Summary
Bria Alexander welcomed attendees to Day Two of Design at Scale 2021, focusing on the theme curated by Kit Unger: tools for success in enterprise design. She emphasized gratitude for speakers and participants whose feedback shaped the conference. Bria detailed logistical essentials, including accessing the full program and sponsor sessions via designatscale.co, the flexible time zone display options, and the conference's official Pacific Time zone. She highlighted 17 optional but high-quality sponsor sessions from notable companies such as Adobe, JP Morgan, Verizon, and Shopify, stressing their value and open availability even to non-registered attendees. Bria introduced the conference Slack workspace as a key interaction hub, with channels for general discussion, help, and cohort collaborations, spotlighting facilitators and the active role of community engagement. She also shared that sketch notes by David Nicholson and MJ Broadben would ease note-taking, and recordings plus presentation decks would be promptly available. Lastly, she reinforced the importance of a respectful, kind community environment per Rosenfeld Media's Code of Conduct, encouraging attendees to maintain professionalism and support for each other during this virtual event.
Key Insights
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Design at Scale 2021 Day Two focuses on 'tools for success in enterprise design,' curated by Kit Unger.
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Attendee feedback directly influences conference content and curation processes.
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Sponsor sessions are optional, free, and open even to non-registered participants, designed as quality talks rather than sales pitches.
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The conference supports multiple time zones with a feature at designatscale.co to help attendees avoid confusion, officially using Pacific Time.
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Slack is the primary place for interaction, including designated channels for general discussion, help, and cohort groups.
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Cohort facilitation is a standout feature, with 11 cohorts engaging over 130 participants, supported by facilitators.
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Note-taking is eased by professional sketch notes from David Nicholson and MJ Broadben and quick access to session recordings and decks.
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A digital swag bag offers sponsor deals and is accessible via a QR code or direct URL, simulating in-person conference perks.
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The Rosenfeld Media Code of Conduct applies rigorously even in virtual settings, underscoring kindness, respect, and safety.
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Real-time assistance is available through Slack's d-a-s help channel and email to maintain attendee comfort and support.
Notable Quotes
"If you have questions for our speakers, post them in d-a-s general in the specific talk thread we've created for each presentation."
"Sponsor sessions are incredibly high quality, but they are optional; we strongly recommend you do attend."
"We do not expect you to take notes, because we've got amazing sketch notes being created for you."
"The official time zone of this conference is Pacific Time, but you can change it to align with your local time."
"Our cohorts and their facilitators are one of the best parts of this conference, with pride and strong engagement."
"Please treat each other with kindness and respect; even though we are virtual, we are still a community."
"If you need help at any time, please use our Slack d-a-s help channel or email us directly."
"The sponsor sessions take place during conference breaks and are not sales pitches but sharing of expertise."
"You can access all session recordings and decks usually within minutes after presentations on designatscale.co."
"We rely heavily on your feedback to curate our conferences to align with what you want to hear and the people you want to hear from."
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