What to expect from Advancing Research 2025

As we head into the new year, the UX research community is buzzing with anticipation. We’ve just unveiled the program for Advancing Research 2025, and it’s shaping up to be a game-changing event for our field. This year’s conference is not just another industry gathering; it’s a bold step into the future of user experience research (UXR).

A Revolutionary Approach to Program Design

Jemma Ahmed, with her extensive background in mixed methodology insight roles, has crafted a program that breaks the mold. Instead of the traditional method of soliciting ideas and retrofitting them into a loose structure, this year’s conference features an integrated program shaped around overarching themes and community needs. This approach ensures that every session, every speaker, and every discussion is purposefully aligned with the evolving landscape of UXR.

Addressing the Crossroads of Research

The research field is at a critical moment. With democratization and automation challenging the lower end of the practice, and the constant pressure to “be more strategic” without clear guidance, researchers are seeking a roadmap for their future. The emphasis on artificial intelligence integration adds another layer of complexity to this evolving landscape. Advancing Research 2025 aims to provide clear guidance for researchers on how to navigate and thrive in the future of UXR.

A Powerful Framework for the Future

The conference is structured around three powerful themes, each occupying a full day of the three-day event:

• Day 1: Reconceiving the Purpose of Research (facilitated by Jemma Ahmed)
• Day 2: Redefining the Research Toolkit (facilitated by Megan Blocker)
• Day 3: Reclaiming our Value as Researchers (facilitated by Eduardo Ortiz)

This framework, developed through community workshops and discussions, thoroughly explores the future of research. It’s designed to help you envision your role as a researcher in 2030 and beyond.

A Star-Studded Lineup of Speakers

We have three days jam-packed with carefully-curated sessions that cater to the themes of #AR2025. Whether that means attending sessions about AI or introducing new methodologies into your practice, our team has its finger on the pulse of all the most critical and emerging topics in the world of UX research. Our speakers represent some of the most impressive minds in the field, hailing from companies like Google, Meta, Hinge, Capital One, Dalberg Design, and more!

Why Advancing Research 2025 is a Must-Attend Event

• Future-Proof Your Career: Gain insights to future-proof your career in the rapidly evolving research landscape. UX researchers need to understand, speak, and even reframe their work in research terms to make an impact. Whether you’re moving into a research role or looking to be a better partner with research peers, Advancing Research will prepare you for success in research-centric organizations.
• Designed with YOU in Mind: Enjoy a conference program created by researchers for researchers, addressing the real challenges faced by UX practitioners. For a sneak peek of the conversations to come, check out our community workshop series—a collection of Rosenverse sessions that feature some of this year’s speakers discussing topics we’ll explore in the program at #AR2025.
• Unparalleled Networking: Connect with peers and leaders in the field, fostering collaborations and sharing insights. We have a dedicated Slack channel for all conference-goers, buzzing with lively conversation throughout the three-day conference. Plus, every conference ticket includes the opportunity to join our renowned attendee cohorts program, allowing you to meet up with others in a facilitated environment to mingle and discuss each day’s sessions.

Advancing Research 2025 promises to be more than just a conference—it’s a roadmap for researchers navigating the complexities of their field in the years to come. Don’t miss this opportunity to shape the future of research!

Join us from March 11-13, 2025, for this virtual conference that will transform your career and help you lead the charge in the evolving world of UX research. Register now!

Introducing our Advancing Research community workshop series!

Join the conversation about the most critical topics in research!

Although Advancing Research 2025 won’t take place for another nine months, we’re already hard at work researching and designing the conference program. Like last year, we kicked things off with a series of free, public (virtual) conversations on the topics most important to our field. These conversations are centered around themes integral to research, starring researchers just like YOU!

Watch all the sessions for free at the links below.

July 24, 4-5pm EDT	Watch recording	Theme 1: Democratization Working with it, not against
August 7, 11am-12pm EDT	Watch recording	Theme 2: Collaboration Learning from market research, data science, customer experience, and more
August 21, 4-5pm EDT	Watch recording	Theme 3: Communication Innovative techniques for making your voice heard
September 4, 11am-12pm EDT	Watch recording	Theme 4: Methods Expanding the UXR toolkit beyond interviews
September 18, 4-5pm EDT	Watch recording	Theme 5: Artificial Intelligence Passionate defenses, reasoned critiques, and practical application
October 2, 11am-12pm EDT	Watch recording	Theme 6: Junctures for UXR Possible futures and the critical decisions to move us forward
October 16, 4-5pm EDT	Watch recording	Theme 7: Open Call Propose ideas that don’t match our other workshops’ themes

 

Each free virtual workshop is made up of panelists who share short provocations on engaging ideas to discuss as a group, as well as a leader in our field to moderate. If you’re looking for discussions that challenge the status quo and can truly advance research, look no further than our workshop series.

P.S. We’ll be drawing most of our Advancing Research 2025 conference speakers from those who present at upcoming workshops—so tune in for a sneak peek of what’s to come from #AR2025!

Meet our Conference Curator, Chris Geison

Chris has been a user researcher at Airtable, Workday, and AnswerLab. Prior to user research, Chris had careers in marketing and in behavioral health. Chris holds a BA in English Literature from Brown University. He lives in San Francisco with his wife, their daughter, and an imaginary panther named Winston.

Meet our Conference Curator, Jemma Ahmed

Jemma Ahmed joined Bumble in 2019. She is Head of Insights based in the London office. She leads the team who regularly speak to online daters all over the world, uncovering the very unique needs and motivations of this group- across brands as diverse as Bumble and Badoo.

Jemma has spent more than 15 years working in mixed methodology insight roles, across user research, market research and data analytics. This includes working in insight for Global news at the BBC, and in insight leadership positions at Etsy, the online markets for unique and handmade goods.

Jemma holds an MA in Law from Cambridge University.