Sessions at SXSW Interactive 2012 about Devices on Tuesday 13th March

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• Mobilizing Web Sites: Strategies for Implementation

  by Kristofer Layon

  “Mobile first” is the mantra on the lips of most mobile evangelists. The trouble is, the advice of many experts to start fresh with a new mobile design, optimize for performance, and try to accommodate all mobile devices both common and uncommon — this ends up being quite a daunting list. And it can frighten many web designers away from trying to embrace mobile design at all.

  But as with anything that is completely new, it is a lot easier to ease into it rather than jump directly into the deep end. Plus, if you’re like most web designers, you have existing web sites that could benefit from some mobile love, yet aren’t likely to be getting a completely new mobile-oriented redesign (either due to time or cost).

  Mobilizing web sites encourages web designers to optimize existing web sites for mobile presentation, and to do so incrementally starting with screen layout, navigation, typography, images, forms, and content. Doing this, while aiming for the most common mobile platforms first, gets you to most mobile devices in the least amount of time. Then, taking a product-managed approach, you can continue to progressively enhance your site to improve performance and broaden device support.

  Don’t set your expectations too high and think that getting into mobile web design requires perfection. Just get started! Then as you learn more and gain a better appreciation of mobile’s context and constraints, you can raise your expectations and fine-tune your focus.

  Mobilizing web sites: start optimizing your corner of the web for mobile presentation today.

  • Design
  • Devices
  • Mobile
  • Web

  At 3:30pm to 3:50pm, Tuesday 13th March

  In Ballroom G, Austin Convention Center

  Coverage audio clip

• Please Touch Me! Enterprise Delight via Multitouch

  by Uday Gajendar

  Yes multitouch devices are all the rage among consumers. Yet enterprise software environments (aka, Big IT-driven Corps) are frantically playing catch up as "consumery mindsets" (with iPhones, iPads, Androids, etc.) are taking over the business world. How do you support having all these devices in IT-driven contexts? How do you design apps for such a world?

  I propose an approach to design a product experience that enables "work & play anywhere from any device" to support IT-driven situations. Such a next-gen UX is based upon three core principles: Simplicity + Fluidity + Personality. The challenge is how to fold such concepts into a highly fragmented multitouch device market: iOS, Android, Blackberry, WebOS, Windows Phone 7, etc. Each has their own set of guidelines, patterns, and visual styles. Sure, Evernote and Netflix are recognized for being touchstones in achieving platform "consistency", but let's aim to go higher and deeper. What about simultaneity or complementarity or multi-device situations? How does a desktop PC fit into the equation? This talk will dramatize a year-long team journey of principles, prototypes, and workshops to deliver high-caliber enterprise multitouch software UX. Actually produced designs and working demos will be highlighted, not just concepts.

  • Apps
  • Devices
  • multitouch
  • Software

  At 3:30pm to 4:30pm, Tuesday 13th March

  In Sabine, Hilton Garden Inn Austin Downtown

  Coverage audio clip