Good Intentions, Bad Interfaces: A Designer’s Guide to Making Pixels Matter
Date and time
Location
Zurich, Switzerland
About the Meetup
Designers kick off projects with the best goals in mind: clarity, inclusivity, and a dash of joy. But somewhere between the brainstorm and the final delivery, those good intentions can get buried under bugs, deadlines, and “urgent” requests and the result isn’t always what anyone hoped for.
This talk digs into the moments when small design choices ripple into big consequences for people and the planet. We’ll share stories from both corporate and humanitarian work, unpack common failure modes, and leave you with a compact, practical list of actions to make interfaces more socially responsible and environmentally conscious. No guilt trips — just clear, usable ideas you can apply tomorrow.
RSVP Required
50 spots available. Signup required due to building access policies. Please register with your full name and email address so we can add you to the guest list.
🎤 Featured Talk Good Intentions, Bad Interfaces — A Designer’s Guide to Making Pixels Matter Speaker: Caroline Santos, Senior Design Consultant, UNICEF Office of Innovation
What you’ll take away:
Understand how small design decisions can create large real-world effects.
Learn concrete patterns for data dignity, accessibility, and constraint-driven design.
Leave with a short harm-checklist and micro-practices you can run in your next sprint.
About the Speaker
Caroline Santos is a Senior Design Consultant at UNICEF’s Office of Innovation, applying Human-Centered Design to improve education outcomes in the Global South. With over a decade of experience across corporate and non-profit organisations, she focuses on making design and processes work for inclusion and measurable impact.
Agenda
17:45 — Doors open
18:10 — Reception closes
18:15 — Welcome IxDF Zürich
18:30–19:00 — Featured talk: Caroline Santos — Good Intentions, Bad Interfaces (30 min)
19:00–19:15 — Open Mic / Audience insights + Q&A (15 min)
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Zurich, Switzerland
Ananya Pandya
Product Lead
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Why Join
Meet people who love design as much as you do. Together we learn new skills, grow our networks, and discover new job opportunities.
Questions? We've Got Answers
What is an IxDF Local Group and why should I join one?
An IxDF Local Group connects you with people in your city who are building and applying design skills in their work. Together, you'll strengthen your craft, expand your network, and put theory into practice.
IxDF Local Groups meet regularly in person at cafés, company offices, or creative spaces to share ideas, give feedback, run workshops, and learn from each other. Many groups also organize IxDF Design Dinners, where the conversation goes deeper over a meal. These aren't just social events. Members find collaborators, clients, job leads, and future teammates through them.
You'll also have access to a private online forum where you can get career advice, honest feedback, and support from people who understand the work.
You don't need to have a "designer" title to join. If you care about how design shapes products, careers, and organizations, you belong here.
Join and you'll discover new skills, explore job opportunities, and build relationships with people who understand the power of great design.
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What goes on in an IxDF Local Group?
Your IxDF Local Leader organizes meetups based on what members want most. As an IxDF member, you can also plan and create your own meetups. Sessions range from hands-on and structured to relaxed and informal.
Some examples of what you'll find:
Presentations from local designers, followed by Q&A
Lightning talks where members share lessons learned from real projects
Workshops where you work through a real design challenge together
Portfolio reviews where you get honest, practical feedback
Coffee meetups and design dinners with open conversations about where the industry is heading
Any member can propose, organize and post a meetup. You don't have to wait for your Local Leader to take the initiative.
What stays consistent is the people. You'll find designers and professionals who ask good questions, share what they know, and show up for each other between meetups too.
I'm not even a designer. Should I still join an IxDF Local Group?
Yes, absolutely!
Design skills make you more effective in any role. Product managers, developers, marketers, researchers, and founders all work better when they understand how to think like a designer.
IxDF Local Groups reflect that. Members come from all kinds of professional backgrounds, not just design. What they share is an interest in how design shapes products, decisions, and careers.
You'll fit right in regardless of your background.
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