

Katja Forbes is an Australian pioneer in the field of experience design and all of its components – research, emerging technology as well as service design, customer experience (CX) and user experience (UX).
She is the Managing Director of Designit, Australia & New Zealand, a strategic design firm who work with ambitious brands to create high-impact products, services, systems and spaces – that people love. Katja is proud to be an International Director on the Global Board of the Interaction Design Association (IxDA).
Back in 2014, Katja founded syfte, a specialist business in research and experience design. In late 2018, her business was acquired by the international firm Wipro, and she was announced as ‘Managing Director of Australia & New Zealand’ for Designit, Wipro’s strategic design arm. Katja was also a co-founding member of IxDA Sydney. Together with Joe Ortenzi, she has built a community of over 2000 designers in Sydney, providing them with learning opportunities via lecture based meetups that draw a crowd of 150 people each time, a mentoring program and workshops.
One of Katja’s personal motivations is to inspire other women, especially in her industry, to reach toward their definition of professional success. She is a sought-after keynote speaker for various organisations and associations including Interaction Latin America, Design Up (Bangalore). Women In Design, Leaders in Heels, Women In Commerce, Code like a Girl (Melbourne Knowledge week), Inaugural CMO Conference 2017, Telstra and Macquarie Bank. Katja was recognised as one of the Top 10 Australian Women Entrepreneurs 2018 by My Entrepreneur Magazine and named one of the 100 Women of Influence by Westpac and the Australian Financial Review in 2016.
Katja is also a published contributing author, and regular national media commentator for her industry. Having overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Katja’s vision and determination has seen her become an exceptional thought leader and inspiration to countless women across the world.

LATEST




VIDEOS


EVENTS
Speaker
ScaleFest 19
Melbourne – March 1-2. 2019
Speaker
CIO CMO Executive-Connections 2019
Auckland – Feb 2019
PREVIOUS
Keynote Speaker
Interaction Latin America
Rio de Janeiro – November 2018
Speaker
LAST Conference
Sydney – August 2018
Speaker
CEO Connect
June 2018
Speaker
Interaction 18
France – February 2018
Speaker
Design Up
Bangalore – 2017 & 2018
Speaker
Lean, Agile & Systems Thinking (LAST Conf Sydney & Canberra)
July/September 2017
Keynote Speaker
Customer Connectivity
Momentum Conference July 2017
Speaker
Aquent Digitalks (Sydney & Melbourne)
September & November 2016
Speaker
Code Like a Girl
Melbourne Knowledge Week 2016
Speaker
Women in Commerce
Macquarie Bank April 2016
Speaker & Mentor
Remarkable.org.au
2016
Speaker
Future Assembly
November 2015
Speaker & Expert Panellist
Design Led Tuesdays, UNSW
September 2015
Speaker
Women in Design, Design Tasmania
July 2015
Speaker
Leaders in Heels
June 2015
Expert Panellist
Internet of Things and Digital Auras
Linked Festival 2015
Expert Panellist
Accessible Mobile App Challenge
ACCAN & Australian Human Rights Council
“Apps for all” 2014
Speaker
Ignite Digital 2014
Speaker
Ambient Intelligence
UX Australia 2014
Speaker
Universal Design for Touch
UX Australia 2013
Speaker
Designing for Diversity and Inclusive Mobile Experience
Designing for Mobility 2013
Speaker
Accessible Mobile Experiences
2011 OZeWAI Conference
Contributor to W3C WAI Mobile Accessibility Initiative
Author of Inclusive Mobile Experiences: Beyond Guidelines & Standards
Katja Forbes is an Australian pioneer in the field of experience design and all of its components – research, emerging technology as well as service design, customer experience (CX) and user experience (UX).
