• Preview of the HOW Design Conference

By Mark Geeves

The HOW Design Conference in Atlanta was attended by over 3,000 professionals this year. The name is the game: the HOW Conference is where graphic designers come to learn how: how to communicate their corporate and product messages and what tools, software (Adobe’s Creative Suite 3 was a major topic this year), materials and even management techniques to use (time to market at affordable cost was something several people mentioned as well as how to do more with less people).

There are two main tracks at the HOW conference. The first, usually attended by first through third year attendees, is aimed at training designers in using the software they have on their computers. The second track is aimed at attendees who have moved into management and need to learn how to manage projects and programs.

During the conference I was able to talk to many attendees and try to ascertain why they were there and what they hoped to take away with them. Keeping up with the latest technology was one thing everyone mentioned (for example, multi-purpose output and developing content for multiple media was a clear trend). Also, getting to meet people at the conference and learning from them was just as important as the conference itself.

The designers generally agreed that communication of color is a huge part of the communication of their work to their audiences and were looking for technical – colorimetric – ways to escape from the bags of paper color samples they have to lug around, which often exceed their own body weight! Additionally, to do their work better, attendees expressed a desire to learn more about printing processes and technologies, plastics and paint applications and other media in which their work is used.

The main conference hours were from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and I was amazed that the conference area was busy most of that time. On the first night, following the opening remarks, the Resource Center / exhibitors’ area was open from 9 to 11 p.m. and I was surprised indeed to see this area teeming with about 2,000 people until closing time. It appears the educational and social events at the HOW Conference are a key part of the event’s success.