OK, this was my first time going to SXSW. The last big conference I attended was Flash Forward 2000 in San Francisco, so my conference skillz were a little rusty. I was also a little nervous about how relevant and informative this would be, but I was excited by the focus on User Experience. I needn’t have worried. The speakers and presentations were thought provoking and downtown Austin was awesome. The city handled the conference with aplomb and even rolled out 3 days of beautiful weather, Tuesday notwithstanding. I wish there had been a few more in-depth, technical sessions, but I know that’s hard with such a large and diverse group of attendees. In the end I found the whole thing very inspirational.

Some things I took away as a whole:

1. Social media is still in its infancy and although it’s the current “next big thing,” it’s here to stay. I agree with one presentation that the growth in this area is somewhat tied to human nature and how non-linearly our minds work. The total impacts to our privacy, psyche and legal system will not be known for years to come.
2. Playfulness is a good thing. It may sound cliche, but playing games is in our nature just as much as the need for social interaction. By injecting playfulness and spontaneity into our design processes, we can reduce stress and improve brainstorming.
3. Use paper up front in the design process. It really does reduce the investment in a particular idea. It allows you to scribble, jot, crumple and start over a lot faster than going directly to the computer.
4. We are not order takers nor short-order cooks. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when a client or stakeholder comes to you with their proposed solution. Adding a green dropdown menu in the right column might be what one user wants. It’s our job to correctly identify the problem, provide the best solution that works for the majority of users, then track and verify the decision after implementation. This will provide real, measurable benefit over time with an eye on the site as a whole, not just what’s needed now. Now, this isn’t always easy, nor is it applicable to every project, but unless someone has an overarching plan or clear vision for the site, the result will inevitably be piecemeal and frustrating. That is what we as UX professionals are here to solve.

It was very refreshing to hear and discuss this exciting field with with so many like-minded people.