UXCE 2021
The first global unconference for the User Experience community was hosted by UXCamp Europe as a free 24-hour-long online event on June 5 and 6. Over 1500 participants from 5 continents took part.
Despite the shift to an online setting, the event successfully maintained its interactive and collaborative spirit, bringing together UX professionals and enthusiasts from around the world.
UXcamp Europe 21 – Review
Adapting the Barcamp Format to a Virtual Setting
Traditionally, UXcamp follows the barcamp format, where session hosts pitch their topics live, and the audience votes on which sessions will take place. In 2021, adjustments were made to accommodate the digital environment. Instead of live pitches, session hosts uploaded pre-recorded pitch videos linked to a virtual session board on Miro, allowing participants to review and select sessions in advance.
To support session hosts, the organizing team provided two optional Q&A sessions before the event, ensuring they were well-prepared. The session board was locked and made accessible to all attendees before the barcamp officially began, streamlining the session selection process.
Engaging 24-Hour Event
The event kicked off on June 5 at 3 PM CEST with a warm welcome session streamed live on YouTube. Participants were introduced to the Slack community, encouraging lively discussions throughout the event. The energy was vibrant, with plenty of active chats happening on Slack, Twitter, and LinkedIn under the hashtag #uxce21.
Over the course of 24 hours, attendees had the chance to dive into a wide range of sessions, exploring topics from UX methodologies to mindfulness practices. The variety in presentation styles and tools—like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Miro, and Google Presentations—really enriched the experience and kept everyone engaged.
Community and Networking Opportunities
We really encouraged everyone to connect during the event, and participants were invited to introduce themselves in our Slack community. The level of engagement varied, but it was great to see informal chats popping up in the Slack channels, on video platforms like wonder.me, and during breakout sessions. A few of the sessions even had some fun twists, like live workshops and light-hearted activities such as UX-themed drinking games.
The event turned out to be a fantastic setting for meaningful conversations, and many continued their discussions even after the camp wrapped up. This experience truly underscored the importance of informal networking opportunities, highlighting just how valuable it is to create spaces where spontaneous interactions can flourish.
Closing and Looking Ahead
The event wrapped up on June 6 at 3 PM CEST with a lively final live-streamed session that included reflections, feedback, music, and some well-deserved celebrations. UXcamp Europe 2021 showed us that even when we’re meeting virtually, the essence of barcamp—collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and community spirit—shines through.
Building on what we've learned from this experience, we’ll keep refining future UXCamp editions to make them even more engaging and inclusive for our global UX community.
See you next time
