This year we have 4 Workshops to choose from. They’re full day workshops, so you can really get stuck in and learn loads about the topic you’re most passionate about.
Workshops Day ~ 16 May, 2011
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1:
9:00 - 5:00
Interface Design Bootcamp
Aarron Walter
Whether you are designing a web app or a website, following best practices and standard design methodologies will help ensure your interfaces are usable and engaging. In this workshop, we’ll explore the design process in detail including user research, wireframing, prototyping, and visual design. Through real world examples you’ll see how an idea can evolve into an interface.
2:
9:00 - 5:00
Designing Beautiful Interfaces for the iOS Devices
Sarah Parmenter
Hitting the ground running, Sarah will take you through the various design processes involved in crafting beautiful user interfaces for the iOS Devices, including designing for retina display. This one day workshop will start with understanding the basic principles of user interface design, right through to some hands on practical of building an entire user interface design of an app, picking up all the best tips and tricks along the way that Sarah has learnt over the years.
3:
9:00 - 5:00
HTML5 and The Open Web
Bruce Lawson
Bruce leads an in-depth workshop that will help you gain the knowledge to put you in the front line when it comes to the very latest innovations in HTML5, CSS3, SVG and other emerging technologies for Web sites and applications.
(Due to unforeseen personal circumstance, Molly Holzschlag is unfortunately unable to attend, but all content and teaching will remain the same. If you have any concerns please do feel free to contact cat@carsonified.com)
4:
9:00 - 5:00
Creative Business
Dan James
Creativity is not limited to design and development. Learning to look at your business as a creative endeavour allows you to make deals you never thought possible, find clients that are fun to work with, and create a team that will stay together for years to come. Dan’s workshop will walk you through over a decade of lessons learned (the hard way) running a small agency.
We have a jam packed schedule for you this year with
the most amazing speakers and inspirational topics.
Not only this, but there will be two tracks over two days,
double whammy!Track 01:
Conference Day 01 ~ 17 May, 2011Track 02:
Conference Day 01 ~ 17 May, 2011-
Registration: 8:00 - 9:00
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Track 1:
9:00 - 9:05
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Track 1:
9:05 - 9:45
Transforming Ideas into Interfaces
Aarron Walter
You’ve got ideas swimming in your head about the next website or web app you want to make, but translating abstract thoughts into a usable, successful interface is no easy task. How do you make sure you’re designing something relevant to your audience? Should you wireframe, prototype, or both? How do you build an interface quickly while planning for the future? Aarron will share practical advice from the interface design school of hard knocks that will help you make your ideas a reality.
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Track 1:
9:50 - 10:30
Designing for Humans
Mike Kus
With every website we design we have the opportunity to communicate important information to our users before they’ve read a single word. In this talk Mike will explain the importance of creating meaningful design and how to apply this to the web.
Track 2:
9:50 - 10:30
Intrigue Me: Writing Compelling, Credible Content
Stephanie Hay
In this session Steph will provide actionable tips that web specialists can use to write more compelling content that complements their exquisite designs and/or impressive functionality. Never again should Lorem Ipsum — or text-as-an-afterthought — find its way into wireframes, mockups, prototypes, or (eek!) real users’ eyeballs.
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Morning Break: 10:30 - 11:15
A chance to meet up with your friends – grab some snacks and have a cup of coffee on the house!
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Track 1:
11:15 - 11:55
10 Development Concepts a Designer Should Know
Rachel Andrew
As a web designer you may feel happier leaving the complexities of e-commerce, hosting and programming to developers. However, being able to talk confidently about these concepts to clients and the rest of your team can be a real benefit. In addition when designing for web applications – an understanding of the underlying code can ensure that the application works well and data is displayed effectively.
Rachel Andrew, a web developer with over 10 years experience of working alongside designers, will talk about and clarify the main areas where confusion occurs – no coding required!
Track 2:
11:15 - 11:55
Power Your Design With WordPress
Ian Stewart
Are more and more of your web projects WordPress-powered? Want to make sure you’re building your WordPress themes the right way? In a talk stuffed with practical examples you can start using today, Automattic Theme Wrangler and WordPress theme expert, Ian Stewart, will show you how he builds a site on top of a simple set of HTML5 templates. Along the way you’ll be transformed into a WordPress theme expert as you learn the best of the latest features and techniques.
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Track 1:
12:00 - 12:15
Accessibility and Inclusive Design - What's Hot and What's Not
Robin Christopherson
Whether you’re designing for the big screen in the corner, the small screen on your desk, or the tiny screen in your hand, Robin will fill us in on the latest developments in inclusive design – and also what you shouldn’t touch with a big knobbly stick!
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Lunch: 12:15 - 1:25
Break for lunch on us. Networking, extra learning sessions, some time to catch up with each other, and a bit of a breather before the afternoon sessions start!
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Track 1:
1:25 - 1:45
Web Fonts: Type Choice & Type Use
Daniel Rhatigan
Web fonts now give us incredible potential to consider a full range of typeface choices for web design. However, they bring with them a new array of issues to be considered by web designers and typographers alike. We will look at a number of factors that should influence not only which fonts will work best for you, but also how you can then use those fonts effectively. We will look at screen rendering, design features that are best suited for online use, setting text, and working with large type families.
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Track 1:
1:50 - 2:30
Slide to Unlock
Sarah Parmenter
Sarah will be showing you how to design beautiful interfaces for iOS devices. Evolving what you already know as a web designer and creatively using this knowledge to construct iOS specific websites and apps. Stuffed with practical knowledge, you’ll need a large notepad!
Track 2:
1:50 - 2:30
Extreme Design — Secrets to Successful Design Pairing
Samuel Bowles
Trust, cooperation, leadership, humility, and some thick skin are all elemental to the alchemy of successful design pairing. Samuel Bowles will explore his successes and failures in design pairing since the late 90s. His observations will be rooted in day-to-day project work and explained through specific stories and experiences building software products in cross-diciplinary teams.
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Track 1:
2:35 - 3:15
The New Language of Web Design
Dan Rubin
Our industry has aged into double digits, but much of the language we use to describe what we do and how things work is borrowed or repurposed, sometimes without issue, but often leading to confusion. Having a distinct set of terminology is an important sign of maturity for a line of work, those words and phrases to lead the next generation of practitioners — and it’s high time we set about creating it.
Track 2:
2:35 - 3:15
Demystifying Accessibilty
Ian Hamilton
Accessibility can often seem like a scary and complex thing. Ian disproves this through simulations and easy fixes, based on the principle that there are only in fact a few types of disability that anyone needs to know about.
Whether you’ve found accessibility daunting in the past or just want to extend your knowledge, this talk offers valuable insights into who your audience really is, what web access feels like for them, and how to allow your content to be enjoyed by as many people as possible.
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Afternoon Break + Design Clinic: 3:15 - 4:00
Time for another break, and a much needed coffee.
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Track 1:
4:00 - 4:10
Official Launch: Bread App
Keir Whitaker
We welcome Keir to the stage, launching exciting new project Bread App – a free service to help web professionals earn their crust!
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Track 1:
4:15 - 4:55
Open Business
Dan James
In design and development we strive to share information both within our companies and externally with the communities we are a part of. We feel that openness is a good thing. We publicly discuss not only our larger ideas but the nitty gritty; the pixels and the code. If sharing is such a great thing, shouldn’t we be open about all aspects of what we do? In this session, Dan will make a case for opening up the business side of our companies. We’ll look at what can be gained, and what could be lost, from pulling back the curtain on all of the gory business details.
Track 2:
4:15 - 4:55
Darwin Development
Matt Gifford
Evolution. It’s a wonderful thing, and something that needs to occur for natural progression and the continuing advancement of ideas. As we see the modern trends, development paradigms and design practices evolve into different areas utilising newer technologies, should we really be saying goodbye to our old ways in favour of the new approach?
Join Matt Gifford as he invites you to partake in a presentation with an emphasis on attendee input (with rewards) in a discussion to help understand what makes the web great, how we communicate in the modern world, and as a result whether or not we should leave the big screen behind entirely in favour of new formats.
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Track 1:
5:00 - 5:40
Making the New Everyday Things
Aral Balkan
We are the makers of the new everyday things. We design and develop the virtual pens, telephones, newspapers, calendars, and door-handles that people interact with every single day. We are the virtual architects and the products that we design and develop have the power to determine whether people have a good day or a bad day.
In this session, Aral Balkan will outline the important role that experience design plays in the making of virtual products and inspire you to see that it is your job – regardless of whether you make web sites, mobile apps, intranet systems, or ticket machines – to make this new world that we are crafting together not only usable and accessible but beautiful, fun, inspiring, pleasurable, delightful, and – dare I say – magical.
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Goodbye & Announcements: 5:40 - 5:45
Time to wrap things up for the day…
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Party Time!: 8:00 - Late
It’s time to let your hair down and party!
Track 01:
Conference Day 02 ~ 18 May, 2011Track 02:
Conference Day 02 ~ 18 May, 2011-
Registration: 8:00 - 9:00
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Track 1:
9:00 - 9:05
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Track 1:
9:05 - 9:45
Responsive Web Design
Ethan Marcotte
“The way is shaped by use, but then the shape is lost.” Our sites are accessed by an increasing array of devices and browsers, and our users deserve a quality experience no matter how large (or small) their display. Perhaps it’s time to put aside some of our old design methods, and become more responsive designers.
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Track 1:
9:50 - 10:30
Getting Down To Business: How To Be Successful With Web Design
Paul Boag
Many go freelance or set up their own agency in search of more freedom, more time and more cash. However, in reality many web design businesses are more demanding on their founders than even the most unreasonable boss.
Freelancers often work longer hours, take less holiday and have poorer work-life balances than most employed web designers. The business becomes a monster that has to be fed constantly.
In his talk, Paul looks at how to grow your business in a controlled way that facilitates the life you want to live. From sales and marketing to client management and getting work done, Paul shows you how to “work to live” rather than “live to work.”Track 2:
9:50 - 10:30
Enhancing your Creativity
Femi T Adesina
Creativity is that quality which clients expect designers to pull out of thin air. Many a brief will come across our laps with the words: ‘Come up with a creative concept for this’. What happens when you hit that creative block and the ideas just don’t seem to flow? This session aims to leave you with some tried, tested as well as unconventional methods to help you get your creative ‘mojo’ back in gear.
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Morning Break: 10:30 - 11:15
A chance to meet up with your friends – grab some snacks and have a cup of coffee on the house!
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Track 1:
11:15 - 11:55
Buttons Are a Hack: The New Rules of Designing for Touch
Josh Clark
Fingers and thumbs turn design conventions on their head. Touchscreen interfaces create ergonomic, contextual, and even emotional demands that are unfamiliar to desktop designers. Find out why our beloved desktop windows, buttons, and widgets are weak replacements for manipulating content directly, and learn practical principles for designing mobile interfaces that are both more fun and more intuitive. Along the way, discover why buttons are a hack, how to develop your gesture vocabulary, and why toys and toddlers provide eye-opening lessons in this new style of design.
Track 2:
11:15 - 11:55
Making The Complex Simple: Designing for Mobile
Steve Fisher
Wired magazine said the web is dead. Well, they were wrong, but it is becoming a lot more mobile. Does that mean that we need to change how we design interfaces? Absolutely.
I’ve been tackling mobile interfaces and designs and want to share the goods with you! In this session I cover what is means to design for a mobile context and how to create stunning designs that communicate well across devices.
This will be a practical guide for those interested in design and want to know how to best apply their design thinking to the mobile world.
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Track 1:
12:00 - 12:40
Web Anywhere: Mobile Optimisation With HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript
Bruce Lawson
Web apps, mobile phone apps, websites that work anywhere, SVG, HTML5, Widgets, location-aware sites, Media Queries. Beyond the buzzword assault is a revolution in the way sites are made, what they can do, and how they are accessed.
We’re going to talk about what the buzzwords actually mean and how they all fit together. We’ll explore different methodologies for making websites that users can access on mobile phones and other devices, and how to optimize your existing website for mobile. Then we’ll put all the buzzwords together into a coherent vision that works now, with real code snippets that you can use right away.
Finally, we get out our crystal balls out and look at what’s coming around the corner in HTML5 and the W3C APIs that allow websites to access native capabilities on devices.
Track 2:
12:00 - 12:40
Copywriting is Design
John McGarvey
Copywriting is web design. And it’s about time someone stood up and said so. Because, all too often, the text for a web project ends up being shoehorned in at the last minute. And that can ruin everything.
In this talk, John explains how great copy can make the difference between a design which works, and one that doesn’t. He describes how designers and writers should collaborate to build great web interfaces. He shows how every bit of copy matters – especially when it comes to forms and complex web app interfaces – and highlights some common mistakes.
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Lunch: 12:40 - 2:00
Break for lunch on us. Networking, extra learning sessions, some time to catch up with each other, and a bit of a breather before the afternoon sessions start!
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Track 1:
2:00 - 2:20
IE9: The Story So Far
Martin Beeby
Internet Explorer has changed a lot in the last few years and the latest incarnation IE9 supports many of the features the development and design community have been requesting for years.
In this talk Martin will discuss how IE has changed, what new feature it supports, what things it doesn’t and the kinds of things you can expect to see in the future. -
Track 1:
2:25 - 3:05
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
Elliot Jay Stocks
Recent developments in web technologies like HTML5 and CSS3 have allowed us to build a richer web, full of advanced visual treatments like web fonts, animations, transformations, and drop-shadows. But have we got carried away with our new toys? Just because we can use a drop-shadow doesn’t mean we have to. In this new and often controversial talk, Elliot looks at solid design principles that will turn a good website into a great website, examines the scenarios where it’s better to stay away from unnecessary visual effects, and attempts to find the sweet spot in between the two extremes. “With great power comes great responsibility, ” said Uncle Ben, and Spidey hadn’t even used border-radius!
Track 2:
2:25 - 3:05
Standing Out and Moving Up In Web Design
Abbey Tosic
A lot of what makes us successful in the web design field doesn’t always have to do with our actual skill set or what we learn in any class. In this session, Abbey Tosic, a Usability and Online Design Lead for 3M, breaks it down into 3 key aspects that can help you stand out and move up in your career. You’ll get tips on how to incorporate this winning recipe into your own routine that you can start using your first day back in the office or for your new career.
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Afternoon Break + Design Clinic: 3:05 - 4:00
Time for another break, and a much needed coffee.
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Track 1:
4:00 - 4:40
Bullet Proof Communication Techniques: A UX Strategist's Guide
Sarah B Nelson
The practice of user experience has grown more sophisticated, produced higher quality online products, and gained wider acceptance beyond the design community. Still, so many potentially wonderful experiences disappoint and many talented design teams are excluded from decisions that fundamentally affect the experience. Why? Two words: ineffective communication.
Attendees will learn specific, proven techniques that can be applied in their own work environment to streamline communication and build more team cohesion. Sarah will present a variety of tools and strategies that have proven useful and highly effective for building arguments, communicating clearly with stakeholders, building trust, and gaining a seat at the strategic table.
Attendees will leave empowered to apply these techniques in their own practice and develop their own tools to suit their personality and work environment. -
Track 1:
4:45 - 5:25
Cage Match: Mobile Web vs. Native App
Josh Clark
Get ready to rumble with this mobile battle royale: native app vs mobile web. Your referee Josh Clark pits the polish of native apps versus the accessibility of the web to help you choose the right platform for your app and audience. It’s a decision that hinges not only on tech specs or audience reach, but also on subtle cultural differences, user needs, and audience personalities. (Hold onto your seats, folks, the winner of this prize fight may surprise you.)
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Goodbye & Announcements: 5:25 - 5:30
That’s it for another year! See you in 2012 everyone…
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