Sessions

The Book Was Better: Writing as Source Material for Web Design

You’ve seen it. That terrible film based on a terrific book. When filmmakers disregard great source material, the result is often a beautifully shot fiasco. Don’t make the same mistake: Respect the written content that forms the backbone of your website and you won’t have to rely solely on design wizardry to tell a cohesive story. Learn how to start with the written word, consult it when your inspiration wanes, and know when it’s okay to stray from it.

Presented by Bronwyn Jones

CSS3: Present and Future

When @media debuted in 2005 there was a massive buzz surrounding CSS. Evangelists were shouting from the rooftops and new techniques were popping up daily. Fast forward to 2008 and CSS has become commonplace. However, while we’ve been busily pushing standards, the language itself has floundered and it’s clear that something needs to be done.

The session will look at the current, slightly messy, state of CSS3, how we got there and where we can go from here. It will uncover the vast amount of CSS3 that has already been implemented by browsers and show you which features you can start using today.

Presented by Andy Budd

Designing for Lifestyle

Interaction design is no longer limited to the web. The concept of user experience is being redefined as multiple delivery methods of social and business interaction merge into our lifestyles. As design migrates from the web to mobile devices we carry and interact with on a daily basis, our approach must also shift into cycles of design and research centered around the way people actually live.

In this enlightening session, design ethnographer and web veteran Kelly Goto discusses the evolution of Web, handheld, and product interfaces and their cultural impact. Learn how companies are utilizing ethnographic-based research to conduct rapid, immersive studies of people and their lifestyles to inform the usefulness and viability of interfaces both online and offline.

Presented by Kelly Goto

Global Design: Characters, Language, and More

Offering further practical advice to designers and developers working with the world-wide aspects of the Web, Global Design will explore how character encodings and language declarations work. While avoiding the gory technical details, this talk will bring you the practical advice that you need under your belt as a Web designer or developer. There are some new developments in this area and some tricky aspects you may not be aware of. In addition, the talk will explore more aspects of user interface design that affect international users.

Presented by Richard Ishida

Hot Topics Panel

In what has become a popular @media tradition, the final session will feature a handful of speakers discussing questions posed by conference attendees.

Panelists TBC on the day

Professional Front-End Engineering

In 2001, most web developers simply pushed pixels. The Web was pieced together by print designers and back-end engineers - almost no one was deeply focused on the front-end. Today, in 2008, as front-end engineers we author complex and efficient software and bend reluctant browsers to our will. And we are broadly recognized and respected as a first-order engineering specialization.

In this talk the lead front-end engineer at the web’s largest web site will define the characteristics and important practices of our discipline. The key challenges we still face will be discussed and 13 tactical tips from the front lines that you can put into practice today will be offered.

Presented by Nate Koechley

Universal by Design

Good designers and developers strive to create intuitive, supportive interfaces that allow people to discover information independently and use products efficiently. Accessibility for the disabled, if considered, is most often an afterthought and sometimes dismissed as “too hard” or “too boring.” In this session, James will demonstrate through numerous examples how accessible, universal design benefits not only those with disabilities, but society at large, enabled or disabled… everyone.

Presented by James Craig

The Why and Which of JavaScript Libraries

The ubiquity of JavaScript libraries in modern JavaScript development is undeniable, but why is this the case? In this session you’ll be presented with an extensive overview on the importance of JavaScript libraries, and how they can effect your development, followed by a whirlwind tour of the most popular libraries and what they can offer you.

Presented by John Resig