Summary
A practical overview of UX in Vienna in 2026: community meetups (UX Vienna's evening, mornings, and club formats; Liechtenecker UX Snacks), the UX Con Vienna conference, formal education at FH Technikum Wien and BFI Wien (including the Technikum Wien Academy's UX seminars and UXQCC certifications), plus our own UX Research Afterwork and in-person research lab. Written for people starting out in UX or looking for community in the city.
If you're starting out in UX in Vienna or looking for a community to plug into, you should find a real overview somewhere. Here's what's actually going on in 2026.
Community Meetups (free)
UX Vienna
UX Vienna is the volunteer-run hub of Vienna's UX community. They run three formats:
- UX Vienna Evening Meetup: every 2nd Tuesday of the month. Talks plus lightning talks at rotating hosts (Moonshiner, dotsandlines, SQUER, Willhaben, etc.).
- UX Vienna Mornings: every 1st Friday of the month, 8 to 10 am at the Breakfastclub. Casual breakfast, no agenda, networking.
- UX Vienna Club: last Friday of the month at Das Packhaus. Themed discussions and drinks.
The people behind UX Vienna: Claudia Oster, Jörg Linder, Manuela Schlager, Martin Kastler, Max Scheugl, and Sabine Ballata. Sign up at meetup.com/uxvienna.
UX Vienna Book Club
A separate format under the UX Vienna umbrella. Books on UX, cognitive science, AI, etc. discussed informally. Reading isn't mandatory, joining the discussion is. Hosted by Sabine Ballata, Camellia Redko, and Maija Suipe. uxvienna.at/ux-book-club.
Liechtenecker UX Snacks
The UX Snacks from agency Liechtenecker have been running for years. Compact, focused. Curated by Susanne Holzer. liechtenecker.at/event/ux-snacks.
Friends of Figma Vienna
Local Vienna chapter of the global Friends of Figma community for designers. Organized by Anastasia Gromontova. friends.figma.com/vienna.
IxDF Vienna
Local Vienna group of the Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF). Organized by Geanina Turcanu. ixdf.org/local-group/europe/austria/vienna.
Conferences and Summits
UX Con Vienna
UX Con Vienna is the largest UX conference in the DACH region. 2026 takes place on September 16 and 17 at the historic main building of the University of Vienna. Around 600 attendees from 40+ countries, international speakers, and a program that goes noticeably beyond the usual UX mainstream. Organized by Andreas Ablaßer and Nicole Swoboda. uxcon.io.
Future Builders
One-day event for senior practitioners in Design, Product and Engineering, on 18 September 2026 at The Social Hub. 60 spots, hands-on workshops, run under the Chatham House Rule. Sister format to UX Con Vienna, organized by the same team — Nicole Swoboda and Andreas Ablaßer (matchwise OG). futurebuilders.io.
Technikum Wien UX Summit
Half-day annual summit hosted by the Technikum Wien Academy. Smaller and more intimate than UX Con: a focused afternoon of keynotes followed by networking and an after-event party at the Festsaal of FH Technikum Wien. The 2026 edition takes place on May 8, with speakers from Userbrain, Dynatrace, George Labs, and others. Ticket around €240. Lehrgangsleitung MBA UX Management: Benedikt Salzbrunn. academy.technikum-wien.at/technikum-wien-ux-summit-2026.
Education and Continuing Studies
FH Technikum Wien
FH Technikum Wien is the academic anchor for UX education in Vienna. The relevant offerings:
- MBA, Academic Course, and Certificate Course in User Experience Management at Technikum Wien Academy. Four semesters, part-time, headed by Benedikt Salzbrunn. One of the most comprehensive UX curricula in the German-speaking world.
- Master Creative and Human-Centered Technology as a regular FH degree.
- Seminars and UXQCC certifications at the Technikum Wien Academy. Short practice seminars (Web Accessibility, UX Design and Usability, UX Psychology) and the UXQCC Foundation and Advanced Level certifications. The shorter-format route alongside the degree programs.
BFI Wien
The Diplomlehrgang UX Designerin at BFI Wien is the more compact alternative for career switchers. Headed by Rudi Zwieselbauer. bfi.wien.
Our own: Busch Labs UX Research Afterwork
We host the UX Research Afterwork at Das Packhaus, together with Margot Deerenberg (Paradocks). Format: relaxed, no presentations, no pitches. People who show up talk to whoever's there. Often present: senior researchers and experts like Katharina Liedl (Produxt). Dates and signup at busch-labs.at/events.
Our own: UX Research Lab Vienna
We run an in-person UX research lab in Vienna's 3rd district for moderated UX and usability tests, interviews, concept tests, and eye-tracking studies. Equipment includes eye-tracking, biometrics, multi-camera recording, and a separate observation room with streaming capabilities, particularly suited for game UX tests. Half-day or full-day slots, 4 to 8 participants per day. External moderators welcome. Details at busch-labs.at/research-services/vienna-lab.
Frequently asked questions
What UX meetups happen in Vienna?
Vienna has eight recurring UX meetup formats. UX Vienna alone runs four: an Evening Meetup every 2nd Tuesday of the month, UX Vienna Mornings every 1st Friday, the UX Vienna Club every last Friday, and the UX Vienna Book Club. The Liechtenecker UX Snacks add another regular slot. Friends of Figma Vienna and the local Vienna IxDF group round out the community. Busch Labs hosts the UX Research Afterwork at Das Packhaus, together with Margot Deerenberg (Paradocks). Informal, no presentations, no pitches. The first seven formats are free and volunteer-run.
Are there UX conferences in Vienna?
Yes. UX Con Vienna runs annually in September (2026: September 16-17 at the University of Vienna) and draws around 600 attendees from 40+ countries. Right after, Future Builders takes place on 18 September — a one-day sister format from the same organizers, focused on senior practitioners in Design, Product, and Engineering. The Technikum Wien UX Summit is a smaller half-day summit hosted by the Technikum Wien Academy, typically in spring (2026: May 8 at the Festsaal of FH Technikum Wien).
Where can I study UX or transition into UX in Vienna?
FH Technikum Wien offers the most comprehensive academic UX programs: an MBA, Akademischer Lehrgang, and Zertifikatslehrgang in User Experience Management (four semesters, part-time), plus a Master Creative and Human-Centered Technology. The Technikum Wien Academy also runs shorter UX seminars and the UXQCC Foundation and Advanced Level certifications. BFI Wien runs a more compact Diplomlehrgang UX Designerin, well suited for career switchers and people coming from adjacent fields.
Is there a UX research lab in Vienna?
Yes. We run an in-person UX research lab in Vienna's 3rd district with eye-tracking, biometrics, multi-camera recording, and a dedicated observation room. Half-day or full-day slots, external moderators welcome. FH Technikum Wien also operates its own usability lab, primarily for teaching and research.
Are Vienna UX events held in English?
UX Con Vienna is held entirely in English. Most UX Vienna meetups are English-friendly, with talks regularly in English depending on the speaker. Formal degree programs at FH Technikum Wien and BFI Wien are taught primarily in German.
What's missing here
Definitely not exhaustive. If you know a format that belongs here, send me a message at marc.busch@user-feedback.at and I'll add it. The ones above are the ones I know personally or follow with reliable frequency and substance.