There are a ridiculous number of panels to check out at SXSW Interactive. If you did no networking and no partying (ha!) you still couldn't attend all the panels. You couldn't even attend just all the panels you really want to attend. You've got to make some choices. Here's my list of the panels I'm determined to go to:
Friday:
Gamechanging: Turning Your App Into A Cooperative Game
2:00 pm, Austin Convention Center, Room 12AB
I'm becoming obsessed with game mechanics or social rewards as a way of engaging people. Can't wait to read Aaron Dignan's Game Frame. So this panel, hosted by Buster Benson of Health Month and Thor Muller of Get Satisfaction should be very interesting.
Saturday:
11:30am, Austin Convention Center, Ballroom G
C.C. Chapman and Ann Handley read from and discuss their recent book. C.C. and Ann are two of the more awesome Social Media people around so this should be a great event, and a lot of my Twitter friends will be there to support them as well, so it should be a lot of fun.
Brand Journalism: The rise of non-fiction advertising
12:30pm, Austin Convention Center, Ballroom F
Ah, content marketing, one of my favorite subjects. Great panel too, with Bob Garfield, Shiv Singh from Pepsi and others talking about the need for brands to realizing they are publishers regardless of what business they are in.
Sunday:
Measuring Social Media: Let's Get Serious
9:30am, Hyatt, TX Ballroom 2-4
Let's be honest, there are still more questions than answers in this area, and yet it is a critical issue for Social Media marketers. Jason Falls leads this panel.
Better Crowdsourcing: Lessons learned from the3six5 Project
12:30pm, Austin Convention Center, Ballroom C
Absolute must attend. Features Len Kendall, one of the people I most want to meet, as well as John Winsor of Victors & Spoils, who was kind enough to write the forward for my crowdsourcing ebook, Everyone Is Illuminated. Plus, I participated in the3six5 project last year. Here's my entry.
Road Rules for Mentorship: What's Appropriate (& What's Not)
3:30pm, Austin Convention Center, Room 5ABC
Great topic, and two panelists who are totally great in their own ways, Sydney Owen and Aaron Strout. Very different from most of the other panels I'm attending so this should be a great change of pace.
Monday:
How Blogs With Balls Are Saving Sports Media
9:30am, Hyatt, Hill Country AB
I'm a sports guy at heart, so this is right up my alley. And check out this awesome list of panelists: Dan Shanoff, Darren Rovell, Jemele Hill and Spencer Hall.
Transmedia: What's The Magical Formula For Successful Design?
11:15am, Austin Convention Center, Ballroom E
Like most people, I was turned on to Transmedia via Henry Jenkins. In today's connected, convergent world, the foundation of a successful franchise in Transmedia. Anthea Foyer presents.
Tuesday:
Why PR's Future May Not Look Like PR
12:30pm, Hyatt, Hill Country CD
I've been involved with PR for more than a decade now, but I'm a big believer that agencies of all stripes need to re-evaluate their core offerings. David Armano and Richard Brewer-Hay host this one.