Crafted, Not Assembled: Building Holistic UX in the Age of Automation

Abstract

As AI systems increasingly handle everything from interface generation to backend logic, there’s a growing illusion that great user experiences can simply be assembled by machines. But truly impactful UX emerges from the full chain of decisions — strategic, operational, architectural, and ethical — that shape how technology works in the real world. This talk explores why UX cannot be isolated to surface-level design, and why human judgment, intent, and craft must remain central in the systems we create. Drawing on real-world examples from cross-sector projects, Dr. Jacques Brosens will unpack the invisible structural decisions, like who (or what) owns the solution space, that often determine the success or failure of user experience outcomes. Key themes: The hidden UX costs of treating automation and AI as design-neutral tools. Why early-stage decisions in business, tech, or operations often break UX later. Practical strategies for aligning multidisciplinary teams around human outcomes. The irreplaceable value of human insight, especially in complex or underserved contexts. This talk will appeal to anyone who believes UX is not just a deliverable, but a collective responsibility, and resonate with those rethinking what “human-centred” really means in an era when machines are replacing human producers at a rapid rate.