Panel

Welcome to the Panel Picker voting interface. This web application gives you the power to browse all programming proposals and give us your feedback on which ideas you think are most appropriate for the SXSW Interactive Festival (scheduled March 13-17, 2009 in Austin, Texas).

So Many Choices Given the large number of submissions, we have divided the interface into categories to make these proposals easier to review. Choose any category from the menu at right—or, look at them all at once. After you have reviewed the submission in one category, please come back and review as many categories as you want.

Also, please use the search function to find a term or a presentor, or even to gauge the zeitgeist of this community. Trends that we have noticed for 2009 include web apps, brands, lessons, news, things that are long, the popularity of the word "suck" and a lot more advanced-level proposals than last year.

Does My Vote Count? Yes, it absolutely does. The SXSW Interactive Festival is a community-driven event. So, knowing what kinds of topics you want to hear at the event next March is extremely important to us. Your voting accounts for about 30% of the decision-making process for any given programming slot.

Also important is the input of the SXSW Advisory Board, which is a group of more than 50 new media professionals from across the US and around the world. These people are at the forefront of the tech industry, so their opinions and insights on the best programming ideas is very valuable.

The other piece of this puzzle is the analysis of the SXSW staff. We try to fill gaps in subject matter, as well as strike a balance between new and veteran speakers. We also research if a panel organizer has spoken before, what the ratings were, and what kind of following he / she has online.

Timeframe Voting closes on August 29. SXSW Interactive hopes to reveal the first batch of programming and confirmed speakers in October. Stay tuned to the SXSW website for complete details, as well as announcements on keynote speakers and other special events.

Questions Are you confused by how any / all of this works? Want to get your programming idea on the waiting list for 2009? Do you have questions about other ways to get involved with the SXSW Interactive Festival? Then please e-mail us at interpanels@sxsw.com.