The IT field is one of the fastest-growing and most innovative industries in Eastern Slovakia. New technologies are becoming part of our lives and fine art is no exception. It’s not enough to only have nice pictures when designing digital products, the emphasis should be on users and their experience with the product. The field that studies the behaviour of users and creates solutions to enhance their experience in UX Design (User Experience). As Peter Lesko, UX designer from GlobalLogic in Kosice, says, it’s important for the success of a product to study the needs and expectations of the end-users and implement them into the design process:

“There is a great risk of unnecessary expenses in the creation of a product when omitting UX. Not knowing what the end user wants and what causes him or her trouble can cost a small fortune. The UX designer’s job is to enhance the experience and usability, and, therefore, increase revenues. Fulfilling the expectations and needs of users is the key for a successful product.”

Peter Lesko, co-founder

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Connecting the UX community

Designers in Kosice decided to support further education in this field by launching an initiative UX Kosice. Maros Zelenak of Vacuumlabs explains that one of their goals is connecting people who are passionate about User Experience. Besides, they aim to educate newbies in the industry and those who have a healthy curiosity about UX:

“We are often confronted with the question: ‘Where can I learn something about UX?’ People interested in UX but don’t know where to look for information. We expect that by building awareness of User Experience and by educating those who want to learn, we can increase the number of designers in the region. Also, our goal is to enlighten companies about the principles of UX that will then apply them.“

Maros Zelenak, co-founder

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A unique UX course

UX Kosice wants to help UX professionals in their growth but also implement UX into the Slovak National Curriculum, aiming at elementary and high schools and universities. For instance, some students in the region already have this opportunity:

“We have launched a unique course at High School of Applied Arts in Kosice. Digital Application Design, as is the name of the course, links fine art with the principles of UX design. It’s important that educational institutions start to tailor their curriculum according to the needs of a modern market and put an emphasis on practical knowledge. Also, the cooperation among schools and employers should be an essential part of the curriculum. The UX Kosice aims to help with this.”

Lubica Revakova, co-founder

How to become a member?

Anyone who is interested in UX can become a member of UX Kosice by completing a short form at uxkosice.sk. Members will be regularly informed about UX events happening in Kosice and the surrounding region.