UX Researchers Meetup #8 - The State of UXR: A Community Conversation
- Date
- 2026-03-05
- Location
- Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Host
- Employed.world
About this event
UX research is changing fast, and most of us are figuring out what that means in real time. This meetup is a chance to step out of your own team, compare notes with other researchers in Berlin, and have an honest conversation about where UXR is heading, what feels exciting, and what feels uncertain. About the Event This is the eighth edition of the UX Researchers Meetup, built for people who want more than surface-level networking. The focus this time is The State of UXR: A Community Conversation — a topic that invites real discussion about the current moment in research, from shifting expectations to changing ways of working. Rather than treating UXR as a fixed discipline with one correct playbook, this meetup makes space for a broader view. What does research look like right now across different companies, products, and teams? Where are people feeling momentum, pressure, friction, or change? The value of the evening comes from hearing multiple perspectives in the same room. Because this is a community meetup, the format is designed to be conversational and grounded. You can expect a room full of people who care about thoughtful practice, practical challenges, and how research fits into product development today. Whether you work in-house, independently, or are still finding your place in the field, the goal is to create an environment where people can speak candidly and learn from each other. What to Expect The evening starts with the simple but important part: arriving, settling in, and meeting people. If you have been to research events before, you know that some of the best conversations happen before any formal discussion begins. This meetup is set up to support that kind of connection, especially among people working on similar questions from different angles. You can expect a mix of: Community conversation around the current state of UX research Peer-to-peer discussion about challenges, opportunities, and evolving expectations Informal networking with researchers and adjacent practitioners in Berlin Shared perspectives from people working across different team sizes, industries, and levels of maturity The core of the event is the conversation itself. That means this is not just about passively listening; it is about bringing your own observations and hearing how others are making sense of the moment. Topics may naturally range from day-to-day research practice to bigger questions about influence, collaboration, prioritization, and the future role of UXR inside organizations. There is also room for the social side of the community. Meetups like this are often where loose professional connections become useful relationships: the person who understands your team setup, the researcher who has dealt with the same stakeholder challenge, or the peer you want to stay in touch with after the event. Why Attend If you work in UX research, chances are you have questions that are easier to explore with peers than alone. This meetup gives you a place to sanity-check what you are seeing in your own work against what others are experiencing. That can be reassuring, clarifying, and genuinely useful. You will leave with more than a few business cards or LinkedIn connections. The real value is in hearing how other researchers are adapting, what patterns they are noticing, and what language they are using to talk about the discipline right now. That kind of shared understanding can sharpen your own thinking and give you better ways to frame conversations back at work. This event is also valuable if you want to stay connected to the local UXR community in Berlin. In-person meetups create a different kind of exchange than online discussions: more context, more nuance, and more room for spontaneous conversations. If you have been wanting to meet other researchers outside your company bubble, this is a strong reason to show up. You might attend to: Compare experiences with other UX researchers Get a broader view of where the field is heading Talk openly about current tensions and opportunities in UXR Build relationships with people in the Berlin research community Leave with fresh ideas, better questions, and a stronger sense of perspective Practical Details This event takes place in person in Berlin, Germany on Thursday, March 5 at 6:00 PM GMT+1. The in-person format is part of the appeal: it gives people time to connect properly, read the room, and have the kinds of conversations that do not always happen in structured virtual events. Because it is an evening meetup, it is well suited to people coming from a full workday and looking for something thoughtful but social. You do not need to prepare a formal presentation or arrive with a polished opinion. Coming with curiosity, a few honest observations, and a willingness to talk with others is enough. If this topic has been on your mind lately, that is a good sign you should be in the room. The best community events are shaped by the people who attend them, and this one is built around exactly that idea: researchers learning from researchers, in conversation, together.
Who should attend
This is for you if you want thoughtful conversation about UX research with people who actually do the work. - You are a **UX researcher or user researcher** who wants to compare notes with peers and get a clearer sense of how the field is evolving. - You work in **product, design, or research-adjacent roles** and want to better understand how UXR is changing in practice and inside organizations. - You are part of a **small team or a solo research function** and want perspective from others facing similar constraints, tradeoffs, or stakeholder dynamics. - You are **newer to UX research** and looking for a grounded way to meet the local community, hear real-world experiences, and build your network in Berlin. - You have been in the field for a while and want a space for **honest, peer-level discussion** rather than polished thought leadership or generic panel talk. - You value **in-person connection** and want to meet people you can keep learning from beyond a single event.