Sarah Thompson
Senior Experience Specialist at Nielsen Norman GroupSarah Thompson is a behavioral scientist and Senior Experience Specialist at Nielsen Norman Group.
With a background in Clinical Psychology and a Master’s in Cognitive Semiotics, Sarah brings deep expertise in how people think, feel, and decide — translating behavioral science into practical design that drives real-world results across healthcare, sustainability, financial wellbeing, and education.
She consults with organizations, trains teams, and speaks internationally on how behavioral insights can elevate UX, CX, marketing, and AI experiences.
The Psychology of AI Experiences
What makes some AI products appealing, useful, and successful... while others flop?
One of the most powerful determinants of an AI product’s success isn’t the technology itself. It’s user psychology. In this interactive workshop, we’ll unpack how people actually perceive, interpret, and make decisions when interacting with AI-powered products.
Using behavioral science as our lens, we’ll explore how trust is formed, how mental models shape expectations, and why small design choices can dramatically influence whether AI feels genuinely valuable or not.
Through real-world examples and hands-on activities, you’ll examine how elements like framing, guidance, and transparency affect user confidence and adoption. And you'll walk away with a behavioral blueprint for designing more effective, engaging, and ethical AI experiences.
We’ll explore core design questions like:
- Should AI even be part of the experience?
- What mental models help users make sense of AI products?
- What builds trust and what breaks it?
- How human should AI feel?
- How do we frame AI so users understand its value?
- What are the risks of badly designed AI features?
Join us for an inspiring session that will stretch your UX muscles and leave you with practical insights to take back to your team.
Workshop requirements: please bring your laptop.
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Design
In a world where designers can prototype products in minutes, ship features faster than ever, and build with increasingly powerful AI tools, one question still matters most: what do people actually use and value?
That’s where behavioral science comes in.
In this talk, behavioral scientist Sarah Thompson explores the timeless psychological principles that shape how people think, feel, and decide. These are the hidden forces behind whether people adopt a product, abandon it, value it, or return to it again and again.
Drawing on insights from psychology, behavioral science, and real-world product design, Sarah will show why the future of UX isn’t just about moving faster or using newer tools, but about understanding the human truths that have always shaped behavior and knowing how to design for them.