2020 Year-in-Review
By: Sharon Bautista
Tags: UX, Diversi, Design, Books, Inclusion

The UX Book Club of Chicago recently held its final meeting of 2020. The year was a tumultuous one to say the least. With the book club, we did not try to ignore the tumult. We tried instead to read books to help us think critically about urgent questions around us and have frank conversations about design and social justice. And people showed up, even in the thick of 2020. Long-time and brand new book club members joined meetings and without exception brought to the group respect, curiosity, and humility. We were also flattered to create space that people used to share their UX-related accomplishments including completed training and new jobs.

A Glance at 2020 Stats

150+ people registered for this year’s meetings

1900+ people are now part of the UX Book Club of Chicago Meetup group

10 Zoom meetings in lieu of in-person gatherings (our first time meeting virtually)

Attendees from at least five US states and Canada and Mexico

12 meetings including one guest speaker, Michael Verdi from Mozilla

12 books read on subjects including: experience mapping, design critique, data visualization, usability, racism and other kinds of bias in design and technology, and innovation in Africa and in China

A mix of authors possessing affiliations with academia, industry, and non-profit organizations and an array of publishers

Two additional organizers recruited for the book club leadership team

In addition to myself, two organizers were responsible for making those 2020 stats happen. Shane Sweeney organized the book club for another year, in particular working to identify for us reading selections with broad appeal to practicing UX designers. Tim Grabacki, a long-time UX Book Club member, joined us as an organizer, encouraging thoughtful discussions on topics fundamental to UX design. Tim is stepping down from the organizing team but will stay with the book club, for which we are grateful.

Looking Ahead to 2021

No one could have predicted all that happened in 2020, so we will not try to predict what will happen in the coming year. What we do know is that the UX Book Club of Chicago will continue in 2021 with monthly reading and discussion (online only for now) that we hope will inform, illuminate, and challenge members of our community and perhaps entice new members to join us.

We made clear commitments to diversity and inclusion at the end of 2019, and that works continues to be central to the book club. We are constantly thinking about the diversity and inclusion implications of how we plan, conduct, and reflect on our meetings. What we choose to read as a group is also the product of candid conversations among the organizers that consider things such as:

Book topics, including any geographic or cultural focus

Authors’ social identities, including affiliations

Publishers’ demonstrated commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Availability and access to book selections

There is an opportunity in 2021 to think more deeply about how we attract new members to the book club, including organizers. As always, we welcome feedback and suggestions for how we can do better with any aspect of our community building.

Finally, in 2021, we will have two additional organizers join me and Shane— Joseph Tajaran and Clarissa Peterson—who will bring their own expertise and experiences to our planning and monthly meetings. You can contact any of us and find details about 2021 meetings as soon as they are available on Meetup.com.