Austin: 2009 HOW Design Conference

Co-authored by Kyle Younkman and Nathan Shipp

Each year HOW, a publication specializing in design, holds a design conference featuring a wide range of sessions including creativity, design principles, business, career, technology and production, in an effort to inspire and inform designers of all levels. This year, the conference was held in Austin, Texas and Fahlgren was kind enough to send Wendy Jenkins, Kyle Younkman and Nathan Shipp to experience everything that HOW and Austin had to offer.

Austin: The Experience
While we were lucky enough to visit Austin during a record heat wave, the average day being about 105 degrees, that didn’t stop us from getting out and exploring. Plus, due to Kyle’s uncanny ability to strike up conversations with absolute strangers, we were able to learn a lot about what to see, what to eat and where NOT to go. According to our cab driver who picked us up at the airport, Austin has “everything,” well except for line dancing. He may have been onto something. We experienced everything from cupcakes out of an airstream trailer to a mass exodus of bats from under a bridge.  And then there was HOW…

Austin: The Conference
The official conference began with a networking event. Everyone received a belt buckle with 10 descriptions written on it and you had to find people who fit each of those descriptions to sign your card. This is where Nathan became VERY popular as he was the guy “getting married this summer.”

The opening keynote, Progress vs. Novelty, touched on some interesting points regarding consumer behavior and the intersections between culture and commerce. Robert Walker, a columnist from the New York Times Magazine discussed how good design can elevate the value for the consumer, partner and client.  People want to display and share things that are well designed. At the same time, we need to stop targeting the same market of consumers, because they are running out of space to display these things. We need to consider the groups we haven’t spoken to, different age groups, income levels, regions, etc. We also need to listen to the consumer – consumers have more vehicles to express their opinions on products, facebook, twitter, etc -  and not just simply react.

Out of the sessions, we each picked our favorite that were both the most memorable and beneficial to share:

Wendy: Among the many great sessions I attended, one seemed to really stand out – it was quirky, different and inspiring – Living a Creatively Curious Life with Von Glitschka. It explored simple methods to recognize and foster moments that inspire. Everyone is inherently creative, as a child you see everything with fresh eyes, you aren’t afraid to share your art and creativity, you’re not scared of rejection.  But this childlike exploration which brings out some of the best ideas is something that some people think of as immature as you get older, so a lot of people lose it. He shared a lot of great ideas for exercising your brain to keep this child-like curiosity – as well as life experiences of his own demonstrating this. Blogging, documenting ideas, getting your ideas out there in some way, was something he strongly encouraged, because if you don’t put it out there, no one is ever going to see it. The speech was inspiring and really made me want to start archiving more of my experiences and things that I see, looking at everyday objects and places in a new way and taking pictures of textures everywhere I go – a favorite past time of his. You never know when it may come in handy for an idea.

Kyle: One session that really stood out for me was What’s Going On With Design Today with Alex Isley.  Alex had a lot of insight, posing a lot of good questions that we should ask ourselves as designers. He probed the idea that we need to be more aware of what we do, who we affect and speak to. We’re more than a service to a business, taking on their strategies and practices, specializing in a higher craft. Design plays a much greater role in how things are precieved. We’re communicating, telling a story, creating. Graphic design as a whole, is becoming more popularized among colleges and universities, too. One thing he stressed was how can we combine the idea of a lone artistic genius with a  team-based collaborator. It’s an important connection between craft and caring, which today, I think we all could use a little bit more of.

Nathan: I gained the most insight from Art of Magazine Design, a class given by DJ Stout, a well-known magazine designer from Texas. Having designed covers for HOW Magazine, Guitar World, Texas Tourism and Realtor Monthly, DJ thoroughly explained the steps he took to complete each project, the importance of pleasing the client, although he stated that this is not always possible, and the obstacles he faced with each project. The amount of concepts he had for each piece, often times exceeding five, before reaching the final layout was amazing.  As he explained the reasoning and meaning behind each cover, his excitement and passion for designing was uplifting.

DJ is also known for his creative work in the editorial world, as he has designed covers that have captured history and gained interest. Explaining how to effectively use photography and illustrations in layouts, DJ also discussed how to truly think conceptually and create memorable work. After attending DJ’s class, he encouraged me to always push the limit and remain patient with client requests.

Austin: The Summary
Overall, the conference was a great learning experience, we got to meet a lot of people, see a lot of things and eat a lot of things. It really gave us a whole new perspective on design, creativity and working as a professional in the field. We also got to explore  and see a lot of a really cool city. We’d like to thank HOW for the design knowledge, Austin for the good time and most importantly Fahlgren for the opportunity to experience it all.