“This group was particularly lively, and because there were so many questions the visit lasted four hours,” said Nick Chiechi, CSD President. Students also spent time in the conference room looking at a portfolio of the firms work. Details about some of the assignments were revealed and that sparked a lot of discussion.

From a technical standpoint there were many questions regarding what applications the firm uses to create websites, motion graphics and marketing communications. Examples of the firm’s promotional items were also displayed and why and how particular items were chosen was explained. There was also interest in how a particular project cycled through the creative and production stages and how much time the process takes.

Students were surprised to learn that while the designers were often responsible for specific aspects of an assignment -– there was still so much collaboration and teamwork at CSD. They asked what additional skills they should hone as they prepare to enter the workforce. The group was encouraged to focus on writing.

Designers explained that concepts rely on content to communicate a message and that writing is used to present ideas – even though professional writers are ultimately involved in most projects. They were reminded that the web is demanding writing for websites, search engine optimization, blogs and social media.

A quick poll established that while the students want to be employed to gain experience, many of them had the ultimate goal of starting their own business. Remembering their visit and energy, CSD staffers concluded that this group definitely has the motivation and enthusiasm to succeed in their future career choices.

Was it worth it?? DEFINITELY.

I must admit, the week was a bit daunting from an information-overload point-of-view. But I left the conference with a renewed sense of excitement and direction. My hats off to co sponsors O’Reilly and Techweb for putting together a whirlwind week. In fact this was the first time Web 2.0 expo graced the big apple.

Fred Wilson, Union Square Ventures, gave a fascinating keynote on the history of web in New York.The beginning of the internet in NY, according to Fred, was in 1979 and Red Burns from the ITP program at NYU. He talks of the early days of dial-up services with companies such as Archie, Gopher, Prodigy. Prodigy was the first company to offer dial up access to the www in 1994. The term Silicon Alley was given to the NY internet efforts in the early 90s. There were many failures along the way and agency’s such as razorfish, agency.com and itraffic opened for business as the first internet agencys. One of the early successes with online publishing was in 1995 with the New York Times and their coverage of the Popes visit.� Doubleclick was the first internet to go public in 1997.

As the internet industry evolved, “all hell broke loose” in 1999 Wilson said. An IPO and acquisition frenzie ensued, over 200 startups were funded in ’99 and 300 in 2000. And as history is told the dot com bubble burst later the same year.

I remember several traditional design agencies who fell into this trap and switched all of their resources to web and later paid the price when the bottom fell. At that time CSD played it conservatively and tiptoed into web world and at the same time maintained a strong traditional presence. This allowed us to hedge ourselves quite nicely looking back.

Fast forward, Web 2.0 was coined in 2003 and the next wave of web evolution had begun. Web 2.0 companies such as del.icio.us emerged as the early champions of 2.0. Other key milestones were: About.com being bought by The NY Times in 2005 and in 2006 Google set up shop in Manhattan. In 2007 companies such as Buddy Media, Path101, Tumblr opened.

So a lot has happened since 1979. New York as it compares to Silicon Valley, has gone from 1/8th of the internet companies 1/3rd today. And as Fred Wilson projects that trend will continue.

Fred Wilson’s entire video can be viewed at http://laughingsquid.com/fred-wilson-on-the-history-of-the-new-york-internet-industry.

This was one keynote among many others that we’re totally interesting and educational at Web 2.0 Expo. I eagerly look forward to next year’s expo and am extremely exciting about implementing what I learned in my business.

While the process of creating a brochure 25+ years ago is now part of art history, I do believe a quick review (leaving out a lot of details) illustrates how technology has changed the design industry for newer generations of designers. Back then, if you were a student “freelancer” with a client, and they had a printer, they needed your design and a “mechanical” for production.

I was fortunate to be an art student and knew some things about print design. I designed my high school yearbook by using a company kit that showed how to specify the layout of a page, size photographs, create special line art and fit copy. If you had talent, skills, reference materials and a lot of art supplies (many of them extremely dangerous), and knew how to use them – you could probably do the job – although you would probably need to correct a lot of mistakes.

The process usually involved at least two additional businesses: a type shop and photo stat shop. Each had their own staffs, expensive equipment and supplies. The type output (referred to as galley’s) and the photo stats would then be cut and pasted to a white piece of illustration board. Hopefully, the results would resemble your vision, and more importantly, it fit together in the allotted spaces. If not – the work would need to be repeated.

To begin, you had to rough out the layout, do a character and line count of the manuscript and then specify instructions for the typesetter. You had to physically get the manuscript to the typesetter where it was retyped! In many instances headlines were produced on entirely different equipment. This type came in long strips which you had to handle additionally. In some instances you could use transfer type that came on adhesive film, although the size and quantity of letters you needed might not be provided on one sheet, requiring you to buy additional ones.

If text changes were required [get this] you would physically cut and paste them together – letter by letter, word by word and sentence by sentence (often using scrap type from additional galley’s)! You hoped that you had the right letters and everything would stay in place. You could phone in corrections to the type shop but it usually took 24 hours to receive the revised text. Access to photo copiers was limited (copy shops) and there were no fax machines. And all of this needed to happen before you presented it to your client the first time. Afterwards, you would repeat this process over and over again. Finally, on a tissue overlay, you’d indicate color break and a variety of information for the printer. When in print production, the job went through a number of additional steps and the printer could make some changes but not all.

A lack of space and time will spare the details of incorporating logos, line art or photographs. If you had them, the photo stat shop would make direct positives or negatives that would be sized and handled again and again for cropping. And all the decisions regarding their use required math. You can imagine the challenges this created when doing a magazine, book, or a daily newspaper! Consider how many materials were leftover and needed to be stored.

Today, you can virtually do everything on your computer without leaving your desk. This has eliminated many businesses and industries but created new ones. Now that we have the Internet, you can deliver a pdf – that in many ways is the finished product. It is amazing to compare how our practice has changed and recognize the ways it has remained the same. It is exciting to think about all the things that will happen in the future!

The trend over the past several years has been startling. In business for 17 years and in the communications industry for 23 years, I have seen the printed piece severely diminished. Is this the evolution of communications? Is this to save money? Is this to save trees? Is the printed brochure still relevant anymore?

I believe that the brochure, or the “printed piece” is still a viable and necessary tool in communications. There is nothing like a well printed brochure. The touch and feel of beautiful uncoated stock. The richness of a photographic reproduction captured with laser-like precision from a 6-color Hidelberg press. The elegance and finish of perfect binding.

A brochure is, in it’s pure form, a reflection and reminder to your client of your company’s product or service. Think of the last time you went to a new car dealer and you fell in love with that car that you couldn’t afford. The salesmen then handed you a fresh-off-the-press brochure. And when you got home you read through every page like you we’re studying for a test. You imagined, you envisioned, you dreamed.

The brochure was a living document behaving like the best salesmen whispering in your ear. This is communications at it’s best. The printed brochure is a controlled article not beholden to a company’s laser printer. And in this era where most company’s are scaling back the printed document, it is, in my opinion, the one’s that still print will truly stand out in the crowd.