What we’re prioritising in 2026 (from our first Coffee Hour)

Quick reflection from the closing round of our session yesterday: a few clear themes are already emerging for 2026.

What members are focusing on this year:

AI in the workflow (practical, not hype): how people are actually using tools like Cursor / vibe-coding to move faster from idea → prototype.
Mentorship + the “mid → senior → leadership” gap: there’s a real need for support once you’re past “breaking into UX” and you’re stepping into leadership.
Design Ops + design influence: building an operating model, reducing silos, and increasing design’s impact in complex organisations.
Research access in specialist domains: how to test and recruit when you need niche users (not easy to find).

Ideas for Lead by Design that came through strongly:

Create better awareness for potential members (that are not yet on the Skool community)
Partnerships with adjacent communities (e.g. IxDF) to grow the right kind of network
More sessions that are show-and-tell + workshop based, not just discussions

Action: drop one personal goal, one work goal, and one Lead by Design wishlist item for 2026 in the comments. Let’s shape this year together. ☕️

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