Lessons and Inspiration from the Awwwards 2020 - Digital Thinkers Conference
When people share stories about their everyday work, mistakes, and learnings, inspiring things happen. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Awwwards Digital Thinkers Conference in Amsterdam, and it was an amazing experience. Being able to participate in such events is of primary importance, as it increases your creativity, energy, and will to create amazing stuff.
It was a pleasure to be surrounded by highly skilled professionals from all over the world, who talked about the hottest topics on UI/UX and shared their personal experiences.
Here are some highlights:
Bürocratik talked about how small studios build “big” websites. Being a member of a small studio means you add more personal value to your work and genuinely care about the result.
Margot Gabel (Build in Amsterdam)—who created the first multi-sensory digital flagship store—shared her thoughts on accessibility. She emphasized that web accessibility should be treated as a necessity and a basic human right, not as a feature.
Another important topic was creativity. Many speakers expressed the belief that every person is creative.
Vintage Agency mentioned that creativity is not a gift from heaven but rather a result of practice and good work.
Claudio Guglieri echoed a similar viewpoint, indicating that creativity is not a talent but a way of operating. Creativity is a journey, and ideas are the reward. It is crucial to create an environment where creativity can thrive.
As Robin Noguier (creator of Esperanto) said, “Boredom helps stimulate creativity.” Nowadays, we often keep ourselves too busy, forgetting that the best ideas come when our minds are resting.
In this context, I’d like to highlight one of my favorite moments: a project presentation by Achtung! for Volkswagen: Today, children spend more time looking at screens during road trips, which may impact their imagination. Achtung! created an app designed to spark children’s creativity and encourage them to look out the window again. The team scanned Dutch highways to create audiobooks that brought the routes to life through imaginative storytelling. It was a wonderful example of how technology can be used for good and to inspire creativity.
Sharing these stories is powerful. They enable people to continue their great work and enrich their knowledge.
I’d like to give a special thanks to Pixual. I’m grateful to be part of a team that supports participation in events like this. One of the most important things in a workplace is an environment that constantly invests in your training and growth.
Thanks to Awwwards, all the speakers, and attendees. I had an awesome time and look forward to bringing some of those remarkable thoughts and ideas into our work!
