What happens when economics and UX collid
Who truly benefits — and what hidden forces quietly shape the products and services people use every day?
I had the pleasure of hearing Avinash Mair speak at UX Brighton 2025, and his talk genuinely shifted how I think about perception, value, and decision-making in design. One of the things that makes Avinash stand out is his love of food — and how he uses smart, relatable food metaphors to make big ideas about systems, incentives, and user behaviour suddenly click. It’s UX and economics served in a way anyone can digest.
In this session, Avinash will explore:
* How economic systems subtly shape our design decisions
* Why UX and economics are two sides of the same coin
* How perception, value, and behaviour influence real-world impact
* How stepping beyond traditional UX strategy reveals under-leveraged opportunities for meaningful change
Avinash brings a unique perspective:
📊 Studied Actuarial Science(the economics of risk)
💼 Began in business analysis & business development
🔍 Built an internal user research team before moving into UX
🏛️ Now Lead UX Designer at the Natural History Museum
🍽️ Uses storytelling (and food!) to break down complex systems thinking
If you want to design with deeper impact — and enjoy a fresh, memorable way of understanding the forces shaping our work — this talk is for you.