Beyond the screen: Expanding our understanding of “The User”

Beyond the screen: Expanding our understanding of “The User”

Discover how redefining “the user” can deepen your research, broaden your impact, and lead to more inclusive, human-centered design.

By User Experience University

Date and time

Thursday, May 8 · 9 - 10:30am PDT

Location

Online

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 3 days before event

About this event

  • Event lasts 1 hour 30 minutes

As UX professionals, we often have a narrow image of our users— a person tapping through a digital interface in isolation. But in reality, our products and services exist within complex user ecosystems, and different people engage with them in ways we don’t always anticipate. This limited perspective not only affects the experiences we design but also how we advocate for UX within our organizations.

Join us for this hands-on workshop where we challenge the conventional understanding of “the user” and explore a broader, systems-thinking approach to UX.

What You’ll Learn:
How to break away from a narrow view of users and design for a complex ecosystem of interactions, touchpoints, and real-world contexts
How to recognize the role of context, ecosystems, and indirect interactions in UX
A real-world case study on expanding user perspectives to drive better design and business outcomes—plus a chance to work on yours
How expanding our understanding of “the user” can strengthen UX influence within organizations
Practical user-centered frameworks from service design and systems thinking

By the end of this session, you’ll walk away with a more holistic view of user experience and strategies to navigate the growing pressures to demonstrate UX’s influence and business value.

Who Should Attend?
This workshop is designed for UX professionals of all levels who want to evolve their approach to understanding users and drive stronger UX influence in their organizations. It’s ideal for:
UX Researchers & Designers – Looking to challenge assumptions and design for real-world complexity.
Service Designers – Wanting to bridge UX with broader business and operational contexts.
Product Designers & Strategists – Seeking frameworks to connect UX with stakeholder needs and business goals.
Anyone in UX struggling to prove value – Learn how expanding your user perspective can help drive business impact.

If you’ve ever felt like UX is being undervalued, misinterpreted, or confined to narrow definitions, this workshop will help you reframe your approach and strengthen your influence.

Our Instructor

Sena Aydin Bergfalk

Sena Aydin Bergfalk is a design researcher and service designer based in Barcelona with a background in cultural anthropology. She brings a human-centered, ecosystem-oriented approach to UX, combining deep qualitative research with strategic design to help organizations build the right products and services—and build them right. She is currently working as a Lead Service Designer at Sngular: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senaaydin/

Frequently asked questions

What is the main focus on this workshop?

This workshop challenges the conventional definition of “the user” and helps you design within complex ecosystems of people, touchpoints, and contexts.

Can I attend the workshop from any location?

Yes, this is an online workshop, and you can attend from any location globally. Make sure to consider the time zone difference when planning your attendance.

Will the sessions be recorded?

Yes, the sessions will be recorded and shared with participants for later reference.

What happens after I register?

Once you register, you’ll receive a confirmation email with all the details, including the Zoom link to join the session. You’ll also get a reminder email closer to the date.

Do I need any prior experience to attend?

No prior experience is required! This workshop is suitable for professionals at any level

Who is the target audience for this workshop?

UX professionals of all levels—researchers, designers, service designers, strategists, and anyone who wants to elevate their approach to user understanding and influence.

Organized by

User Experience University (UXU), is an educational platform designed to support aspiring and experienced UX professionals.

It offers a comprehensive array of UX resources, workshops, and programs aimed at helping individuals acquire and deepen their skills in user experience research, design, and strategy.