Overall, SXSWi was energetic, overwhelming, and fantastic. By Tuesday, the 5th straight day of panels, networking, and parties, the energy seemed drained. Even the keynote with Guy Kawasaki that I had been looking forward to was disappointing. But looking back, there were so many memorable events throughout the week that it was definitely worth the time an effort. Here are some of my favorite moments.
Best Panels
There were a lot to choose from. ‘Being a UX Team of One’ definitely stood out, offering practical tips and techniques on brainstorming and getting development team buy-in. So did ‘How to Scam Your Way into Anything’, which was both entertaining and informative. Also strong were ‘Presenting Straight to the Brain’ and ‘Journey to the Center of Design’.
Best Keynote
This one was easy, and probably unanimous amongst all of the attendees. Tony Hseih of zappos.com spoke about his company culture and the difficult decisions he had to make to keep that culture. I can’t say enough about how refreshing it was to see a company be open, honest, and transparent. And next time I make it to Vegas, I hope I’m able to tour their facility.
Best Tradeshow Booth
Okay, they didn’t really have much of a booth. And I’m not exactly sure why they were there, I guess part of the film part of the conference. But I’m a zombie movie nut, and www.lostzombies.com was fun and original, and inspired me to start making my own zombie film. I may come calling for zombie extras at some time!
As for stuff that has real world applications, I love the software and services TechSmith is putting together.
Best Swag
I’m not a swag guy. Getting pens, notepads, or even shirts doesn’t really interest me. But the Mayan “worry dolls” that Zoomodo gave out were definitely the most unique. I don’t know how handy they’ll be, but I’m not worried about it.
Mayan Worry Dolls
Best Parties
frog design threw a great party Saturday night. It was large, open, extravagant, and was very easy to mingle at. It was everything you would hope for in a party. In fact, you can see me and the fun gang from Small Word Labs at the frog party on slide #26 in this slide show: http://www.austin360.com/alist/mediahub/media/slideshow/index.jsp?tId=149559
Another good party was thrown by my friends at FG SQUARED. This was much smaller and more intimate, but very comfortable and energetic at the same time.
I’m All A Twitter
One of the other things I discovered during the conference was the value of Twitter. By itself a single ‘tweet’ doesn’t really mean anything. But when you look back over a week or month of twitters you start seeing the context and conversation that’s going on. There’s where the value is, and the opportunities lie. So if you’re interested in following me on Twitter, my handle is @ImpactiveDesign.
In conclusion, SXSW was quite the affair. I highly recommend it for any designer or developer looking to see what’s coming down the pipe in interactive media, and meet the people bringing those technologies to you. I’m glad I finally got to go, and if I’m lucky I’ll get to return next year.
Author: Steve Goodwin
Tags: SXSW