This year, Helpfully is bringing together brilliant minds for a one-day conference in Atlanta. We're joined by NCR Voyix in organizing a day packed with opportunities to learn, share, and grow. The UX Research community in Atlanta is growing — because the need for research is growing, too.
Our speakers and facilitators will help you generate human insights for your projects, with the latest frameworks, deep dives into methods, and proven strategies. Many talks will address how to turn insights into designs that wow customers and win in the market, the magic through-line that differentiates the best companies from those you'll never hear about. Come learn from knowledgeable teams at forward-looking companies including: Hootsuite, Mailchimp, Autodesk, ADP, CVS Health, NCR Voyix, Georgia Tech. Plus, we'll hear from nationally recognized leader, author Indi Young (Time to Listen and Rosenfeld Media's Mental Models).
Research-backed insights are driving today's business results. Come hone your knowledge, add new tools, and meet new people — to help you charge into the future.
Learning by doing is one of the best ways to crystalize your knowledge. Shelley Sather will help you apply the tools and tactics you learn during the day, and practice field work techniques like participant observation, intercept conversations, and mapping. We’ll set you loose with a small group to observe, ask, and experiment! Learn how you can apply cutting edge qualitative research methods in your work.
We’ll close with a keynote about data synthesis, insights framing, and case-studies of research projects that create powerful business results.
Independent Qualitative Data Scientist, Author & Consultant.
A celebrated leader in user research and empathy-driven design, Indi Young is renowned for her expertise in understanding people's mental models and unique perspectives. With a deep focus on qualitative research methods, concept development, and empathetic insights, she equips professionals to grasp user needs and foster innovation.
Indi's passion lies in enriching user experiences across diverse industries through her profound expertise in deep listening and problem-solving.
VP, Digital Experience, Hootsuite
Lotenna's journey, which started as an entrepreneur and freelance designer, encompasses diverse roles, from interviewing musicians to crafting animations and websites. An influential figure in user research and design, Lotenna has collaborated with brands like Microsoft, State Farm, and Nike.
His strategic expertise shines in an unwavering commitment to understanding client's goals. His adaptability and dedication to learning keep him at the forefront of industry trends and his dedication and mentorship has impacted not only his clients and teammates, but the larger research and design community in Atlanta.
Independent Ethnographer & Innovation Strategist
Shelley is an independent Ethnographer & Innovation Strategist with a deep expertise in designing studies for emerging products and technologies. She began her research career in commodities software design, just as the analog (open-outcry) markets in Chicago were being replaced with digital solutions from outside the US. There, she developed a deep understanding of how people experience digital transformation - having witnessed, first-hand, not just the re-shaping of an industry, but an entire culture of work.
Client engagements range from shaping/leading sprawling, complex global studies for Fortune 100 businesses to research for smaller ventures close to her heart. What unites this roster is a shared desire to meet people where they are.
Product Design & Research at Influur
Jasmine is a digital designer, people researcher, and linguist. She helps early-stage companies define and design new zero-to-one digital products.
Her process leverages insights about behaviors, language, and emotions to drive innovation and create useful things people enjoy.
Currently, Jasmine works as a product designer for the Miami-based marketing startup Influur.
UX Consultant, Mentor, &Problem-Solver
A creative powerhouse who transitioned from a successful career in photography and media to become a trailblazing UX designer.
His journey, fueled by determination, led him to a Fortune 100 company and the founding of Inspire Agency, his freelance UX venture. 'ChrisUX' embodies resilience, innovation, and a passion for crafting user-centric digital experiences.
Prepare to be inspired as he shares his transformative story and vision for the future of UX design.
Associate Principal - User Experience Research at ADP
Greg is a renowned figure in user experience research, skillfully blending concept design precision with user-centered finesse.
His empathetic approach puts users at ease, fostering deep connections that reveal core issues and make him a formidable advocate. Proficient in usability testing, design thinking, and rapid prototyping, Greg's insights elevate user experiences.
His dedication to understanding users benefits both Fortune 500 and startup companies across industries.
Staff UX Researcher at Mailchimp
From state government to Fortune 50 corporations to just getting off the ground startups, Bethany McDaniel's experience in the world of UX has morphed and shifted with every role. With 10+ years of experience in building technology, Bethany has dabbled in design, but her real passion always leads to research. Currently, as the Lead UX Researcher at Mailchimp, Bethany focuses on uncovering user problems, prioritizing top needs, and helping teams mold and iterate towards incredible solutions. Bethany's guiding principles are: communicate consistently, collaborate constantly, and when in doubt, ask the question.
Director of UX Research
Jennifer is a passionate user experience researcher who believes that everyone has the potential to do user experience research; all that’s needed is empathy and a willingness to listen. She also believes that product and experience design is a cooperative process and has worked to develop a holistic UX research practice at NCR Voyix that gives customers a voice throughout. As a collaborative leader of a talented team of UX researchers at NCR Voyix, Jennifer focuses on helping researchers turn data into meaningful insights that enable innovation and drive intuitive design. By developing a robust UX research program that emphasizes a data-led, customer-first approach, Jennifer has helped develop processes that ensure that stakeholders have the actionable insights they need to develop best-in-class products and experiences.
Interactive Environments Leader & GA Tech College of Design Faculty
Hunter is a technology enthusiast who ignites creativity through innovative interaction and storytelling methods. With expertise in enterprise technologies and creative coding, he excels in crafting enduring, imaginative experiences. As a founding partner of Inspired Action Design, he leads the design and production of immersive experiences for leading brands and cultural institutions. As a Lecturer at Georgia Tech's College of Design, he mentors accomplished master's students from diverse program backgrounds. Hunter's prior role as Executive Technology Director at Second Story Interactive Studios saw him co-founding the Atlanta studio and steering strategic initiatives across multiple experience innovation labs.
Service Design Lead at Autodesk
As a leader and educator in Design and Customer Experience, Florian has over a decade of experience in developing innovative solutions across diverse contexts and target markets.
His primary focus revolves around crafting engaging customer experiences, encompassing all touchpoints from brand inception to retail engagement and ownership encounters.
Florian is adept at facilitating organizational change to drive product and experience innovation.
Founder & CEO of Helpfully
Zach is the founder and CEO of Helpfully. He's spent his 20+ year career in UX and product, helping companies decide what to make — and why.
Zach is the lead facilitator and researcher at Helpfully, a digital products R&D company in Atlanta Georgia. Zach has led fieldwork in hospitals, delivered insights through nationwide quant studies about moms and dads and their shopping behaviors, and pulled off co-creation workshops and prototyping sprints at Google, UCB Pharma, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Bank of America, and other Fortune 100 companies.
Director of Experience Strategy
A leader in product design and strategy, Kate has a proven track record of transforming deep user understanding into exceptional user experiences that captivate markets and win customer loyalty.
The secret? Human Insights. Kate’s approach combines extensive empathy-driven design thinking with robust research and continuous feedback loops, resulting in products and services that meet user needs and exceed their expectations. In her current role at NCR Voyix, Kate serves as Director of Experience Strategy combining research and product insights to create their next gen. customer experience.
Please maximize sustainability and your convenience and take public transit. The Midtown MARTA station is a 3-5 minute walk. If you need parking, there will be spaces in the NCR Voyix visitor parking deck (adjacent to the building, enter on 8th St.)
Once you arrive to the NCR Voyix building, follow signs for the NCR Voyix entrance. Our greeters will be ready to welcome you and answer questions at the security station.
After you pick up your badge, greeters will point you to the conference space.
Big shoutout to our incredible sponsors for their generous support. Because of their deep commitment to advancing research and investing in this community, they helped turn a dream into not just a reality, but a rich and meaningful experience.
And we can’t thank them enough — but we will try. Thank you to all our sponsors for your support. Thanks for paying it forward. For participating. For all your contributions towards this event and vision. Thank you for investing in the product and research community. helping anyone who attends to leave better, smarter, and more equipped to change the world for good.
Note: If you'd like to sponsor this event or other things in the UX Research community, please reach out!
Let us help you convince your manager or boss.
When you attend the Mastering Human Insights 2023 conference, you'll get inspired with data collection and synthesis methods. And you'll be able to apply them immediately to your work. Our focus is 100% practical and accessible.
Plus, you can't spend a day with a group of researchers without picking up better presentation and communication skills. You'll return to a work a better researcher with cutting-edge techniques to share with your team.