Pre-conference workshops kick off Fluxible in style

They say good things come in threes, so this year we decided to test that theory. For this first time ever, the agenda included half-day workshops in advance of the main program, thereby offering three full days of Fluxible-style fun. And man, was it fun!

The day kicked off at the newly renovated Kitchener Public Library with two fantastic workshops. First, the effervescent Christina Wodtke led a group on Design Thinking for Innovation. Using Post-it Notes, they modelled data in a number of different ways until they landed on a framework on which a product could be considered viable, accessible and obsessible. The workshop also came with its own playlist, with music playing during each of the activities. Playing songs — especially remixed Motown — is Christina's favourite way of keeping track of time, not to mention a fun way to break the ice and energize the room.

Meanwhile, in another room, the dapper Stephen Anderson was teaching how to Design for Understanding. Using excerpts from Iron Man 3 (and other tools, too!), attendees deconstructed interactions to better understand how vision, spatial memory, or physical interactions contribute to sense making.

All that learning definitely worked up appetites, and you know we take food seriously. Crepes, yoghurt-filled, berry-topped waffle cones and fresh fruit were just some of the treats that fuelled attendees through the morning.

The final workshop of the day was held back at the Tannery, where the conference will remain for the rest of the weekend. Jim Kalbach and Jeff Gothelf showed attendees how powerful jazz can be, especially when it comes to understanding the dynamics of team collaboration. Much of UX design involves collaborating with others: gathering input from the business, ideating solutions in project teams, and iterating with developers. It's not everyday you get to attend an intimate jazz concert while learning fundamental UX skills.

And the best part is that Fluxible is just getting underway! There's still two more days of awesome yet to come, and we can't wait. See you all in the morning!