Web Directions Year round learning for product, design and engineering professionals

When we started planning a return to in-person events we really wanted to make sure every aspect of that event was as good as we’d ever done.

At the heart of a conference is its program–it’s what brings the people together, it’s the one thing they all share.

Over the last nearly 20 years we’ve experimented quite a bit with our conference programs–sometimes fewer tracks, sometimes more. But one thing is certain, as our industry evolves, there’s more and more specialisation. And so our programs have continued to specialise to keep pace, and to help you keep pace.

3 new tracks, 6 in total

This year at Web Directions Summit, we’ve added 3 new tracks to our existing Product Management, Design and Front End Development tracks–A React Ecosystem track (covering all things React and more), a Content Design and Strategy track, and a Career Development track.

With so much content, we are taking time over the next 2-3 weeks to announce the Summit program of nearly 80 presentations and keynotes across these 6 tracks. Today we’re announcing the first speakers on two of them–React Ecosystem and Design.

The React Ecosystem Track

Drawing on expert speakers from around Australia and the world, we’ll keep you up to date with developments in React, Remix, React Native, NextJS, and more. If you and your team work in this ecosystem, it’s the one event in Australia this year where you’ll get two full days of expert presenters on the topic.

• We’ll look at the future of React–Remix, Server components and NextJS with Ben Teese
• Compare JavaScript frameworks and performance with Dan Shappir
• Rethink state management with Keerthana Krishnan
• Consider working fluently with data in React with Tejas Kumar
• Refactor our components with Erin Zimmer
• Find React Native everywhere with Taz Singh
• Learn about reactive programming and Hotwire with Josh Graham
• Learn how we got here with a modern history of front-end best practices with Ben Taylor

plus there’s still a number of exciting speakers to be announced soon!

The Design Track

When Web Directions started out, ‘Design’ meant simply ‘Web Design’. But, over the last two decades, designing digital products has become ever more specialised and in-depth. Our design track has kept pace with this change, now covering interaction design, UI, UX, design research, design ops and more.

At Summit ’22 our first round of design focussed sessions

• Consider Why Data Science and UX Research should be Best Friends with Grishma Jena
• Promote Branding for accessibility: an inclusive approach to identity with Kate Linton
• Took a look at A New Future for the Interface: Reaching Toward True Adaptation with Liam Spradlin
• Ask us to Make Joy our Design’s Source Code with Himanshu Bharadwaj
• Learn lessons on Operating a global fully remote product design team Natalie Harper
• Think about Designing with friction (it’s irritatingly good) with Patima Tantiprasut
• and Designing Digital for (Virtual and Augmented) Reality with Oliver Weidlich
• We’ll Bring Business Impact and User Needs together with Jobs to be Done with Itamar Medeiros
• and take a look at The leadership path for senior designers with Lucinda Burtt

With still more sessions to be announced, get your design team along to be inspired, and learn new techniques and ideas.

So much more to come

Keep an eye out over the next few weeks as well announce dozens more speakers across front end development, product management, content strategy and design, and more. If you work in web and digital, if you design, build or are otherwise involved with delivering digital products and services, Web Directions will help you do that in so many ways.

We really hope to see you there–Sydney, ICC, December 1 and 2.

Register for Web Directions Summit today!

With nearly 80 speakers across 6 tracks, amazing coffee and fantastic food, reception, and much more, don’t miss the first Web Directions Summit in 3 years! Reconnect with folks in the industry, and meet new people too, in Sydney, December 1 & 2.