Despite the fact that my consulting work is focused on game industry stuff, I’m still lingering a bit in the association/non-profit community. Apparently, they like the way I think and still invite me to share my experiences in serving the IGDA.
And so, I went to the annual conference for the American Society of Association Executives to run a session on being innovative. The session was titled “Counterintuitive Paths to Success: Upending the Status Quo”. The session was itself an off-shoot of an article I wrote for their magazine on how I ran the IGDA (mostly against the grain of how associations are usually managed).
While at the conference, I got to take in some great sessions by the likes of Clay Shirky and Charlene Li, among others. And, of course, enjoyed some networking and social action as well.
They had the CN Tower lit up the whole time.
Participants hard at work during my session.
Charlene Li on building a groundswell of engagement.
Clay Shirky: “Convene, not control.”
Wow, New Orleans is hot. Or, more specifically, humid. The size of an event like SIGGRAPH alone is enough to burn you out, but with the heat (and all the food, and partying, and activities), I’m surprised I survived the weak!
As usual, SIGGRAPH is a nice eclectic mix of sessions and experiences. From the frying pan simulator in Emerging Tech, to the inclusion of audio visualization as a sub-theme, to the IndieCade game showcase, there’s always so much going on. Stephen Jacobs has a nice summary of some of the more game-oriented sessions from the show over at Gamasutra.
I was there primarily doing some consulting work for Greater New Orleans Inc, the economic development agency for the region. They were working to leverage the big show in attracting projects, studios and talent to the region.
Anyway, some quick pics from the week:
The frying pan simulator?!
Some fun play/light cubes…
Sam Roberts showing off IndieCade finalist PaperMint.
VR fun.
Will Wright’s entertainment/media flows.
Davey Jackson (GarageGames) enjoying a delicious muffaletta sandwich at the Butcher.
Autodesk had an eco-friendly booth made almost entirely of cardboard tubes.
Overdose!
Kim Pallister (Intel) and Meggan Scavio (Think Services) dive into the jumbo fried frogs’ legs at Herb Saint. Yummy!
New York Times’ graphics director Steve Duenes provided a fascinating keynote, giving endless example of data visualization and discussing the idea of graphical journalism. Great session.
Some beefcake at the ATI booth.
Matt Wisdom (TurboSquid) gushing about working in New Orleans during the LED/GNO party.
The “home team” booth.
Crazy float action at the Mardi Gras World warehouse, site of the closing party.
Closing party action. Too. Much. Food.
