How many times in your career have you thought to yourself - "You probably should have mentioned that before"? For most people, the answer to that question is TOO MANY.

Too often, there is a disconnect between what users need, what clients ask for, what designers design, what developers build, and what systems can support. Product architecture is not the responsibility (or the fault!) of any one person or team, but it is up to everyone to make sure it doesn't happen!

This talk takes experiences from all over the spectrum, from customer liaison, to UX consultant, to database architect, to software developer - to share a blueprint for how you can avoid common communication pitfalls, and make sure your next project is less mess, more success.

I bring a unique perspective to this talk, given that I have such a strong background in data and database design, as well as a globally recognised certification in UX research. I'm also a full-stack developer and have worked throughout almost all of the product development process. This talk is equally relevant for one-man-bands, or large silo’d teams and has something for everyone, whether they’re a software architect, a developer, or a UX designer. While there will be a bit of technical stuff (mainly database and UX research related), the fundamental thing this talk is really about is communication, and why it’s so important in any software development journey. This talk can be delivered as a keynote.