C4S opens: March 2, 2026, 12 PM, Submission deadline: April 7, 2026
Join us as a Speaker to explore how to create products that truly matter
WaysConf it’s a space to invent solutions for users, teams and businesses. This is a conference about thoughtful decisions, real implementations and measurable results. We have launched our Call for Speakers to find inspiring voices in three key areas: Design, Product, Research
Become a speaker
Meet the teams shaping the next wave of products
Attendees from 20+ countries, with 80%+ in senior and leadership roles.
2025 Highlights
A 90-second look at the community in action.
1,500+
Attendees from 20+ countries
80%
Senior, Lead, or Manager level
70+
Speakers
3
Stages
8
Editions
Building
What Matters
In 2026, our theme is Building What Matters.
In a world of constant releases, AI acceleration, and pressure to ship faster, building what matters requires strong decisions. It requires clarity when data is messy. Alignment when stakeholders disagree. Courage when trade-offs are uncomfortable.
We want to talk about:
• Making better product decisions under real constraints
• Connecting design, research, engineering, and strategy to create meaningful outcomes
• Thinking in systems, not isolated features
• Delivering measurable value, not just output
• Measuring impact beyond vanity metrics
• Building responsibly, ethically, sustainably, and with business awareness
But above all, we love authentic case studies.
The honest ones.
The ones that show what worked, what failed, what surprised you, and what changed because of it.
Because building what matters is not about theory.
It is about real decisions and real impact.
Craft & Build
Scalable design systems, inclusive design, toolsets, UX writing, hands-on craft, and design strategy.
Research & Analysis
Continuous discovery, user validation, CX, decision-support insights, and elevating research maturity.
Product & Strategy
Product strategy, execution, leadership, business impact, roadmapping, and cross-functional collaboration.
Who are we looking for?
WaysConf brings together people who create impact through practice. If your goal is to sell, consider sponsorship. If you want to share meaningful knowledge, you’re in the right place.
Apply if you:
Have real, hands-on experience in one of the fields
Can show tangible results and a concrete case study, not just the process
Offer practical takeaways participants can actually use
Are open about mistakes and lessons learned
Bring a fresh perspective that truly adds value to the community
We try to avoid:
Sales disguised as presentations
Pitching products, services or companies
Talks focused solely on personal branding
Repeating presentations from other conferences
Content disconnected from real implementations
Focus areas
Desgin stage topic ideas
Designing for emotions (and measuring them)
How can we deliberately design for trust (fintech), curiosity (edtech), or joy (lifestyle)? I’d love to see real examples of teams who aimed for emotional outcomes and found credible ways to measure the impact of those decisions.
Influence without authority: how senior ICs actually drive change
What does high-impact individual contribution look like when you don’t own the area? I’d love a talk on navigating orgs as an IC — storytelling, coalition-building, political tools, and real tactics that work.
Staying relevant in the layoff era
In a volatile market, what skills actually help designers stay valuable? This could cover adaptability, business fluency, adjacent skills, and where craft still matters.
Design systems that AI can consume
How do we design component libraries and tokens in ways that make them AI-usable? I’d love to hear from teams experimenting with AI consumption on scale. Especially how they adjust their existing design systems for LLMs.
Research stage topic ideas
Research that drives real decisions
How do we ensure research changes roadmaps, not just decks? I’d love real examples of insights or behavioral experiments that killed features, shifted priorities, or reframed strategy. What decision changed because of the research?
Continuous discovery that actually works
What does sustainable discovery look like inside fast-moving product teams and complex organizations? Show us how you balance learning with delivery and make discovery part of the system, not a one-off activity.
Measuring what users feel
How do we translate trust, clarity, or frustration into signals leadership understands? How do we make insight visible and undeniable for decision-makers? I’m looking for cases that connect qualitative insight with measurable business impact.
AI in research: beyond the hype
Where does AI genuinely improve research workflows? Where does it fail? I’d love practical experiments, real limitations, and lessons learned from teams using AI at scale.
Scaling research and influence
How do you grow research maturity without losing rigor or credibility? What does effective stakeholder influence look like when you don’t own the roadmap? Share tactics that make research impossible to ignore.
Product stage topic ideas
Strategy that survives reality
ow do you build product strategy, operating models, and decision systems that hold up when markets shift, stakeholders disagree, or data is incomplete? I’d love real examples of teams adapting strategy under pressure and what changed because of it.
From roadmap to real impact
Shipping features is easy. Proving impact is harder. How do you connect bets to measurable outcomes? Show us how you track success beyond vanity metrics and adjust when things don’t work.
Product discovery that finds what’s worth building
How do you test ideas before they become expensive commitments? I’m looking for practical frameworks, experiments, and case studies that helped teams avoid building the wrong thing.
Leading without control
Product often sits in the middle of design, engineering, and business. What does effective leadership look like when you don’t directly manage everyone involved? Share real tactics for alignment, conflict resolution, and decision clarity.
AI, automation, and the future of product teams
How is AI changing product strategy, org design, and prioritization? Not trend reports. Real implementations. What worked, what failed, and how teams adapted their operating model.
WaysConf sessions format guide
Expert Talk
Experts deliver advanced insights, addressing challenges and lessons learned.
Power Talk
Fast, focused talks with actionable techniques and insights.
Discussion Panel
Expert panels with audience interaction and live polls.
Workshop
Hands-on intensive sessions focusing on practical skill development. Includes pre-work materials and take-home exercises.
Masterclass
Advanced deep-dive sessions combining strategic frameworks with practical application. Led by recognized industry leaders.
Roundtable
Facilitated small-group discussions focusing on specific industry challenges. Emphasizes peer learning and experience sharing.
Portfolio Review & 1:1 session
One-on-one sessions with industry experts providing structured feedback on submitted work. Pre-submission of materials required.
Benefits and perks of a Speaker
Complimentary 2-day VIP conference pass
Full catering throughout the event
Access to all accompanying events
Reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs
Professional event photography and presentation recording
Help in building your personal brand
Promotion across WaysConf channels
Access to our app for scheduling 1:1 sessions with attendees and speakers
The conference program is guided by a team of experienced practitioners in design, user research and product management
Each submission is evaluated independently, assessed for content quality and aligned to ensure a balanced and cohesive overall program.
Kalina Tyrkiel
Senior Content Designer
Daria Tarawneh
Head of Enterprise Design
Tom Koszyk
Founder at Hologram
Piotrek Kmita
Head of UX
Mikołaj Dobrucki
Staff Product designer
Alex Thompson
User experience designer at InnovateTech
Alex Thompson
User experience designer at InnovateTech
Alex Thompson
User experience designer at InnovateTech
Alex Thompson
User experience designer at InnovateTech
Alex Thompson
User experience designer at InnovateTech
Alex Thompson
User experience designer at InnovateTech
Alex Thompson
User experience designer at InnovateTech
Alex Thompson
User experience designer at InnovateTech
WaysConf Roadmap
Become a speakerStart C4S
You can submit your presentation proposal (opens at 12:00 PM)
End C4S
Last chance to submit your presentation proposal (closes at 11:59 PM)
Confirmation
You will receive a confirmation of participation in WaysConf
Presentation delivery
Send us the final presentation you will use at WaysConf 2026
