Here are a few scattered general thoughts and impressions as I sit in the airport after the conclusion of SXSWi:
- SXSWi is somewhat overwhelming because of the size and scope of the event. I heard an organizer say that the event has doubled in size just since last year, which is phenomenal, given how long this conference has been around. That being said, it was well-organized, as it showed very few growing pains associated with such a huge increase in attendees.
- SXSW Interactive is appropriately-named, because it’s all about the interactions you have here. It’s such a social event, from the interactive panels, to the core conversations, to the meetups and nighttime parties that are centered around the conference attendees. My sense is that most attendees who really gain great value from attending SXSW are those who focus on the networking with industry representatives, fellow developers/designers, and thought leaders who attend.
- I think the panels here are primarily intended to spur ideas and create opportunities to engage in discussions afterward, both at the event with fellow attendees, and back at home in each attendee’s roles. Very few of the panels (at least of the ones I attended) are hands-on to the degree of having a list of practical things to take back and implement – it’s more about taking the pulse of the interactive world, and later figuring out where your sites or products fit into the markets you care about.
- It’s a Web 2.0 world. Discussions on social networking sites absolutely dominated the entire event. Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, Kyte, YouTube, Dopplr, blogs, Meebo, Second Life, vlogging, etc., etc., etc.
- Also big topics of discussion: Silverlight, content management solutions (Drupal and Expression Engine mostly), cross-browser standards (especially the IE8 beta), mobile browsing, open APIs and open source software, SEO, expanding on video capabilities, accessibility, OpenID, and consumer electronics/interactive media convergence in general, among many others.
- While certainly not a conference targeted specifically to Higher Ed, our community was well-represented in the sessions I attended that related directly or indirectly to education.
- Best panel? Well, I found it useful to be exposed to the mainstream’s impressions of new and emerging technologies, and that will help frame up discussions on our strategies going forward. But the most poignant panel for me was the talk by Jason Fried from 37 Signals, who discussed lessons they’ve learned while developing great web apps. Read the notes from Day 1 if you want some great ideas on how to be more efficient and successful at your core competencies.
- Takeaways? Well, I’m still very much on brain overload right now – I need to get back and review my notes, do some surfing, and let the information digest. But first reactions are centered around the idea that we can possibly expand and improve our overall web presence by employing third-party technologies (CMS) and picking and choosing among 2.0 applications IF they’re warranted. By no means does that mean we’re going to create “official” UA content on every social networking site out there – it just means that if there are opportunities to reach new audiences by employing new third-party technologies, and they’re appropriate for our mission, then they’re working considering. Also, I think the standards movement has officially become mainstream, based on the number of panels and true “technoid” thought-leaders who have embraced and championed the movement. Great to see, and it’s about time.
- Another big topic out here was BRAND. That was interesting to hear, given our commitment to using the web to further UA’s brand as part of an overall institutional communications plan. Much of the discussion of “brand” seemed to focus on the personal brand of developers, bloggers, and thought leaders, but there are parallels in how they’re using the web to further their brands, to how a company or institution might do so. There’s more on this in several places in my notes, particularly the 11:30 a.m. panel on Day 3 and the 3:30 p.m. panel on Day 2.
- On a personal note, the food in Austin is pretty solid. I had some great tex-mex (Chuy’s on South Congress) and BBQ (Stubb’s and IronWorks on Red River), as well as some pretty good fish tacos at Iron Cactus on 6th Street. I didn’t get a chance to visit the UT campus, although I did see it from afar on the way in to town. Incidentally, my flight to Austin was cancelled the night before the conference began, and they couldn’t get me there on an alternate flight until late Saturday night, which would have caused me to miss a full day and a half of the conference. SO, I jumped in the car and drove almost 800 miles on Friday in order to be there for the whole conference. Made for a really long day, but well worth it in the end.
- The next phase of SXSW – and the much bigger event – is the music festival, which begins tomorrow. As I sit in the airport, I’ve seen bands coming off planes by the dozens. Over 1,600 acts are schedule to *officially* play SXSW this year – no telling how many others are here.
- OK, that’s it for now. My flight’s boarding, and the laptop battery is almost spent. If anyone has questions, discussion, comments or other feedback from any of my panel notes or other, please let me know. And feel free to discuss any of it in comment threads here.
Filed under: Conferences, Resources | Tagged: SXSW
