Conway joined Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), a renowned center for technological innovation. This move allowed her to return to cutting-edge research and development.

At Xerox PARC, Conway collaborated with Carver Mead of Caltech to develop a simplified and standardized methodology for VLSI (very-large-scale integration) chip design. Their approach democratized chip design, making it accessible to a wider range of engineers and researchers.

Conway and Mead co-authored the seminal textbook 'Introduction to VLSI Systems,' which became a standard reference for VLSI design and revolutionized the field. The book introduced a new generation of engineers to the principles and practices of modern chip design. This work significantly accelerated the advancement of microelectronics.