future of web apps (fowa) 2009 review

What is theFuture of Web Apps Conference

Where the business of the internet meets the people who build the internet’s coolest apps.

Covers:Design, Development,

Planning & Running your Business

Who was there?

Google • Mozilla • Digg • 37signals • Yahoo

Facebook • Joel Spolsky • Virgin • Wufoo

Six Apart • Freshbooks • CSC • 280 North

Gary Vaynerchuck

Hosted by: Carsonified - thinkvitamin.com

Your web app is a business... run it like one.

Test, watch, evaluate and implement.

Stand on the shoulders of giants.

Get off your ass!

First Day: Workshops

Mike McDermentCEO - Freshbooks• Is your app aspirin or a crayon?• Users have all the answers• Home Page needs 3 things • What is it? • Who’s it for? • Why does it matter?

First Day: Workshops

Kevin HaleFounder - WufooTurning free users into paying ones

No secret formula.

Watch data, measure reactions &React organically to your customers’/users’ needs

First Day: Workshops

Daniel BurkaCreative Director - Digg• Your design sucks.• Iterative Design• Encouraging user participation • Reduce barrier to entry • Simplify signup • Increase benefit (ego)

Jason Fried - 37signals

•Talked mostly business

•Focus on your success

•Free is no good

•Test & refine what you do

Dave Morin - Facebook

In Search of the Social Web

• 175 Million Users• Building blocks are here• FaceBook is 3 things

• Identity• Friends• Feed

Joe Stump - Digg

Scaling your tech team

•Lower barriers to entry - Use frameworks (for your code)

•Communicate - use the tools

•Use standards and conventions

•Use a code repository

•Promote ownership

•Use design in your development

•Test - continuous integration is your best friend

•Perform code reviews

Francisco Tolmasky - 280North/Atlas

• Created Cappuccino

• Created 280 Slides

• Atlas - Web-based Cappuccino editor

• Supports browser view & iPhone

• Took the house down - just watch!

Kristina Halvorson - Web Copy

Before you start writing:

•Do an audit

•Create an inventory

•Do a gap analysis

•Create a style guide

Talked about having more women presenters in web app world...

Gary Vaynerchukgaryvaynerchuck.com

•Do what you’re passionate about!

•Everything is public now, so be genuine.

•Content creation is king. You hold all the keys if you create your own content.

•Get off your ass!

Thanks! :)