Be honest: how many of your peers—or possibly yourself—are burned out, frustrated, or just going through the motions? UX and product professionals signed up to make an impact, solve meaningful problems, and improve people’s lives. Instead, many find themselves stuck in a cycle of rushed deadlines, ignored insights, and soul-sucking bureaucracy. But here’s the truth: you have more control than you think. The industry is shifting, but that doesn’t mean your career has to stall. In this brutally honest session, the panel of industry experts will unpack why so many UX and product folks hate their jobs right now, and what they can actually do to fix it.

1. UXPA Conference 2025
DON’T
HATEYOUR
JOB
DON’T
DON’T
How to take back control &
do work that matters.
Ira F. Cummings & Lisa Hagen

2. How’s work REALLY going?
Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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3. ECONOMIC
INSTABILITY
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4. DISRUPTIVE
TECHNOLOGY
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5. ERODING
INFLUENCE
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6. PERVASIVE
BURNOUT
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7. sound
familiar?
sound
sound
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8. Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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Sometimes
youfeellike…

9. Sometimes
youfeellike…
onyour
work.
Giving
up
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10. Weknow
howwe
gothere
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11. Deli-
very
grind
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12. process
back-
lash
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13. unclear
value
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14. It doesn’t have
to be this way.
Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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15. Takecontrol
ofyour
circumstances.
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16. work
people
career

17. 1 DOLESSTODO
MORE
or
AVOIDING DEATH
BY PAPERCUT
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18. Scrum is a process
that optimizes
engin-
eer
output
Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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19. Quietly
stopped
doing
Quietly
Quietly
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20. Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
20

21. creating
possible
futures
Thesuperpowerof
UX&designis
Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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22. Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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23. Helpothersmakebetter
designdecisions
1
Letgowhereyoucan
2
Createasimplevision
3

24. Helpothers
makebetter
design
decisions
principles
design
systems
frameworks
Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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25. Letgo
where
youcan
set targets
design
systems
let go
Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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26. Createa
simple
vision
start small
align with
the strategy
bring others
along
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27. Favorable
environment
Support others
doing design
Remove
bottlenecks
Create a vision
R
E
C
A
P

28. 2 HOWYOUSHOW
UPSHAPESHOW
YOUARESEEN
or
FINDING WORK
BESTIES
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29. YouDon’t
NeedaNew
Title
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30. ADVOCACY
MODE
PARTNER
MODE
VS
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31. Defend
Ask for inclusion
Explain process
React to requests
Push for buy-in
Shape direction
Join early
Speak their language
Co-create decisions
Build alignment
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VS

32. Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
32
How
Areyou
showingup
How
How

33. Reframethework
1
Showwhatshapesdecisions
2
Buildtrustovertime
3

34. Reframe
thework
language
assumptions
risk
Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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35. Showwhat
shapes
decisions
tradeoffs
drafts
outcomes
Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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36. Buildtrust
overtime empathy
bigpicture
consistency
Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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37. RECAP Common
language
Get out of the
weeds
Find a bestie
Be a partner

38. 3 DESIGNYOUR
OWNCAREER
or
MAKING SHOES
FOR COBBLERS
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39. storytime
storytime
storytime
storytime
storytime
storytime
storytime
storytime
storytime
storytime
storytime
storytime

40. Reframe
thesunday
scaries
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41. takecare
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42. mondayisan
opportunity
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43. opportunity
Whatcanyou
getoutofit?
Whatcanyou
achieve?
Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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44. Decide
whereyou
wanttogo.
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45. changeis
hard
Low effort,
low cost
High effort,
high cost
Fixed,
immovable
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46. Weighthe
benefitsand
costs.
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47. WHEREDO
YOUWANT
TOGO?
WHERE
WHERE
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48. Getmore
object-
ivedistance.
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49. DESIGNER,
HEAL
THYSELF.
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50. Prioritize self care
Chart your path
Find
opportunities
R
E
C
A
P

51. RECAP BRINGINGIT
ALLHOME

52. Don’t hate
your job.
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53. Youdon’tneedanewjob
1
Youdon’tneedpermission
2
Youdon’towethesystem
3

54. onething
you’lldo
different
one
one
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55. Designa
futurethat
mattersto
you
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56. Howcanwe
help?
(thanks)
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57. Don’t Hate Your Job UXPA Boston 2025
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Lisa Hagen Ira F. Cummings
Ready Steady | Product Coach Ira Cummings Studio | Principal
lisa@bereadysteady.com ira@iracummings.com