Creating Exceptional User Experiences at Klang Games

In today’s edition of our UX360 speaker series, we are excited to introduce Adam Ebel, UX Design Director at Klang Games. Adam has two decades of experience crafting award-winning products and services. He worked at companies like Microsoft, Fitbit, Amazon, and frog design, shipping innovative product experiences such as the Xbox 360, Fitbit Blaze, Amazon Pay, Beatport Pro, and others. Being passionate about the intersection of design, emerging technology, and human behavior, Adam builds and empowers teams that drive strategic innovation while fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

UX360: What motivates you to join the UX360 conference, and what is the core message of your talk?

Adam: I’m excited to participate in UX360 and connect with a global community of UX professionals who are passionate about creating exceptional user experiences. Conferences like UX360 provide a forum for exchanging ideas, challenging assumptions, and learning from diverse perspectives.

Great products thrive on a continuous, deep collaboration between UX research and design. However, research insights often get lost in the shuffle, become diluted, or get utilized too late to have a meaningful impact. My talk explores how teams can shift from a research-as-validation to an insights-as-foundation model, ensuring that design and research function as true partners from the start.

UX360: How has this impacted your own work and your organisation?

Adam: When research and design collaborate effectively, the entire product development process becomes more strategic, efficient, and user-centered. I’ve seen how early alignment between researchers and designers can help teams move beyond simply validating ideas to truly discovering and shaping the right solutions.

At my organization, research is not merely a function that delivers findings but also an embedded practice, where researchers and designers work very closely together from the start. This results in more continuous and actionable insights, faster iteration cycles, and stronger buy-in from stakeholders because research is not an isolated step. It’s an integral part of the product definition and decision-making process.

UX360: How has UX as a practice evolved in the last couple of years, and how would you like to see it evolve in the next few?

Adam: UX has shifted from being seen as a “nice to have” to a strategic function that directly impacts business outcomes. I’ve seen a stronger emphasis on demonstrating UX ROI and showing how design and research lead to measurable impact. I’ve witnessed an increased focus on systems thinking and design operations, enabling UX to scale effectively in complex organizations. And I’ve observed a clear shift toward continuous research, integrating insights throughout the product lifecycle rather than relying on isolated studies.

Looking ahead, I’d love to see more cross-functional UX leadership. UX should be at the decision-making table, influencing strategy alongside product and engineering, not just advocating for usability improvements. And as AI-driven experiences reshape our digital world, UX teams must take responsibility for designing ethical, transparent, and inclusive systems that minimize unintended harm

UX360: Given this evolution, what are two expected and two less obvious skills UXers should possess, and why?

Adam: Two expected skills:

Storytelling – Research and design insights only create impact when they’re communicated in a compelling way. The ability to craft a narrative that resonates with stakeholders is crucial for driving action.

Systems thinking – UXers are no longer designing isolated features. They are shaping interconnected experiences across complex ecosystems. Understanding how different touchpoints and decisions influence outcomes is essential.

Two less obvious skills:

Facilitation – UXers often work in cross-functional teams where alignment isn’t automatic. The ability to facilitate productive discussions, build consensus, and influence others without authority is an underrated but essential skill.

Thriving in uncertainty – As UX shifts toward tackling more complex, strategic problems, there are often no clear right answers. Thriving in uncertainty, making informed decisions, and iterating to build confidence are increasingly valuable.

UX360: Apart from work, what can delegates at the event talk to you about? Do you have any particular personal interests, hobbies or extracurricular activities and engagements?

Adam: I’m passionate about music production, travel, cooking, hiking, cycling, and art exhibits.

UX360: Last but not least, please help us to grow our UX Reading & Podcast list. What are your favourite recommendations to make to industry colleagues for inspiration, innovation, guidance and leadership?

Adam:

• In your ears – Podcast: Design Better (Scott Berkun, Jake Knapp, Julie Zhuo, etc)
• Must read – Book/Blog: Change By Design (Tim Brown, IDEO)

UX360: Adam, thank you very much! We look forward to hearing more from you at UX360 Europe 2025!

Hurry to secure your seat at the UX360 Research Summit 2025 and save €100 on your ticket! 

Prices go up on 16th April—book now to save €100 on the ultimate gathering of UX research and design leaders.

Two days packed with the latest industry insights, cutting-edge methodologies, and next-level inspiration. This year, the summit features 30+ industry leaders from global powerhouses such as Google, Roche, IKEA, Meta, Nestle, and many more.

Network with world-class UX professionals from around the globe. Whether you’re a researcher or designer, this event is a must-attend for anyone looking to stay ahead in the field. Register today!