In this talk, Lola explores what it means to deconstruct an image and radically centre screen-reader users, using alt-text as an art space. How can we create an experience for screen-reader users that is just as creative and considered as the sighted experience?

Imagine an AI-powered co-pilot that gathers audience sentiment and dynamically adapts communication strategies in real-time. What if organisations could shape announcements or meetings on the fly, responding instantly to audience reactions?

In this talk, Dr Thalita Vergilio explores how tools like Kafka and Flink, combined with advanced LLMs like GPT-4, enable real-time narrative adaptation and direction. Witness a (dystopian?) case study revealing the challenges and rewards of integrating AI-driven sentiment analysis with real-time stream processing. The session also explores alternative approaches, from managed services to computer vision for audience engagement, and reflects on the ethical implications of using AI to influence communication strategies.

Dynamic and thought-provoking, this talk highlights the possibilities and responsibilities of AI in shaping the future of communication.

So you don't need to take a whole morning off for a doctor's appointment - great! Using tech for key services like healthcare and utility bills can speed up so many interactions and some changes are here to stay. But who is excluded when options are digital-first? What can we do to ensure folks most vulnerable in society are supported and not hindered by our rush to digital solutions for everything?

As a developer moving into a leadership role for the first time, it can be tough, confusing, and sometimes overwhelming. This was certainly the case for Luke. He discovered that the principles he had once followed when building software were no longer effective as a leader.

However, after a few years, he can confidently say that becoming a leader is one of the most fulfilling things he’s done. In this talk, you will learn how to adapt your developer skillset to that of a tech lead, and Luke will share his observations in making these adjustments himself.

We’ll look at how the problems you need to solve are suddenly very unfamiliar, with incentives often the reverse of what you’ve been used to. If you’ve had similar experiences or are considering a move into leadership, this talk is for you. You will leave with several effective strategies for becoming a tech lead while remaining kind to yourself and others.

Security has been on your list of things to do for the past few years. You’ve been asked to consider security every day, for as long as you can remember. Every so often, someone from the C-suite asks you to do security, and you’re not even sure what kind of security you should be doing anymore.

Ali’s talk will cover what drives security conversations for leaders, what changes the narrative from security being a tax, what is the Security Poverty Line, and what are Key Risk Indicators and where should you push back and why that doesn't always work. Expect takeaways on how to overcome these cultural challenges, and why it’s OK to be wrong.

Running a community is often seen as a win-win situation. However, many overlook the ethical complexities of working with community members, treating them differently than they would treat end users of a service.

Join community expert Imran, who runs one of the UK’s biggest design communities for the GOV.UK Design System, to explore the challenges of ethical community design. We'll touch on sustaining communities, maintaining balanced power dynamics, and creating an inclusive environment that benefits all parties.

More often than not, front-end developers will focus purely on improving their technical skills. I'm going to show you a better way by demonstrating how you can produce simpler, more resilient codebases by improving your planning & core skills — specifically improving how you provide and receive feedback from designer colleagues.

So, you don't use the Web Audio and Web MIDI APIs in your day job - does that mean they have nothing important to tell us about the nature of the Web? Think again! Katie Fenn takes us on a tour of the Web Audio and Web MIDI APIs by creatively-coding Daft Punk's 1997 classic, "Around the World". The talk will reflect on what the Web is good at, and the enduring value of unlicensed standards.