SXSW 2013 In Review: I’m Done Messin’ with Texas…For Now!
Written by Aisha Waller, Associate Creative Director
It’s been a couple of weeks since my trip to Austin and I can officially say that I’m finally back in full swing! As a member of the JWT INSIDE IDEA Makers team, it was a wonderful opportunity to not only learn new things, but have fun in a rockin’ city and bond with the team. So with that being said, I guess you’d like get the full download of my SXSW experience, yes? Well, brace yourself, because here it is.
From the moment I stepped off of the plane, I knew this was going to be a time to remember. The electricity in the air was instantly palpable. The first stop I made was our beautiful Victorian home for the week (thanks Sharon). I made myself at home in what became know as the “Paranormal Activity” room. I was the first one there, and I felt like the first roommate that arrives on the Real World! Then, after settling in, I went off to explore the city, and finally went to pick up my badge. It was official: I’d arrived at SXSW!!!!
Whether it was music, film or interactive…I was ready to learn something. There were so many sessions that I wanted to attend but so little time to do it. And I literally attended as many presentations as I could, stopping only to sleep and grab a quick bite to eat. Big name speakers like Al Gore, Chuck Lorre, Pete Cashmore (founder/CEO of Mashable) sat on panel discussion with future industry giants, Michael Buckwald and David Holz, co-founders of the most talked about start-ups, Leap Motion.
Aside from all of the mobile discussions, the major buzzwords being tossed around were, as you may have guessed, Responsive Web Design and Storytelling. And not just any kind of storytelling… collaborative storytelling. Moving beyond the concept of logic-based storytelling and entering the arena where design and copy work hand-in-hand, to tell that cohesive emotional story that connects with the masses. One of the big questions is, “How is this way of thinking helping to re-imagine advertising as a whole?” I know everyone in the JWT INSIDE Atlanta office is tired of me mentioning this, but Google has partnered with companies like Volkswagen to push those boundaries, as well as artists like Zach Lieberman to explore the world of connected objects. This partnership with Lieberman resulted in the prototype, The Talking Shoe.
We are beginning to understand that for today’s young consumers it’s about the experience, not the object. In this digital space, it’s about moving beyond responsive design and toward behavioral design. One quote that seemed to hit home for me was from Maani Safa, the Global Innovation Director at Somo Global. Maani said, “We’re at a crossroads between design and hardware. The future is in the DUI, Designed User Interface.” Because the space is ever-changing, we are now at a point where we are starting to understand that we should focus on the overall structure and message so these meet the needs and requirements of the user, not just the platform the message is being delivered through.
Being that several of our clients are in the healthcare space, I thought it would be beneficial to attend 2 sessions in particular. One focused on how to ensure that your designs were accessible for handicapped individuals. This session not only covered the do’s and don’ts for desktop, but it also covered techniques for mobile. This was an extremely enlightening and eye-opening session. So much so, I got my official SXSW 2013 Workshop Certificate of Completion. So, I’m ready to put those new skills to use!
The second healthcare related panel discussion that I attended was called “How to Present Complex Information with Simplicity.” For any of you designers or copywriters who have had to create an infographic from six pages of copy, you will understand why this discussion was one of the highlights of my day. It was about portraying the story you need to tell in a more effective and concise way, without excluding any pertinent information — and avoiding all the fluff. In the words of Albert Einstein, “If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself.” Those are definitely words to live by.
This was definitely a discussion that made me look at my personal design process a little differently. Understanding that information design should involve the entire team, not just the designers. I have a clearer understanding of the value — and importance — of storytelling. Ultimately, we need to comprehend the story we want to tell and establish the full idea that we want the audience to remember. Because like Einstein mentioned, you really can’t fully synthesize the story if you don’t fully understand it. I won’t get too deep in the weeds on this one and bore you to death, but I’ve included a brief overview on information design & visual organization.
Make it skimmable – Use plain language and concise sentences
Make it scannable – Organized layout with visual flow and cues
Intuitive – Telegraphic and instinctive
Engagement – Interesting and intriguing
I learned a ton of information on the above, so if you want to chat about it in more detail sometime, just let me know.
Now onto the FUN! Well, the nerdy fun. Getting to “meet and mingle” with the rest of our JWT family was an highlight of the trip me. Every event, from the welcome party to the “Call Us Walter” experiment to the closing “Messin’ with Texas” party, good music, good food, and great drinks could be found. It’s definitely a festival that every music lover, film buff and digital geek should experience at least once. I, for one, will be there next year, and I hope to see you there!
