Registration, Coffee, & connect

Kickoff Day I

Session I: The Heads of State
Back to the Future - Heritage as Innovation

Session II: Jay Argaet
Creating Album Covers with Meaning

In all forms of creativity we tend to only see the finished product and remain unaware of the (sometimes painful) journey of ideas, failed concepts and refinement to get there. Truth be told, perhaps the only way we find that final conclusion is in exploration of failed ideas. Jay Argaet will share on some behind-the-scene stories in the creation of Hillsong’s best known album covers that have depth in meaning and reach.

30 min Break

Session III: Kathleen Shannon
Fear Goes On The Shelf:
What creative entrepreneurs are scared of, and how to put fear "in it's place."

When creatives who work for themselves talk about their fears, the same ones always seem to come up: getting clients, getting focused, getting those fuzzy lines between personal and professional all straightened out, and sounding like a creative expert, instead of a hobbyist or head-in-the-clouds dreamer. Cultivate creative confidence by turning the self-apologies and uncertainties you tell yourself into reminders, mantras, or mottos (whatever you want to call them) that can tame the voices in your head – so you can start creating the personal and professional brand you want for yourself.

Lunch

Panel I

Session IV: Lee Steffen
The Spark

Learn the five keys that will help you awaken your creativity, master your craft, and discover your purpose. A mighty flame follows even the tiniest spark. However, as Rodin said, before art is born the artist must be ready to be consumed by the fire of his own creation. Lee will be sharing some collected wisdom, as well as insights from his personal journey of what it means to truly discover, and awaken the creative spirit.

30 min Break

Session V: Doug Bowman
A Voice For Everyone

As designers, developers, creators, and communicators, we know how to amplify our voices through various means. With the rise of large communication platforms, we’ve seen a democratization of information creation and sharing. Anyone can speak up, and potentially be heard by people around the world. In Doug’s five years as Creative Director at Twitter, he witnessed some phenomenal uses of the rapidly growing network. From humorous to gut-wrenching, from profound to inspirational and heart-warming, Doug will share some of the stories that have unfolded via Twitter. Moments that mirror life itself, reveal larger patterns of collective behavior, and help us grasp the importance of ensuring that everyone has a voice.

Coffee, & connect

Kickoff Day II

Session I: Becky Murphy
Destination Process: Lessons Learned by Giving it a Go

What if we saw process more like a road trip and less like a connecting flight? We can lessen the burden of getting started when we see the journey as the destination and not a means to an end. Starting is hard. It’s actually worse than damp socks, but when we hunker down and get going, we can finally learn by doing. How can we set our everyday selves up for creative victories? What do we do when we feel paralyzed or completely unqualified? Becky will discuss the lessons she’s learned from diving in, and how they apply to our work, great and small.

Session II: Matt Lehman
The Power of No: How to Creative Direct Your Career

No. It sounds so... well, negative. But it's not. No really.

It's hard to say "no". It might be harder to accept "no". Dealing with that one small word – on either side of it – will have a huge impact on the kind of work you do and who you do that work for.

30 min Break

Session III: Josh Brewer
Designing Teams to Design All The Things!

Designing an exceptional product experience today feels more like fighting a multi-headed monster than a design challenge. As the multitude of devices and platforms continue to grow, so does the need for cohesive, collaborative Design teams. Drawing on years of leading and mentoring designers, Josh will address the challenges of building Design-led companies and products, arming you with the weapons you need to battle the multi-headed monster of Product Design.

Lunch

Panel II

Session IV: Josh Higgins
Moments That Changed My Life

Moments: these little, tiny increments of time we sometimes take for granted or barely notice can have a dramatic effect on our lives. A discussion about my career as a touring musician on MCA/Universal Records to Design Director for President Obama and the moments in between.

30 min Break

Session V: Jessica Hische
Remember the Analog!

I love technology as much as any of you, but should every moment of our day be spent staring a backlit screens? Digital sketching tools are becoming more and more sophisticated but does that mean they should replace the good ol' pencil and paper 100% of the time? I'll take you through my process from start to finish, show you every tool in my arsenal, and explain why you don't have to feel like a luddite for integrating serious analog time into your creative process.