SxSW - of Shadows, Elephants and the Eclectica Britannica

So, yesterday at SxSW was your classic full on experience - Jetlagged awake at 6am, blog, 8.30 breakfast meeting and then panels, and parties to the small hours. And the jetlagged awake again at 6am this morning.... So, given all this digital debauchery, what have I learned that pushed my key objectives at SxSW forward?

To recap, these are:

- what "shadows of the future" can I see emerging
- what changes are being made to adapt to the crunch

Shadows of the future observed were:

- At the VRM breakfast, interesting conversation with Nicole Lazzaro about extending the principles of designing good game experiences into that other game system, the Social Media Network.

- Alan Moore pointing out that there are many designs of social network, all with subtly different characteristics and that in future, as we understand how to design them better we will be able to tailor structure to purpose far, far better

- The panel on designing for irrational behaviour was also on this theme of putting far more sopistication and nuance into online systems as we try an simulate our complex offline world better.

- In a largely disappointing Future of Mobile (Present of more like) session, the end bit on augmented reality systems and the graphics involved

As to How things are changing, there was a great panel where people had to talk about how they achieved Return in Investment on social media projects - but it had to be done with silly hats in rhyme. Highlight of the day - you can have fun and learn interesting things.

A more serious point there though - nearly all the successful examples cited were single campaign, "worthy" causes - the question burning on my mind was aired first by Kenna Williams - ie can one get ROI on sustainable bases, and for non "worthy" stuff.

That point remains the Elephant in the Conference for social media I think.

Kudos also to Taylor Davidson with the best conference advice of the day - "go to the panels where you know nothing, and speak to the people you don't know, 'cos thats the best way to learn".

On another matter, today at 12pm we are doing a "Tuttle does Texas" at the UK Digital Trade Mission at SxSW - Eclectic conversation at its finest.........