My SXSW PanelPicker wishlist

In the bursting marketplace of SXSW submissions, I peruse the SXSW PanelPicker like a caffeinated kid let loose in a library. I’ll careen through the sections, jumping over tables to reach my favorite titles, then dig in deep and give 110% of my attention to the new topic or author that catches my eye. At the end of my visit, I’ll come out with a towering stack of delight, information to imbibe and worlds in which I’ll get lost. That’s how I like to visit a library, museum—or even a conference. SXSW offers those same possibilities.

SXSW PanelPicker is where possibilities take shape. Comprising all the submissions for the year’s upcoming conference, it’s a marketplace of ideas worth considering. What deserves our attention? Who warrants a stage on which to share, educate, or debate? I’m fine with enthusiastic promotion. In fact, I think that combination of passion, insight, and presence is a fair representation of what to expect.

You with the catchy talk title and incisive thinking? Hi. I see you hopping about in PanelPicker and Twitter, exploding with enthusiasm. Your intelligence has jazz hands all its own! You’ve got my attention, and I want other folks to notice you as well. Because that’s how I get excited for SXSW, too!

So revel in passion for your topic. Nurture it with more extensive research and let it blossom into a thrilling presentation. In no particular order, these are some of the submissions that I think will best combine that passion, insight, and stage presence. They address topics I need to engage more deeply and earned my vote; I hope they get yours, too. Please add additional great submissions to the comments below. Mine’s in there, so have at it!

• The Executioner’s Tale with Christina Wodtke
• Content Modelling: Designing Structured Content with Rachel Lovinger and Cleve Gibbon
• Don’t be Ned Stark: Change Your Institution and Live with Joi Ito
• Baby Got Backend with Jeff Eaton
• Assertive Strategy: Content Amid Constraints with yours truly, Margot Bloomstein
• Can Stories Turn Texas Blue? Digital Media and HB2 panel
• How to Build Culture in a Distributed Company panel
• How REI Navigates Local Social Media Operations with Kelly Walsh
• Great Artists Steal: Plan Content with UX Tools with Laura Creekmore
• A Choir of One: Unifying CPG Brand Voice in Social panel
• Content Everywhere: Preparing for Mobile & Beyond with Sara Wachter-Boettcher
• The Data of Happiness: The ROI of Good Content with Clay Delk and Misty Weaver
• Go Home Marketing, You Are Drunk with Kristina Halvorson
• Selling Guns to Gandhi: The Art of Content Buy-In panel
• Brands at Publishers: The Future of Media? panel
• How to Appreciate Teens’ Social Media Practices with danah boyd

Prior to SXSW 2013, I blogged my session plan for “a small SXSW.” After the Interactive programming team announces the list of accepted talks, I’ll post my 2014 plan in a similar way. Consider this the broad, pie-in-the-sky rough draft for that wishlist.

Remember, anyone can set up a PanelPicker account to vote and comment on ideas. Go do that. Even if you’ll watch SXSW talks from home, or hope to catch a speaker at another event, let them know what you think. Vote up the topics you think are worth discussion; they often start at SXSW and then show up at other conferences throughout the year.

And what did I miss? What’s on your wishlist?