There were 100s of design conferences scheduled for 2020 (check ’em here), but all have been affected by THE VIRUS in some way. Of all those cancelled though, some events are still going ahead with an alternative online format that might even work out better for some of us.
For instance, those who couldn’t fly hundreds of thousands of miles to see Keanu Reeves at Adobe MAX can now catch it all online, for free! Next.JS Conf and the Design Thinking conference are also free, and many others have been discounted (they’re more affordable to run online).
Below is a list of conferences still going ahead, with information on their moves from in-person to virtual events. It’ll be a different experience, but maybe they can help shape the future of online events:
September
Letter
Design Thinking Virtual Experience →
A global conference on Design Thinking and Human-Centered Design.
When: September 9 – 11
Price: Free! 💫
To give you the best event experience, we will be taking a virtual field trip! You will be redirected to a new site in order to access your profile, build your agenda, chat 1:1 with fellow design thinkers, roam the virtual expo hall, and most importantly, have access to keynotes and workshops all on one platform.
Design Matters →
For creatives on a mission to explore new movements in digital design.
When: September 23 – 24
Price: €710
Design Matters 20 is going to be held with safety in Copenhagen, and as a live-streamed event. Currently, the Danish authorities allow events of up to 500 seated attendees, with special rules, which Design Matters abides by.
FemTechConf →
A female founded tech conference empowering the womenintech community.
When: September 25
Price: Starting at €49, or 💫 free with an invite!
To make the remote experience immersive, FemTechConf have developed a custom built streaming and interaction platform. It’s tweaked so you can learn, network and engage with the community.
🌟 FemTechConf still have scholarships open through until the 20th of September for anyone it could help – apply here.
enterJS →
A comprehensive view of the JavaScript world.
When: September 28th – October 1st
Price: Free! 💫
As an online conference, EnterJS offers safe participation from home or office with everything available via a browser – no installation of other software necessary. Q&A sessions and networking is available via chat and video, with all videos and lectures made available online after.
October
MobileHCI →
Research, development and practice in mobile devices and services.
When: October 5-9
Price: Around €70
In light of the COVID-19 situation, Mobile HCI will be fully virtual this year. The deadlines for each remaining call has been updated and details on how to attend the conference remotely will be available soon.
UXDX →
Bridging the gap between Product, UX, Design and Dev.
When: October 6 – 9
Price: Starts at €225
UXDX Online has the same curated content but we release 5 hours of content each morning so you can watch in your preferred order and at your pace. No more FOMO when two sessions you wanted to see were scheduled at the same time! Join private chatrooms and participate in scheduled workshops.
JAM Online →
Sharing the stories behind great products.
When: Oct 12th – Oct 17th
Price: Starting at £159
In October, join us for the largest JAM event in history, as your favourite product conference shifts online.
As always, we’ll be serving up our signature blend of candid stories to help you build great products, and lead your team through turbulent times – but this time, tune in from the comfort of your home! Read more about JAM’s new online format here.
SmashingConf →
Talks and workshops on front-end development, design and UX.
When: October 13-14
Price: $225
Due to the effects of COVID-19, the SmashingCof for Austin is now online! SmashingConf is an inclusive conference on front-end, design and UX, with CSS/JS techniques, accessibility, performance, privacy, internationalization, designing for mobile, HTML email and real-life case studies.
UX Healthcare →
Helping healthcare implement the best UX possible.
When: October 14
Price: $190
All events for 2020 will be hosted online and all previously scheduled, in person events, will resume next year.
World Usability Congress →
Bridging the gap between Product, UX, Design and Dev.
When: October 19th – 23rd
Price: Starts at €165
For 2020 we are very excited to do this via an online conference experience – named “World Usability Congress Connect 2020”. 5 days of content and the chance to connect with up to 200 experts from the UX fields of Psychology, Buy-In, Research, Skills and Strategy.
Adobe MAX →
The Creativity Conference.
When: October 20 – 22
Price: Free! 💫
A uniquely immersive and engaging digital experience, guaranteed to inspire. Three full days of luminary speakers, celebrity appearances, musical performances, global collaborative art projects, and 350+ sessions — and all at no cost.
Next.JS Conf →
The first Next.JS glbal user conference.
When: October 27
Price: Free! 💫
An interactive online experience by the community, free for everyone.
November
Design Thinkers →
Canada’s largest annual graphic design conference.
When: November 9 – 13
Price: €710
For the first time in the conference’s 20-year history, we’re hosting the event online over two weeks with additional lead-up programming. This new format means more: more accessibility, more learning, more voices, more intentional connection.
December
Web Summit →
The world’s largest technology conference.
When: December 2 – 4
Price: Starts at €119
Web Summit 2020 will be a two-screen experience, with the web app on your laptop and the mobile app on your phone or tablet.
Our event platform makes networking easy and enjoyable. Join 100,000 attendees at Web Summit this December for our biggest event yet.
That’s all in our list. If you’ve got any suggestions, please add them in the comments, and we’ll update the article if they’re a good fit.
Here’s a couple resources used to put this list together:
