact as a design leader

Andy Budd

Do you want to expand your influence and make your voice heard where it matters most?

‍

Whether you’re a new design leader or looking to take your leadership to the next level, this workshop will equip you with the skills and strategies to:

‍

confidently stand out
drive change
amplify your impact

‍

You’ll also gain actionable insights on:

‍

authentic self-promotion that feels natural and effective
speaking the language of business to connect with decision-makers
adopting a "first team" mindset to strengthen your role in leadership

‍

Whether you're aspiring to influence your immediate team or make waves at the executive level, this workshop will help you:

‍

unlock your full potential
establish yourself as a design leader who drives results

4.30pm

20min

Coffee break

Recharge your caffeine tank.

4.50pm

60min

Unlocking influence: Elevate your impact as a design leader - part II

Andy Budd

Do you want to expand your influence and make your voice heard where it matters most?

‍

Whether you’re a new design leader or looking to take your leadership to the next level, this workshop will equip you with the skills and strategies to:

‍

confidently stand out
drive change
amplify your impact

‍

You’ll also gain actionable insights on:

‍

authentic self-promotion that feels natural and effective
speaking the language of business to connect with decision-makers
adopting a "first team" mindset to strengthen your role in leadership

‍

Whether you're aspiring to influence your immediate team or make waves at the executive level, this workshop will help you:

‍

unlock your full potential
establish yourself as a design leader who drives results

5.50pm

Spare time / wellness

Time to chill.

8.00pm

Dinner / Get-together

Good food and conversations.

Tuesday

Oct 21st

7.30 - 9.00am

Breakfast

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

7.30 - 8.00am

Yoga - Morning flow

For early birds.

9.00am

90min

Shift from cycles of failure to quality, value and product-market fit

Debbie Levitt

Atomic Product-Market Fit: Delivering product and service value to our experience ecosystem at macro, meso, and micro levels.

We’re great at failing! Low standards, speed over quality, hypothesis- or product-first methods have high failure rates.

The real costs of delivering high or low quality. Tie that to ROI.

Quality as a priority and focus.

‍

10:30am

20min

Coffee break

We've got tea too.

10.50am

70min

Coaching sessions with experts & peers

Debbie Levitt, Javier Andrés Bargas-Avila, Wendy Fox, Anja Saabye

Would you like personal help or advice on any area of CX, UX, your work, leadership, your career direction, or the future of tech careers? Debbie's happy to offer one free session to each attendee.

‍

Have questions about UX metrics and how to use them effectively?

Book your session with Javier

‍

Want to talk to other UX leaders about their careers & experiences?

Book your session with Wendy & Anja

12.00am

60min

Lunch break

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

1.00pm

90min

Navigating feedback: A practical guide to giving and receiving

Javier Andrés Bargas-Avila

Effective feedback is essential for personal and professional growth.

‍

This workshop provides you with the tools and confidence to give and receive feedback with clarity, respect and impact.

‍

You will learn how to deliver constructive feedback that drives improvement without damaging relationships.

Additionally, you'll discover strategies for receiving feedback openly and turning it into opportunities for growth.

Through interactive exercises and practical examples, you will gain hands-on experience in applying the feedback model and building a culture of open communication.

2.30pm

20min

Coffee break

Grab a snack and take a break.

2.50pm

90min

Leading in challenging times

Alison Austin

Design leadership is exciting, andespecially tough right now. Resilience is key to leading through uncertaintyand pressure. It’s not about avoiding stress, but navigating it effectively.

This workshop explores:

‍

resilient mindsets
practical tools
ways to support yourself and your team

‍

Walk away with strategies to thrive through challenge.

4.20pm

Spare time / wellness

Time to unwind.

6.30pm

120min

Dinner

Treat your taste buds like a Kaiser.

8.30pm

60min

Evening program

tba

Wednesday

Oct 22nd

7.30 - 9.00am

Breakfast

What's your jam?

7.30 - 8.00am

30min

Yoga / Meditation

tba

9.00am

90min

Leadership through Communication: Mastering your body and your voice to
communicate with confidence and improvise under pressure

Catrina Poor

In this workshop, you will learn communication skills that allow you to improvise without losing your focus, clarity and professional demeanor. Master your nerves, control your voice, and feel comfortable on stage.

‍

I will teach you these skills using a combination of hands on skills demonstrations, and demonstrating real presentations with in the moment adjustments and improvisation, using a handful of prepared volunteer presenters.

‍

We will focus on:

Breathing and body exercises to manage your adrenaline and nerves, keeping you calm and focused as you present
Storytelling and body language techniques to make you feel at home while presenting, helping you authentically engage your audience
Logical methods to structure your presentation, adapt to your environment and make your message hit home every time.

10.30am

20min

Coffee break

Time to let your mind wander.

10.50am

70min

Coaching sessions with experts & peers

Debbie Levitt, Javier Andrés Bargas-Avila, Wendy Fox, Anja Saabye

Would you like personal help or advice on any area of CX, UX, your work, leadership, your career direction, or the future of tech careers? Debbie's happy to offer one free session to each attendee.

‍

Have questions about UX metrics and how to use them effectively?

Book your session with Javier.

‍

Want to talk to other UX leaders about their careers & experiences?

Book your session with Wendy & Anja.

12.00am

Check-out & lunch

It's time to pack those bags!

2.00pm

Excursion (optional)

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

6.15pm

Individual journey home

All good things must come to an end...

Tickets

Send a booking request our way for more info.

Design leaders: alpine edition

2 nights at Hotel Kaiserlodge

indoor & outdoor content sessions

delicious catering during the days

2 x dinner & evening event

hiking trip & various side activities

wellness, yoga & meditation

transport from station "Wörgl" to hotel

€ 2.500

+vat

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Voices

Design Leaders had this "school trip" vibe - I woke up excited every morning. It could have lasted even longer, even though my brain was already full. I just wanted more.

Anna

UX lead and member of the executive board at a leading communication and design agency

There's no other event I still think about this often. The vibe and spirit were incredible - every single participant contributed to that. There was a lot of time for reflection. I still remember when we were outside, on the stage and the grass - those were really special moments, both in terms of the how and the where.

It wasn't the usual "input, output, take notes, present everything on a flipchart at the end" kind of event. What really stuck with me was the format itself - the time to reflect.That's often missing at conferences, at work, and in general.

Julia

UX lead at a major bank

For me, it was absolutely worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Honestly, I got at least 120% out of it.

Design leaders attendee

2024