Design Groups Sydney

SydDT #127: The Human Loop – Keeping the Customer at the Core of AI

As AI rapidly accelerates product delivery, it’s easier than ever to ship features that look impressive but fail to solve real customer problems. For SydDT’s 11th birthday celebration, we’re collaborating with our friends from GenAI Lab to bring together a panel of design and product leaders to discuss how to balance the sheer speed of AI with genuine, human-centered design. We’re lucky to have Tarra van Amerongen, Alex Zinoviev, Riley Coleman, and Kristin de la Fuente sharing their observations and insights. They’ll cut through the hype to explore how user research needs to adapt for generative AI models, how to design for trust and transparency, and how the designer’s role is shifting from pixel-pusher to system orchestrator. Come join us for some fun conversations with interesting people in and around the design thinking community. New members are welcome! **SPEAKERS** **[Tarra van Amerongen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarravanamerongen/)** **VP of Product & Design \| Asia\-Pacific\, Thoughtworks** Tarra is an award-winning user experience and digital transformation leader, guiding creative, technical and business teams towards experiences that change the game. She's worked as a practitioner, lecturer, consultant and leader with in-house teams, consultancies and agencies for the past 15 year after pivoting into design from software development. Tarra is focused on taking a human-first approach to the application of AI, and challenges us to provide an informed view of what should remain human-first, what work means in this new paradigm, and how we stretch our craft as good design matters more than ever. **[Alex Zinoviev](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexzinoviev/)** **Head of Product, Neo Intelligence & Founder, GenAI Lab** Alex Zinoviev has spent 15+ years in product, most recently as Head of Product at Neo, an operations management platform for construction. He founded GenAI Lab, a 1,400-member community of product and design practitioners across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, because he kept seeing the same gap: teams excited about AI but unsure how to adopt it without losing sight of the humans they're building for. GenAI Lab runs workshops grounded in first-hand experimentation. **[Riley Coleman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/riley-coleman-a185754/) (they/them)** **Founder, AI Flywheel** Riley started their career as service designer creating behaviour change programs for marginalised communities in the not-for-profit sector. Before studying a masters in human-centred multimedia and transitioning to user experience design. Riley has spent the last 12 years working in design leadership roles in Australia, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden. Now, as founder of AI Flywheel, Riley teaches human-centric AI training programs to designers and leaders. Drawing from their extensive experience in behaviour change, human-centred design and technology transformation, they’re building a community of practice around effective Human+AI products, services and operations that people can trust. **[Kristin de la Fuente](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristindelafuente/)** **Design Lead – AI Products, SEEK & GenAI Lab Design Partner, GenAI Lab** At SEEK Kristin is pioneering trust architecture for automation and agentic experiences by recognising that trust failures are often psychological failures, not necessarily technical ones. She's designed practical mechanisms that keep customers centred and in control of agentic workflows. Working with teams to integrate Responsible AI principles and Strategic AI plays, Kristin leverages these frameworks to translate principles into concrete design decisions, ensuring they show up meaningfully in user experience. She moves beyond shipping impressive features to ask harder questions: where should AI actually be used? How do we maintain human agency at scale? Her work makes the invisible visible turning complex AI capability into systems people can understand, trust, and actually control. **EVENT SPONSORS** This event is brought to you by [Thoughtworks](https://www.thoughtworks.com) and [Dynamic4](https://dynamic4.com/). We take photos and record our events for documentation and promo purposes. Just let us know if you prefer not to be featured.

SydDT #128: Details Coming Soon!

SydDT is a diverse community of 10,000+ members started in 2015. Our monthly meetup is one of the top design thinking meetups globally. The SydDT community is known for being **fun, welcoming, and inclusive**. Come join us for some fun conversations with interesting people in and around the design community. More details closer to the date... **EVENT SPONSORS** This event is brought to you by... contact us if you're keen to support the SydDT community. We take photos and record our events for documentation and promo purposes. Just let us know if you prefer not to be featured.

Sarah Stokes/Karina Smith Cultivating an Adaptive mindset

Welcome Back CCX Sydney to our Events for 2026 from myself, Lydia, Sylvia and James and we are planning a bumper selection of speakers for the new year. Our Fourth event on June 16th will be a interactive workshop from our two speakers Sarah Stokes and Karina Smith who will speak to the proposition of cultivating an Adaptive Mindset We will be again kindly hosted by our friends at Accenture Song. More details to follow soon on the venue location (Barangaroo) **IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THIS SESSION!** **An Important detail is that due to gaining entry to Accenture we will need any CCX Member planning to attend this session to supply us with their First and Last name in advance of attending.** NOTE: On this occasion we will not be able to accept Members who do not supply these details. Many thanks CCX Sydney. About Sarah and Karina's workshop **Interactive workshop: Cultivating an adaptive mindset for yourself and your work.** Now more than ever our capacity for change must meet the challenges we face at work and in the world. We know less about what the future looks like, so we need to be ready to face unknown whilst experiencing rapid change in the face of AI and other societal issues. This interactive workshop will start by establishing an understanding of what it means to be adaptive, followed by an approach attendees can personalise to their circumstances. People in this community are often facilitators and agents for change, let's apply our design thinking methods to how we work as well as what we produce. **About Sarah Stokes** Sarah has over 25 years of experience in the world of experience design, including leading product design teams at Atlassian, Domain, and Westpac. She holds a Master's in Business Coaching and has coached design and product leaders for nearly a decade. Sarah is curious about how we harness our human skills in design. She’s spoken on a number of topics including influence, wisdom, feedback culture, cognitive bias and good listening. **About Karina Smith** Karina is an award-winning strategic and service design leader with over 30 years’ experience helping government and social enterprises navigate operational complexity. She specialises in business improvement and service design, building the integrated systems and processes required to help large-scale organisations work more effectively and deliver measurable outcomes. Prior to her current work as a solo consultant, Karina was a Principal at Meld Studios, one of Australia’s most highly regarded and awarded service design consultancies. Therefore don't miss out on a place at our first interactive workshop CCX Sydney event for 2026, as seats will be limited for this session.

EUXSyd 2025 - June Meetup

**EUXSyd** are excited to have our next meetup on the 4th of June!! This will be the last meetup we hold at the blueegg offices and will be a celebration of EUXSyd over the last 10 years. We will be at **blueeggs' office on level6/75-77 Pitt St**. Networking, drinks and pizzas will start from 6:00 and talk will start at 6:30pm. Look forward to seeing you there!! This event is proudly sponsored by Experience Design "UX" Agency blueegg ([www.blueegg.com.au](http://www.blueegg.com.au/))

Tumbalong Nights at Vivid Festival - Music and Art photography

Delve into the electric glow of Vivid Sydney and capture live music at its most dynamic. **Vivid Frames** is a multi-day, hands-on photography workshop set against the immersive backdrop of Tumbalong Nights in Darling Harbour. Designed for photographers ready to elevate their live event work, this workshop blends real-time shooting experience with guided instruction. Over multiple nights, you’ll photograph emerging and established artists under dramatic stage lighting, neon installations, and the vibrant pulse of Vivid crowds. **What You’ll Experience:** Each session places you in the heart of the action at Tumbalong Park, shooting live performances as they unfold. You’ll receive on-the-spot guidance, creative direction, and feedback to help refine your eye and technique in a real-world setting. **Why This Workshop:** There’s no substitute for shooting live. With the scale, colour, and energy of Vivid as your canvas, this workshop offers a rare opportunity to develop your skills in a high-impact, portfolio-worthy environment We are no longer taking payments via PayPal - tickets can only be purchased through [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/vivid-frames-at-tumbalong-nights-vivid-festival-4835325), [Humanitix](https://events.humanitix.com/tumbalong-nights-at-vivid-festival-music-and-art-photography) or the [website](https://printpixel.org/event/tumbalong-nights-at-vivid-festival-music-and-art-photography/). Payment must be made before your attendance is confirmed.

Newtown Sunset shoot with Paige

Join us for a golden hour photography workshop set against the eclectic backdrop of King Street. Think warm flares, soft pastel skies, retro fashion, and cinematic moments dripping in nostalgia. We’ll channel the hazy glamour of vintage LA — from sunlit sidewalks to neon storefronts — as we photograph a styled model dressed in era-inspired looks that echo icons like Farrah Fawcett or Pam Grier. Whether you’re shooting film or digital, this workshop is all about colour, character, and chasing that perfect shot as the sun dips low. This is a previous Newtown sunset event [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRUmSUFzVfk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRUmSUFzVfk) Earlybird tix available up to 7 days before the event We are no longer taking payments via PayPal - tickets can only be purchased through [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/street-shoots-4838530), [Humanitix](https://collections.humanitix.com/street-beach-workshops) or the [website](https://printpixel.org/events/category/streetshoot/list/). Payment must be made before your attendance is confirmed. **What to expect:** – A golden hour session through Newtown’s vibrant streets – A professionally styled model in 70s-inspired fashion – Lighting tips to capture the warmth and grain of vintage LA – Creative direction and feedback in a relaxed, collaborative atmosphere Bring your camera, your creativity, and your love for retro cool. Let’s make magic as the streets glow and the day fades into a neon night.

Networking Drinks #28

Hey everyone, as promised, here is our June event back on a Friday night! Join us once again at **The Art Syndicate**, a unique wine bar and gallery nestled in Surry Hills for a relaxed evening blending local drinks and meaningful conversations which should be perfect for a cold winter night. 🍷 **Event info:** ✅ Come discover some amazing NSW wine, beer and spirits. ✅ Expand your network of designers & make connections that last. ✅ No formal talks or speeches - just great conversations in a relaxed, friendly environment. *Check out my reviews on this page to see what others are saying!* **Venue information:**
 You'll find us at this art gallery & wine bar in Surry Hills. They exclusively offer a curated selection of NSW-based wine, beer and spirits! There is even art for sale! **Check them out on socials:** https://www.instagram.com/theartsyndicate.com.au/ **How to find us:**
 We are on Bourke Street, a short walk from Oxford Street or Central Station. **Join our What'sApp group:**
 Since Meetup has removed the event chat feature, [please join this WhatsApp group](https://tinyurl.com/uxad2026) for the latest event updates! Cheers, Josh

Stylish Paddington + Rushcutters Bay: 8 Art Galleries

**NOTE:** This event is posted on multiple Meetup groups. **ABOUT:** Explore the sophisticated art galleries of Paddington and Rushcutters Bay on Saturday, June 6. Come along whatever your professional background! Tech, finance, law, real estate, hospitality, healthcare, retail, fashion - all welcome - whether you've engaged with art before or not. Feel at home. This tour will introduce you to Australian and international artists working in painting, photography and sculpture - covering a range of subjects. Listen to fascinating stories. Introduce yourself to each other, make new friends, interact with gallery staff, and have fun! **MEETING TIME:** 12:00 Noon – 12:10 PM. **MEETING POINT:** Outside “Bar Latte”, 29/235 New South Head Road, Edgecliff NSW 2027. The café is right next to Edgecliff Station entry/exit on New South Head Road. You are welcome to buy a coffee. **START AND PROGRAMME:** We will begin at 12.10 PM at Edgecliff Station and move towards Paddington. Midway we will stop at a corner shop where you can enjoy a bite. **END:** We will end the walk by 2:30 PM near the bus stop in Rushcutters Bay for your convenience. **PRICE OF TOUR:** Please pay $20 by cash on arrival. Or you could transfer the amount to: Account Name: Elucidaction Pty Ltd St. George Bank Account Number: 433 012 445, BSB: 112-879 Please send a copy when you make the payment. **IMPORTANT:** * Please check transport in advance. Make sure you sleep well the night before, and leave home early enough in the morning so you can reach the meeting point on time. * Remember to have a good breakfast before arriving which can keep you going during the early afternoon. * Please message if you are running late. * Stay with the group at all times. You are expected to be "present" and socialise with other attendees - please do not talk on the phone to somebody else unless it is urgent. * Please inform the organiser if you want to leave before the end of the walk. * Wear comfortable shoes, a hat or cap, sun protection. Bring a water bottle and an umbrella in case it rains. * Be careful when you explore art galleries. Do not touch surfaces of artworks. * No additional compulsory costs beyond $20. Drinks and snacks are optional – you may also bring your own. * Photos of the group will be clicked and may be posted on Meetup and the organiser’s social media platforms. Attendees who do not wish to be photographed must inform the organiser before the tour begins. * Please update your registration if you are unable to make it to the event. **CONTACT:** Call, text or WhatsApp Tulika at 0402 820 272 if you have any questions. Having lived across India, Thailand, the UK, Canada and Australia, Tulika is an Art and Culture Consultant and founder of the art publication + art consultancy: [https://onartandaesthetics.com/.](https://onartandaesthetics.com/) You can also connect with her on Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/tulikabahadur/.](https://www.instagram.com/tulikabahadur/) Email: tulikabahadur[at]gmail[dot]com. For updates on Sydney events, you are welcome to join the WhatsApp group "Sydney Art & Culture Events & Tours": [https://chat.whatsapp.com/BttDzLCa2TTFa2te1Q1FkZ?mode=hqrt1](https://chat.whatsapp.com/BttDzLCa2TTFa2te1Q1FkZ?mode=hqrt1.).

SydJS: Developing Ideas

While Artificial Intelligence is making ground I your IDE, the User Interface and Interactions remains a space where a more human approach still holds fast. On the back of last month’s artificial AI, this month we’re returning to human AI — Awesome Interactions. Long time friend of SydJS, the always inspiring Alex Reardon returns with his latest insights into making the User Interface feel like more than 1s and 0s. He’s joined by Leo Caseiro who’s been investigating Text To Speech and how the Web embraces audio as well as the video that keeps us scrolling. Grab an RSVP. Spread the word. Join us next week 🤙🏽

ALBERT PALAIS PETERSHAM

USYD GREAT HALL

LTP 2026 Conversation Continued with Taufiq Khan

**LTP 2026 Conversation Continued with Taufiq Khan** After one of the most talked-about sessions at Leading the Product 2026, [Taufiq Khan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/taufiqkhan/) is back for an intimate fireside chat to continue the conversation. Hosted by LTP Events and [The Onset](https://theonset.com.au/), this special evening will go deeper into the ideas, provocations, and practical insights from TK’s standout presentation at LTP 2026 — exploring why continuous synthesis is becoming one of the most important skills in modern product leadership, and how AI can help teams turn chaos into clarity. In a world overloaded with information, shifting priorities, and constant noise, how do product teams focus on what actually matters? Drawing on his experience across industries, TK will unpack how teams can better manage information, improve decision-making, move faster with confidence, and build what he calls a “context machine” — a smarter way to simplify inputs and create clearer outcomes. If you attended LTP 2026, this is your chance for an awesome double-dose of TK and an opportunity to go even deeper into the conversation. And if you missed the conference, you’ll discover why Taufiq as a fresh view on product and AI in general. Following the fireside chat, we’ll open things up for audience Q&A and networking — giving you the chance to connect with fellow product leaders navigating the same opportunities and challenge. **Evening timeline:** 5.30 – 6.15pm: Arrive, grab a drink, and connect 6.15 – 7.00pm: Fireside chat with Taufiq Khan and Q&A 7.00 – 8.00pm: Networking, conversation, and connection We’ll have light food and drinks covered — all we ask is that you bring your curiosity and your questions. [The Onset](https://www.theonset.com.au/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "https://www.theonset.com.au?utm_source=chatgpt.com") is one of Australia’s leading Digital, Product, Technology, Data, and Design recruitment and executive search firms, partnering with some of the country’s most recognised consumer, SaaS, retail, fintech, and technology businesses. They specialise in building high-performing Product and Digital teams across both contingent and executive search, supporting everything from critical leadership hires and CPO successions through to large-scale transformation and growth initiatives across the Australian market. **Reserve your spot today. RSVPs are limited and will close soon.**