Fancy a tech event minus laptops and hackathons? Do you want to join the technology revolution but stay in your creative niche? Are you an empathic, out of the box thinker? Do you want to discuss ideas over beer after loads of insights and information?
If yes, then this might just be your thing.
I discovered that the approach that the UXMNL Inc team adapted at the UX MNL Summit 2015 last May 29-30, 2015 is one of the freshest ways to genuinely put fun in what would otherwise be a people-facing-computers kind of technology workshop.
I was half-expecting that I would need my laptop, but I was wrong. This event fused structure and creative innovation that focused on the heart of what websites, mobile application, and other digital platforms are designed for—the people.
They don’t even call them rigidly as end users. There were no holds barred in the innovation and information architecture topics discussed.
Now on its sixth year, the workshop is ideal for IT People who do front end development work, UX practitioners, professionals who want to transition to an IT-related job without hardcore coding, and, as mentioned earlier, open-minded people with a creative slant that can be funneled to a structural and usable bent.
Visiting key speakers Matthew Magain and Donna Spencer, both approachable achievers and well-respected icons in the international UX circles, graciously imparted their knowledge in this summit.
This is not your ordinary workshop where the speakers do 80% of the talking. The participants were immediately given intense activities to apply whatever theory was being taught. From designing boxes to filling a wall with Post Its, anything goes but everything is absorbed as pure golden knowledge in UX. It’s like being in an adult art class, but with the professional pizzazz of user experience issues.
A lot of participants asked questions relevant to their situation.
Various tools for innovation were introduced by Magain; on the other hand, Spencer walked everyone through the entire process of information architecture. During the whole time they spoke, they energetically paced around the entire conference hall of Green Sun Hotel; the entire program was adeptly and elegantly hosted by Ms. Z Saldua, a beauty queen, DJ, and celebrity.
Organized by the single devoted UX agency in Metro Manila, UXMNL Inc, the event was a massive success and filled the hall with more than 200 people. The startup team comprised of energetic interns and ultra cool UX experts are highly devoted in implementing more UX community activities in the Philippines, and they are managed by Mr. Phil Smithson.
Source: UXMNL Official Twitter Page
They are inviting people who are interested to learn UX professionally to attend their events and meet the people who can help them do so.
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Before the workshop, they even did a recent analysis on the UX for the latest BIR electronic tax filing system which they shared on their Facebook page. The workshop also slightly jumpstarted their numerous upcoming college or school tours in Visayas and Mindanao. They will also be holding trainings and soon, some certification on UX mastery topics.
For more interesting things on the nuances of user experience, there are also monthly meetups that welcome UX enthusiasts of all levels.
Photo credits: Engr. Roger James Tan and Mr. Meynard Soriano
UXMNL Inc.
www.uxmnl.com
Unit 4G, Value Point Building, 227 Salcedo St. Legaspi Village, Makati City
Facebook: UXMNL
Instagram: uxmnl
Twitter: uxmnl
Skype: phil.smithson
