The PanelPicker: Tapping into the wisdom of the SXSW community

The History - First Launched in 2007

Over the years, many of the most compelling panels and presentations for the SXSW Interactive Festival have come directly from our community. This process was formalized in 2007 with the PanelPicker, an innovative online tool developed to offer the community the chance to become a greater part of SXSW, not only by submitting programming ideas, but also by reviewing, commenting and voting for those ideas they most want to see become a part of the event. In 2010 SXSW extended PanelPicker to include panel submission ideas for all three annual industry events (Music, Film, and Interactive), further enhancing the opportunity for the intersection of creative and professional minds throughout all three events.  

"The PanelPicker interface is a natural extension of the creative intermingling that takes place during the festival itself. We are excited that we can provide a forum for new ideas to debut and flourish year-round."
- Roland Swenson, SXSW’s Managing Director

 

The Process - Three Simple Steps

Step One - Submission / June 14 through July 9, 2010

During the open submission process we encouraged the community to upload proposals for panels, discussions, mentors, demonstrations, etc. This submission process is simple. Go to PanelPicker.sxsw.com any time between June 14 and July 9, 2010, select which conference you would like to submit your panel / presentation idea to (Music, Film or Interactive), read the PanelPicker FAQ and fill out the easy to follow form.

Step Two - Community Voting / August 9 through August 27, 2010

The community will have the opportunity to review all of the proposed ideas and rate the submissions they think are the best fit for the March event. Signing up is simple and FREE! Go to PanelPicker.sxsw.com any time between August 9 and August 27, 2010, click "Sign In" at the top right of the page. Next click "create a new account" and fill out the simple form. Once you are signed up you will be able to review, rate and comment on all submissions for the 2011 event.

Step Three - Consideration / Notification / September 2010

Everyone who submits a proposal by the July 9 deadline will receive a receipt letter that could possibly contain further instructions and information. If you have submitted a proposal, it is important that you respond to all SXSW correspondence and suggestions in a timely manner. You will be notified by the end of September 2010 whether or not your proposal has been accepted, or if it is being given further consideration. The first round of 2011 programming will also be announced on our website in late September, 2010.

 

The Decision - Voting + Staff + Advisory Board

Here's how it works. Vote totals from the community, along with feedback from SXSW Advisory Boards and the SXSW staff, will determine the bulk of panel programming for the 2010 event. Each of these three channels informs a percentage of the decision-making process.

You - 30%

Who knows better what you want to see at SXSW than you? Your voice matters even if you did not submit a proposal.

SXSW Advisory Board - 40 %

A group of more than 50 new media professionals from across the U.S. and around the world who are at the forefront of the tech industry, the SXSW Advisory board will provide significant feedback on all submissions.

SXSW Staff - 30 %

With years of experience programming this particular event, the SXSW staff will also weigh in with feedback and endeavor to fill in any gaps in subject matter, strike a balance between new and veteran speakers, as well as research each presenter’s history and online following.

 

"Our experience has proved that the PanelPicker interface is an invaluable way to connect with the thousands of professionals and informed consumers that make up the worldwide SXSW community. Not only does it help generate fresh ideas, it gives our participants an outlet to share with us what is most exciting, timely and relevant to them."
- SXSW Interactive Festival director, Hugh Forrest

 

The Competition - 2400 Entries Received For 2011

As of August 1, we have had receive roughly 2400 proosals for the Interactive Festival alone, the most since the inception of the PanelPicker. These numbers speak not only to the growth and significance of our community, but also to the wealth of knowledge, expertise and inspiration that community has to offer. But with so many great ideas vying for slots in the 2011 SXSW Interactive Festival lineup competition is going to be tough. Don’t be discouraged if your idea is not chosen, there may be other ways you can participate. Additional information about the PanelPicker can be found on the PanelPicker FAQ.