Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Do you want to work on climate? (Climate UX Discussion Series)
Summary
The first in a series of discussions centered around Climate UX. On November 15, Rosenfeld hosted a conversation between four UX professionals who have focused their careers around climate tech work. Whether you're looking to pivot your career towards climate tech or adapt your current role to be climate focused, this panel offered valuable perspectives on what it means to work on climate. Panelists: Matt Jones, Olga Khroustaleva, Michael Leggett, Karol Munoz; Moderator, Lou Rosenfeld
Key Insights
-
•
Climate UX is an emerging but real field connecting design to urgent climate challenges.
-
•
Many climate startups are early-stage and lack formal UX roles, requiring flexible self-positioning.
-
•
Approaching climate projects by leveraging one’s existing design or product strengths, rather than forcing a new identity, works best.
-
•
User-centered design helps climate science founders who lack product development experience create usable tools.
-
•
Problem definition remains crucial but must be balanced with urgency to deliver solutions in the climate space.
-
•
Systems thinking and understanding multiple climate impact layers are a secret superpower of UX practitioners.
-
•
Effective climate communication, storytelling, and visualization accelerate stakeholder understanding and action.
-
•
Networking proactively and saying yes to diverse climate-related roles accelerates entry into the space.
-
•
Climate work can be financially viable and career-sustaining, not necessitating large sacrifices.
-
•
Bringing joy and curiosity back into work motivates sustained climate-focused design efforts.
Notable Quotes
"Climate startups are a thing, and they really need UX expertise early on."
"I just said yes to everything climate-related until I found the right fit."
"Most science founders don’t think about user-centered design, and that’s where UXers add huge value."
"Systems thinking is a secret skill UXers have that’s critical for sustainable climate solutions."
"User experience can transform complex climate data into meaningful stories that spur action."
"Every job really is a climate job—there are ways to bring climate focus into any role."
"You don’t have to be a PhD or expert to work in climate; your design skills are already valuable."
"Talking about climate openly, even if uncomfortable, is a powerful way to create change."
"Climate UX feels like 1995 again, an exciting time of discovery and cross-domain jumps."
"What if it’s all a hoax and we just invented a better world for no reason? That’s a good place to be."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Enterprise UX often pulls designers into adoption and training roles, even if that feels outside traditional design work."
Alexandra SchmidtEnterprise UX Playbook
December 1, 2022
"We have maintained that freshness and acceptance of new ideas while growing rapidly."
Jen Crim Jess Quittner Saritha Kattekola Alex Karr Gurbani PahwaCulture, DIBS & Recruiting
June 11, 2021
"Leadership doesn’t necessarily mean managing people; it means scaling impact through teaching, training, and setting examples."
Christian CrumlishAMA with Christian Crumlish, author of Product Management for UX People
March 24, 2022
"Performance reviews at HubSpot are ongoing conversations, not one big yearly event."
Libby MaurerTreating Diversity & Inclusion in Hiring as a Design Problem
December 5, 2019
"We need to harness the power of citizens to make real change."
Ali Jeffery Sheri ChudowHow DesignOps Helped Enable Wall Street to Work Remotely
October 22, 2020
"No role exists in isolation, said Fred Rogers, emphasizing interconnectedness beyond the individual."
Daniel GloydDesigning From the Inside Out: How Method Acting Can Inspire Design Research
February 12, 2026
"Equipped with the right tools, we can truly meet students where they are."
Kristin SkinnerFive Years of DesignOps
September 29, 2021
"Insights are unexpected discoveries about how things work and how to make them work better - Gary Klein."
Johanna KollmannInsights-Driven Product Strategy: Get your Research to Count
December 6, 2022
"Human behavior is anything but linear, rational, or predictable."
David SternbergUncovering the hidden forces shaping user behavior
July 17, 2025
Latest Books All books
Dig deeper with the Rosenbot
How can I structure research documentation to ensure insights are easily retrievable and actionable?
What alternative decision-making structures support more equitable power sharing beyond majority voting?
How could universal acceptance and personalized learning journeys change college admissions and education?