I have no idea if there is any point to this as I’ve never been to SXSW and to be honest it all sounds pretty intimidating. I have no clue how long it takes to get from one venue to another or just how many sessions it is sensible to try and take in on a single day…but I am somebody who likes a plan even if it all falls apart.

I get to Austin at about 5pm on the 11th so that should give me a night to ease in to the experience and have a beer or two near my hotel (LA Quinta, Capitol).

The festival doesn’t kick-off until the 13th so I’m hoping I will be able to get my registration sorted relatively painlessly on the 12th. I’m told it is less of an ordeal for speakers anyway. Then I want to just have a nose around. In a perfect world I’d get to see a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse but that seems unlikely – at least I’ll get to see it. I always like to know the area within walking distance of my hotel and map out the journey to the main venues for the sessions. It looks like Im only a few blocks away so should be a pretty easy walk.

So this is my plan for sessions at the moment;

13th March.

[12.30 – 13.30]
Move Fast, Government, or Get Out of the Way
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP43188

[15.30-16.30]
Storytelling Superheroes
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP43226

14th March.

[11.00 – 12.00]
Creator Activism: A Discussion with Robert Kirkman
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP43298

[12.30 – 13.30]
Biz Stone on Creativity and Redefining Success
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP996694

[15.30 – 16.30]
Lies, damned lies and statistics
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP30821

Yes this is my session. i.e. panic stations.

[19.00 – 22.00]
SXSW Film + Interactive Fusion Party presented by Syfy & Philips
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_OE03791

Not sure how the how ‘party’ thing works but they are showing the new Expanse series pilot so I want to at least try.

15th March.

[09.30 – 10.30]
Digital and Social Government Meet up
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP997468

[11.00 – 12.00]
The Cast of Community on Moving to Digital
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP43551

[12.15 – 13.00]
Nerdist Comics Panel
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP996679

[16.00 – 16.15?]
Building Strong Teams in the Millennial Age
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP35766

This seems a weirdly short session.

[17.00 – 18.00]
Inc. Presents: The Honest Company
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP996690

Look it is Jessica Alba. In person. I’d go if she was reading the phone book.

16th March.

[11.00 – 12.00]
Telling Stories With Visualization & Interactivity
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP44526

[12.30 – 13.30]
Everything Eric Ries Has Learned Since 2011
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP43059

[15.30 – 16.30]
Lessons from BuzzFeed
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP996698

[17.00 – 18.00]
How Government Fails and How You Can Fix It
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP996688

[19.00 – 22.00]
XPRIZE and Blue State Digital Host the Social Good Hub Opening Party
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_OE03689

March 17th.

[12.30 – 13.30]
Russell Brand’s Revolution Will Be Televised
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP43020

Yea I know. Curiosity has got the better of me but you know what that did to the cat.

[17.00 – 18.00]
Bruce Sterling Closing Talk
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP42592

…and that’ll be that. I assume that half these sessions will be full and I’ll miss out but I think this is what I’ll aim at. If RZA http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_FP991067 attends while I’m there I’ll try and see that as well.

This should leave plenty of time to meet people and have a few craft beers (when in Austin..). I’m stocked up on my ‘Cards Against Humanity’ style business cards that I hope strike a chord with people and I’m starting to really look forward to it.

My session is pretty much a pre-announced unconference slot so hopefully it will just be a conversation about the new digital government agenda (I think I could talk sensibly about US and other experiences superficially) or open data (where I might need to scramble a bit.) That is if anyone attends. Apparently the room takes 200 people. I might be pretty lonely!

If anybody reading this is going to be in Austin please let me know if you are up for meeting. I’m a terrible ‘networker’ but it would be nice to chat to a few like minded folk.