99u Conference 2017— Inspiration & Knowledge Sharing From Industry Leaders
Some of the world’s top creative thinkers and doers. Offering pragmatic, real-world insights that transcend creative sectors.
Provided by Adobe, last years 99u was brilliant and this years was no exception. Aiming to inspire creatives, bringing their ideas to life and shaping the future of the industry.
Lasting two days, with 1,000 attendees across a variety of practices and professions hailing from locations worldwide. The conference revolved around Alice Tully Hall for the 13 main stage speakers. Including two workshops provided by some of New Yorks best studios and creatives.
The two days of main stage speakers were divided up by four questions and asked to present on them.
- Defining the Creative Career
- Navigating the Unknown
- How to Fix Design
- Invention & Reinvention
With talkers from mixed creative backgrounds and representing many different companies. Answers were thorough and revealed that they also have the same challenges we all do within our own industries.
Some of the main stage talks:
Liz Jackson
Founder & Chief Advocacy Officer, Inclusive Fashion & Design Collective
Speaking about her plight between the fashion/creative industry and people with disabilities. Why companies aren’t taking into consideration this $4 billion industry. Tackling stereotypes most of us have today.
Bryan Lamkin
EVP and General Manager, Digital Media, Adobe
Starting his life with Adobe before photoshop had layers, Lamkin has seen the industry change vastly. Lamkin gave us insight into his thinking of the industry now and the possible future. Lamkin recognises that artificial intelligence is going to play a major part in our creative lives moving forward.
Julia Kaganskiy
Director, New Inc
Speaking about the business and creative challenges every company starting up must face. There is no one-size-fits-all definition of success. Kaganskiy had the following advice:
- Start with why
- Find your tribe
- Make a plan
- But be ready to learn and adapt
- Focus on process vs result
- Approach challenges with honesty, compassion and curiosity
Irene Au
Design Partner, Khosla Ventures
Having built and led entire user experience and design teams at Google, Yahoo and Udacity. Usually on the studio side of the conversation. Au used her recent home project to further add to these seven key points:
- Choose clients intentionally
- Present multiple alternatives. Test the edges of what we want. Getting buy-in early.
- Prototype low- to high-fidelity
- See the opportunity. Focus on the upside.
- Get the details right
- Be the arbiter of taste
- Approach the work mindfully
Natasha Jen
Pentagram, Partner
We seem to have reduced our creative thinking down to 3M post it notes and a multi step formula. Jen argued that, as creatives we’re confusing matters further with an ever growing list of buzzwords.
Arguing that a defined creative step-by-step formula is bullshit.
“Design thinking is bullshit” — Natasha Jen
Ian Spalter
Head of Design, Instagram
Speaking about the relationship between design and data. Spalter described the contradictions of feelings versus science and how data can lead you to the wrong conclusions. Personality and emotional connections are important in any design work and relationship. Much like comedians who test hundreds of jokes before finding the good stuff to show us on their tours. Investigate the worth of your findings. Remembering that not using something good, is also an option.
Steve Selzer
Experience Design Manager, Airbnb
Asking “What happens when we remove the friction?” With Airbnb, Selzer tackles making your stay as enjoyable as possible. Airbnb understands that collisions can lead to confrontation and we all know how that works on the internet.
Against all intuition, Selzer found that holiday makers enjoyed human interaction at a local level. More so than dealing with Airbnb themselves through a digital platform. Providing evidence that friction can be a positive experience.
Debbie Millman
Host, Design Matters & Masters in Branding Chair, SVA
Known for her “Design Matters” podcast. Starting a design career in her early 30’s, Debbie Millman is now a world renowned branding designer. Millman argues that the longer something takes the longer it will last. Rushed creative can lead to fad design and that in life, don’t be afraid to want a lot.
“If it was easy, it would be easy” — Debbie Millman
Like last years conference, I have walked away with a spring in my step and a mind full of self-reflective questions. With confidence in the fact that everyone, no matter how big or small a reputation, we all have the same challenges.
If you’d like to learn more about 99u and are thinking of attending next year please visit their website. If you’re a creative always looking to learn and push yourself, I couldn’t recommend attending enough.
