SXSW or Bust!

SXSW: The perfect confluence of innovation, inspiration, and sheer creative energy. In short, exactly where we want to be.

We’ve submitted three SXSW proposals that are now open for public voting and comment in the SXSW Panelpicker. If any look like sessions you ‘d want to hear, we’d be (as always) incredibly grateful for your support. (Once you create an account — it’s pretty painless — you can vote once for as many sessions as you like, through September 6.)

1. Unlocking Inspiration Through Visual Storytelling (SXSW Interactive)

More and more, we communicate visually. Every day, people share hundreds of millions of images through Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. As Nick Bilton of the NY Times put it, “Photos, once slices of a moment in the past — sunsets, meetings with friends, the family vacation — are fast becoming an entirely new type of dialogue.”

Since Haiku Deck launched, we have served up millions of images and analyzed what people are searching for, and which images they’re choosing to illustrate those concepts. Our recent partnership with Getty Images deepened our understanding of how people communicate meaning through images.

In this collaborative session, we’ll do a deep dive on the data to investigate what stories people are telling and which images they’re choosing. We’ll then explore techniques and strategies for pushing visual storytelling further, going beyond the literal and the expected to unlock deeper meaning and more powerful visual communication.


Unlocking Inspiration for Visual Storytelling – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

 Participants:

  • Catherine Carr, VP Marketing and Chief Inspiration Officer, Haiku Deck
  • Andrew Delaney, Director of Creative Content, Getty Images

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Unlocking Inspiration through Visual Storytelling

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2. Pitch for the Win: Advice for Startups (SXSW Interactive)

Whether you’re vying for a top spot at TechStars or trying to land an angel investor, a critical element to success is communicating your idea effectively. And with more and more accelerator programs and startup ideas on the scene, it’s harder than ever for your story to stand out.

This session will bring together the unique perspectives of a seasoned venture capitalist  (Greg Gottesman, managing director of Madrona Venture Group) and a tech entrepreneur (Adam Tratt, co-founder and CEO of Haiku Deck). Greg has heard thousands of pitches; Adam has given them. Greg decides which startups get funding; Adam has successfully navigated several funding milestones. Adam is a graduate of Seattle TechStars; Greg has participated numerous times as a judge and a mentor. Adam has studied best practices in presentation design extensively to build Haiku Deck, and Greg has seen it all–good, bad, and ugly–in conference rooms and competitions. Both bring humor, passion, and a wealth of first-hand experience to the table. You’ll come away with practical tips and powerful inspiration to craft your winning pitch.


Pitch for the Win – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

Participants:

  • Greg Gottesman, Madrona Venture Group
  • Adam Tratt, Co-founder and CEO, Haiku Deck

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Pitch for the Win

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3. Light Up Your Class with Visual Storytelling (SXSWedu)

“We live and work in a visually sophisticated world, so we must be sophisticated in using all the forms of communication, not just the written word.” ~George Lucas in Edutopia

As access to the creation and consumption of digital media increases, educators must embrace an expanded view of literacy. Teaching the skills of reading and writing is no longer enough. Students need to be able to use images as a currency for exchanging feelings, stories, and opinions with the world at large.

Further, as scientists learn more about how our brains work, it appears that many learners are hardwired to understand visually depicted ideas. Recent research from National Academies Press reminds us that using words and pictures (as compared to words alone) boosts generative processing which leads to lasting learning.

So… maybe a picture is not worth a thousand words. Perhaps a picture is worth a thousand ideas?


Visual Storytelling – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

Participants:

  • Kristen Swanson, BrightBytes
  • Richard Byrne, Free Technology for Teachers
  • Adam Tratt, Co-founder and CEO, Haiku Deck
  • Update! Ken Shelton, Haiku Deck Guru and creator of “Visual Storytelling” above

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Light Up Your Class with Visual Storytelling

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To quickly create a PanelPicker account and browse more great SXSW submissions, visit http://panelpicker.sxsw.com.

Thank you, Haiku Deck community, for your support! We are so grateful for every vote, comment, share, and encouraging word. Hope to see you at SXSW!