SXSW: Traditional Design and New Technology

Three weeks today, I’ll be landing in Austin, Texas for SXSW. I cannot tell you how excited I am about going to this event again.

Two years ago, A collegue and I attended to what I thought was just going to be another industry do. How wrong I was. The inspiration fuelled my creativity and design direction for about six months. Little did I know then that in two years time I would be sitting on one of the panels. Nervous? Me?

A star-studded panel

I’ll be sharing the big, long table at the front with some very distinguished designers:

• Khoi Vinh: The newly appointed Design Director of NYTimes.com and of course Subtraction.com.
• Jason Santa Maria: from Happy Cog and the design brain behind such behemoths as the new A List Apart.
• Liz Danzico: Director of Experience Strategy at the AIGA and the editor of Boxes & Arrows.
• Toni Greaves: Creative Director at Razorfish in Portland, Oregan. Oh, and she’s my ex-boss when I worked in London!
• And me!

As you can see, quite a list. I’m utterly in awe of some of the work these guys produce so it’s going to be fantastic to sit up there and have a discussion with them on a topic I hold so dearly. It will be passionate for sure.

So, what are we going to be talking about?

Traditional Design and New Technology

I’m not going to give much away (or what would be the point coming?). I will say that I believe it will be quite a different panel in terms of the content matter; not the usual SXSW material. It’s going to appeal to designers and developers alike and If you’re a project manager, then no worries, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too.

Get there early

Now here’s the thing, and partly the reason for this post, get there early.

Our panel starts at 10am on Saturday. That’s right, we’re pretty much first up. So, no excuses. Jetlag, hangovers, no sleep, too much dodgy mexican food the previous night; they’re all weak excuses.

Once you finished with our panel, at 11.30am is our very own (I’m talking in terms of the Britpack and the UK here) Andy Budd and Andy Clark with their, bound to be superb, panel; How to Be A Web Design Superhero.