UX Design Awards 2026

Competition Brief

The UX Design Awards are about finding the user experiences in things like products, services and ideas. They have this competition two times a year. It shows off work that’s really good for the people using it and also good for business and society. This is because it is designed in a way that’s thoughtful and easy to use.

Intent

The goal of these awards is to make sure that user experience design is the best it can be around the world. They want to show how good design can make our daily lives better make customers happy and help businesses and technology do what they need to do.

Purpose

They want to honor designers who’re really good at what they do and have teams that work well together. They also want to get people from countries talking about what works best in user experience design.. They want to show off new and innovative solutions that solve real problems in a way that is good for people.

Requirements

If you want to enter this competition your project will fall into one of three groups: things that are already made or will be soon ideas that are still being developed and projects made by students. To enter you need to fill out a form that asks a lot of details send in pictures and write about what you learned from the people who will be using your project and how you solved their problems. Anyone from anywhere in the world can enter,. There are specific rules, for each group.

Jury

The international jury for Autumn 2026 includes experienced professionals from leading organizations. Currently announced members are:

1. Rasel Ahmed – CEO/CDO at Musemind Germany / CPTO at Mentor Lane, expert in UX for AI, service & product design.
2. Carolin Barisch – Senior UX Designer & Project Lead at Manyone, specialist in strategic UX design and research.
3. Sandra Brügmann – Unit Lead at Intuity Media Lab, expert in design strategy and neoteric interactions.
4. Philipp Busse – Director of User Experience at Kleinanzeigen, leader in digital product design.
5. Alicia Clemente García – Senior UX Concept & Project Lead at Scholz & Volkmer, specialist in UX strategy and information architecture.
6. Grace – Head of Design at Taskrabbit, expert in AI, monetization, and emerging product design.
7. Jürgen Gehm – Head of User Experience & Industrial Design at Robert Bosch Power Tools, leader in design and brand transformation.
8. Tae Young Kang – Director of Design Platforms & Product Lead at Deutsche Telekom AG (Jury Chair), expert in digital and service design.
9. Tim Kern – Director Design Management at ANDREAS STIHL, specialist in design management and brand expression.
10. Alexander Livigni – Partner and Unit Director at forwerts, expert in digital service design.
11. Ramesh Manickam – Senior Key Expert at Siemens Technology, specialist in immersive experiences and industrial design.
12. Alekhya Paruchuri – Senior Design Manager at HP Inc., expert in ecosystem design and systems thinking.
13. Atike Pekel – Lead Designer at Philips Experience Design, expert in healthcare UX.

Additional jury members will be announced in the coming weeks. The jury evaluates based on defined criteria focusing on user value, innovation, and impact.

Fees

Discounts may apply for NGOs and small companies. No recurring costs after initial submission.

Rewards

Dates

✦ ArchUp Competition Review

The UX Design Awards are organized by the International Design Center Berlin (IDZ Berlin), a non-profit organization. Transparency of information is relatively good as the names and professional backgrounds of jury members are published, although additional members will be announced later. The competition is a serious professional awards program focused on recognizing excellence in user experience design across product, concept, and new talents categories. Prizes consist of recognition and visibility rather than cash amounts, which seems reasonable given the detailed submission requirements. The real benefit for participants lies mainly in portfolio building and international exposure within the UX community, rather than direct implementation opportunities, making it a valuable design exercise supported by a jury with extensive experience in digital and service design.

Conclusion and final thoughts

The competition is run by IDZ Berlin, an organization with over 50 years of history in the design field, giving it solid institutional credibility. It is well-known within international UX circles and held twice annually, though its recognition remains stronger in the digital design community than in traditional architecture competitions. It may contribute to raising standards in user experience across the design industry, yet the absence of large cash prizes and focus on recognition limits direct influence on built projects. Participation is worth considering for those seeking to strengthen their portfolio and gain professional exposure, but it requires noticeable effort relative to the uncertain tangible outcomes.

Such competitions often highlight the role of thoughtful design in complex systems, similar to discussions in architecture. For more on integrating design into large-scale projects, check our coverage of urban design initiatives. Related topics frequently appear in our news section, while human-centered aspects are also explored under sustainability.

Registration Deadline

Brought to you by the ArchUp Editorial Team

Inspiration starts here. Dive deeper into Architecture, Interior Design, Research, Cities, Design, and cutting-edge Projects on ArchUp.