How do I keep current? I attend various meetings and tradeshows, read books, ezines and everything else. Do I always apply to what I learn? No… because while I find the latest and greatest interesting and important to be aware of… often, I’m oh so very glad I haven’t pored hours and hours into the learning curve and followed the latest trend. Why?? Well, often these new technologies will break on all but the latest hardware. Or, they will not update gracefully, or heaven forbid… not be search-engine friendly! I’m just thankful I didn’t spend a whole lot of time over the last 13 years learning some of the obsolete technologies pushed on the industry. I believe my simple design style is far better, and now I’m being proved correct with the advent of mobile devices–my old-school philosophy is very cutting-edge compatible!
So, how does this all relate to WebVisions 2008? Believe it or not, I’m sure at least one speaker will discuss what “was hot” in say, 2004 or 2005, but now “is not.” HUH??? Heh… well it seems that many web technologies start with a bang and fizzle out, and the speakers at WebVisions 2008 should have an idea about separating the wheat from the chaff.
So, if you are itching to see what the cutting edge technologies and concepts might be, please visit the WebVisions 2008 website for more information. It’s taking place May 22-23, 2008, at the Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon.
A sampling of this year’s workshop offerings include: Responsible Web Design, Progressive Enhancement with JavaScript and CSS, User Experience Best Practices, Visual and Creative Thinking. You can see that there is a wide spectrum of breakouts and workshops – from specific technical coding to broader user experience.