UX Research Intensive Training
Big Island, Hawaii | Aug 4-10, 2024
Lead:
You will be coached on how to best communicate with clients and research participants.
Work in Teams:
Collaborate in small teams to execute mixed-methods research, synthesize findings, and present to clients.
Move to Next Level:
No matter where you are in your UX career, our coaches will work to understand your goals, and give you personalized hands-on training to get you to the next level.
Are you ready to move to the next level?
Our coaches will work with you to assess where you are now in your career and where you want to go, and you will have personalized training to get you there!
Key Experiences:
Prep Before the Retreat: We will meet before the retreat to plan research. You will conduct stakeholder interviews with clients to learn about their needs. Instructors will coach and provide materials.
Team-Based Research: Students will collaborate in small teams to execute usability tests, in-depth interviews, and intercept interviews, supporting local Hawaii businesses.
Findings & Presentation: Teams will synthesize research findings and present insights to clients via a formal presentation.
Impact: We will meet with our clients weeks after the retreat to discuss the impact of our work and how findings were used.
Guidance from the Best: Learn research, design, analysis, and strategy from UX experts and educators who have been teaching in academia for decades and have industry experiences at companies like Google, Facebook, BestBuy, Ultimate Software and more.
Space is limited to 13 people who will be selected based on career diversity. You are eligible no matter where you are in your UX career and what your roles have been - we will help to get you to the next level. Participants will work closely with instructors who will ensure a personalized learning environment.
Bonus Career Session: Weeks after the retreat, we will meet to discuss how to showcase this training on your resume and how to share it in interviews.
All attendees will receive a certificate of completion.
Pricing: Starts at $5500 USD. See occupancy options.
All-Inclusive Experience
Off-Grid Oasis
7 days with other attendees
World-Class Training
Learn UX strategy and methods from the best
Occupancy
Single or double occupancy available. See options.
Local Experiences
Tradition Lei making, sound bath, and sunset luau
Daily Gourmet Meals
A personal chef will prepare meals and we will eat out locally
Hawaii
Be part of Hawaii community, working closely with Hawaii businesses
Itinerary
Sunday, Aug 4
Arrival welcome party. Meet the coaches and attendees. Get ready for the fun, intense week!
Monday, Aug 5
Group training at home. Remote interviews and personalized coaching from the instructors.
Tuesday, Aug 6
In-home and remote interviews. Reconvene in the evening and debrief about learnings.
Wednesday, Aug 7
In-home and remote interviews. Reconvene in the evening and debrief about learnings.
Thursday, Aug 8
Sound bath and breakfast. Analyze findings and create reports. Lei making at sunset.
Friday, Aug 9
Analysis, reporting, storytelling. Dry runs and prepare for client presentations.
Saturday, Aug 10
Present to clients. Sunset luau on the beach.
Sunday, Aug 11
Breakfast together. Depart by 11 AM.
Meet Your Coaches
Jen Romano, Ph.D.
Jen is an award-winning UX Research Leader, with 20+ years in the UX industry, leading teams and projects at some of the biggest and best UX orgs in the world (e.g., Google, Facebook, Instagram). She is frequently a guest speaker at industry events and has been a keynote speaker at top UX conferences in the world (e.g., UXPA, WUC, HCII). Jen has been coaching people who want to grow in their UX career for over a decade!
Jen is an established leader in the UX field: She founded of the mentorship program, webinar program, and short course program for the User Experience Professional Association (UXPA) and is a Board Member of the UX Quality Certification Center (UXQCC). She teaches at UC Berkeley and University of Maryland and has published more than 30 articles, chapters, and books, including Usability Testing for Survey Research, Eye Tracking in User Experience Design and Modern Socio-Technical Perspectives on Privacy. Jen is passionate about training the BEST researchers in the world, and this retreat is one of many ways she is accomplishing this mission. Check out courses she offers, which are also part of this mission.
More about Jen, and Jen on LinkedIn
Matt Karakilic
Matt has a rich history at prominent companies like Hitachi Energy, autoTRADER, BestBuy, UKG, HP, and SAP. He imparts his vast knowledge as a mentor at the VFS, BCIT, and ADPList, and previously as an instructor at RED Academy and SFU. Specializing in UX design, research, and content. Matt offers his expertise to both upcoming and seasoned UX professionals, alongside consulting services for entrepreneurs keen on user-centric product development.
As a passionate Experiential Design Leader, and a UX Advocate, Matt founded "UX was Here." This innovative platform serves as a one-stop hub for all things UX.
His dedication extends to his role as the volunteers' chair and volunteer for the User Experience Professional Association (UXPA), contributing significantly to the UX community. With a BSc. in Media Arts and Design from Simon Fraser University and over 15 years of hands-on experience in UX, Matt's expertise spans from aiding startups to advising Fortune 500 companies.
More about Matt, and Matt on LinkedIn
Lauren Schaefer
Lauren is an expert in visual design and is currently the UX Design Leader at Seesaw Learning (prior Nearpod, Ultimate Software, Sitemotif). Lauren was an instructor at Florida International University, and mentored new designers in the South Florida UX design community.
Lauren is an established leader in UX and an active contributor to the Ohio UX community. She founded the South Florida UX Meetup (SOFLUX), served on the Advisory Board for Keiser University’s Design Program, and if former Director of Marketing and Web for UXPA.
Lauren on LinkedIn
Claudia Gutierrez
Claudia is a bilingual UX Expert and Strategist. She has over 20 years of experience in industry and academia in major sites in Latin America. She has been a UX Professor since 2006 for Graduate and Undergraduate programs, and she is a Latam UX leader, speaking, coaching and consulting for local and international communities. She is the former Chief Digital Officer for the largest university in Chile, Former LATAM Regional Manager and Director of Publications for UXPA and current Editorial Manager for UX Magazine. Claudia is a Data Science expert, currently advocating for the relationship between UX and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Models.
Claudia on LinkedIn
Kendall Wallace
Kendall is the founder and lead facilitator of Executive Offsites.With a background in UX Research, she now helps cross-functional product teams (e.g., engineers, product managers, designers, researchers, data scientists) build team cohesion and alignment through breakthrough workshops and in-person experiences.
After being a UX Researcher at Meta for 4 years, Kendall traded in solving digital experiences for ones in real life. She seeks to help resolve underlying issues among teams: conflicts lead to team switches, reorgs, or dismissals, and ineffective offsites and team-building exercises fail to foster genuine team cohesion. Her coaching and corporate offsites go beyond just fun—they build trust and psychological safety among colleagues.
Additionally, as an EFT (emotional freedom technique) practitioner, she integrates psychological tools and coaching to help people rewire subconscious patterns affecting their professional interactions.
Kendall on LinkedIn
Jennison Asuncion
Jennison is LinkedIn's Head of Accessibility Engineering Evangelism. He is the Co-Founder of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) & GAAD Foundation and the Founder of Accessibility Camp Toronto & Accessibility Camp Bay Area. He is a recognized digital accessibility leader, working in the field since 2006.
Jennison will join us for a fireside chat to discuss what to consider when including people with disabilities in user research.
Jennison on LinkedIn
Escape into an ancient Hawaiian forest
You will enjoy ocean and mountain views and the quiet peace of being nestled within a private 24-acre native Hawaiian Ohia and Koa forest. This off-grid 9,000 square-foot home has 11 bedrooms and 5 baths. A wrap-around lanai makes for great gathering spaces to enjoy our chef-prepared meals, relax and read, chat with the coaches, and hang out with other attendees.
Testimonials from Previous Attendees
“I was expecting a week of expanding and applying my skills within UX research, but the way Jen and Kendall managed to reach every single one of us, who were at widely different points in our UX career, and elevate our skills and confidence in just only single week absolutely blew my mind.
Aside from the amazing UX specific learning experience it was, it completely widened my cultural understanding within the UX domain as well as on a personal level to be working with a local company and experiencing the true feeling of the Hawaiian lifestyle. This experience is a gem that I doubt you’ll find anywhere else.”
“I was so glad that I decided to join. You wouldn’t find the same hands-on learning experience nor the valuable bonding with the fellows from anywhere outside. Jen’s coaching is encouraging and right to the point. Thanks to this opportunity, I became more confident in myself as a UXR and had clearer directions on how to improve. I wouldn’t trade what I get here with anything else”
“I was hoping to gain experience in the field, and the ability to work with a real life company. I gained so much more that that. From the Hawaii aspect, I was able to broaden my horizons and try new things, like the sound healing and the ukelele - it was powerful. Life can be so busy, and through these experiences, I was able to reflect and learn about Hawaiian culture and people. I learned things I can incorporate into my own life. It was more than I expected.
What I really liked about this retreat was that Jen and Kendall let us lead the research and they guided us. It was a sense of ownership over the research. We were the ones speaking with stakeholders, leading interviews, putting together findings, and of course, they helped us and guided us. It allowed me to grow faster, personally.”
“The best part about working with Jen was learning the UX research process from beginning to end, and the real-time feedback. She knows what she is doing, and I felt like I was in good hands. That has a huge impact on my learning, confidence, and the overall experience. I went from zero, being a novice in industry to five.”
“The week I spent with the instructors and the team solidified my understanding of research methods which I learned through online classes and on-the-job. It also gave me the confidence to step up my career while I was in the transition.”
