Speaking
In 2025, I decided to try something new — speaking. At the start of the year, I signed on for the inaugural edition of UX Camp (Western Canada's largest gathering of UX'ers), with a highly irreverent talk on the trend towards enshittification, and what it means for us as technology professionals.
The talk was a hit, and I soon found myself on an even bigger stage, under the bright lights at SocialWest, delivering a keynote address to an audience of 800+ . Once again, the feedback was tremendous:
"...best presentation of the entire conference. So refreshing."
Clearly the topic struck a chord with people, giving the language to describe something we had all experienced, but couldn't quite put into words.
"Deeply human...it was nice having a UX perspective."
Even more noteworthy than the feedback (which was both humbling and gratifying), I discovered that the real value in giving a conference talk is the genuine connections that follow. Stepping onto the stage and sharing your point of view is truly the ultimate growth hack for networking — a shining beacon for like-minded individuals, a natural icebreaker, and opportunities to meet the other speakers as a peer.
In the fall, I went on to share a version of the talk at ProductBC's annual gathering of product managers, and found myself welcomed into a new tribe of technology professionals.
Up Next: UX 🤝 Product
I'm currently working on a new talk exploring the overlap between UX and Product roles on modern teams. It's all about understanding the divide that often exists between strategy and delivery — how we got here, why it's a problem, and how we can bridge the divide and move forward with shared understanding.
The lines between UX and Product have never been thinner (or more contentious). What happens when both disciplines try to solve the same problem, and how do we manage the tension? We'll explore the shared space between UX and Product, discuss how these roles are evolving, and learn how to build stronger partnerships that lead to better outcomes.
- How the UX–Product relationship is evolving — and what it means for you
- Practical ways to clarify ownership without killing collaboration
- Why leaders who bridge strategy and delivery are more critical than ever
- How AI is changing the relationship, again
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Andrew Turnbull
Andrew Turnbull