Is There An App For That? AIGA DC Event

I attended an AIGA DC event last night titled Is there an App for That?. It was a very interesting discussion on some of the exciting mobile app design happening right here in DC.
Here is the event write up from the AIGA:

• Join us for a night of informative, inspiring, and creative interactive dialogue! Learn about critical design trends and techniques from the foremost experts in the rapidly evolving mobile realm. Smartphones are outselling PC’s and mobile app revenues are projected to reach $38 billion by 2015. The market of devices and applications grows weekly, and understanding how to design and think conscientiously for the mobile landscape will position you as a business leader amongst fast-moving competitors. Learn how design, product, UX, and technology work collaboratively to create a product that evolves as quickly as the market does. Whether you are a tech guru or an interactive novice, you will walk away with creative tactics and processes to enhance your skills in the interactive space and push forth core business strategies.

The event consisted of a panel of four experts, plus a moderator. Each panelist was given 15 minutes to speak and afterward there was a Q & A session. Here is some info on the moderators:

• Lee Givens | Principal Product Manager, AOL Mobile at AOL
  Doug March | Developer at LivingSocial
  David Ramos | Interactive Design Instructor at Corcoran College of Art + Design
  Michael Yoch | Director, Product Development at NPR
  Joseph Price (moderator) | Business Analyst at Threespot Media

Each presenter had interesting information and had valuable insight (and in Doug March’s case Living Social coupons) to share. The Q & A following the presentations was good as well.
My one disappointment with the event was the discussion never really got into how people could get started in the world of app development. From the AIGA write up I was expecting something a bit more technical. I think having a developer/designer there to talk about some app development mechanics would have been valuable, even if they just hit a few basic points of what kind of technology and expertise that goes into an app.
Overall I had a good time and I hope AIGA DC holds more events like this one in the future. Happy hours are fun I’m sure, but I can never really break away from work to just go mingle (even though I’d like to!). Having an event like this, perhaps even with a mixer afterward, would give me a great excuse to get out of work on time for once!